English Red ---- How to

[SvenLindquist]

On another thread I mentioned that while I love Ruger No. 1s, I hate the bilge brown color Ruger paints them. Shown the pic below, note that the 375 H&H enjoyed a stock swap as well as a refinish in the classic English Red.

https://i.imgur.com/bk9iM3N.jpg

So here's how I do it.
1. First the wood need to be stripped bare. I use an aircraft grade stripper than will take off anything. Then you need to wash with warm water and Dawn. Rinse, rinse, rinse !
2. Next you need to bleach it. I use the Zimmer 2 part (Amazon). It may take several applications to get the wood blond. Again the wash and rise along with Vinegar to neutralize the bleach.
3. Now wet sand GENTLY with 220/320/400 and tack it off well.
4. After trying many stains, Varathane oil based Cabernet (Amazon) works well if wood is light. If it's darker, I add some Keda powder dye (Amazon) in red to the mix.
5. Final finish is up to you. Any oil based finish will further darken. I like glossy and have progressed from MinWax spray spar varnish to spray urethane and now to automotive clear coat
6. A final rubout with Brownells 5F followed by carnuba auto wax completes the job.

In progress now is a 1B stock that looked like this

https://i.imgur.com/LCMUqYG.jpg

and a 700 Classic stock (factory epoxy finish --- yuk) that is soaking up stain like a sponge.

When they're done I'll post pics.

[rking22]

Thanks for posting this. I like the red tint on the old Winchester’s and some Brits I’ve seen. Will be giving this a try when I refinish the wood on a little 410 sxs.

[nekshot]

looking good. I found rust oleum has a cherry stain that is as close to win red I ever got. But I always use on walnut my brew(soak walnut hulls in some water in the sun for a couple months and then pour the liquid and press the hulls till most juice is captured.) This is now a water base stain so one coat really evens out walnut, two coats really darkens it. Then a light sanding down the raised grain and apply the cherry stain and wipe off. I have been using magwheel clear coat in matte finish. Use as many coats as you like. I figure any thing that is hard enough to withstand stones, sand and winter salts has to be good on a gun stock clear finish. I have done about 18 guns with this stuff and love it!

[nekshot]

That home brew on dark poplar turns it into walnut look alike if you use a darker grainy piece, not the bland white poplar. I also have used white poplar for white spacers on pistol grip caps and forends. With this mag wheel clear coat the poplar stays white and so far none have turned that yukky amber color.

[SvenLindquist]

Thanks for posting this. I like the red tint on the old Winchester’s and some Brits I’ve seen. Will be giving this a try when I refinish the wood on a little 410 sxs.

The WRA red is not English Red
ER has a more maroon tone to it.

If you're a purist Duane sell the real root to make your own.

http://customgunandrifle.com/products/ground-alkenet-root

He builds rather impressive stuff !

https://i.imgur.com/NETUQRg.jpg

[JWFilips]

Much of my 17th & 18th century style gunbuilding has included "English Red " stock color. One of the best for folks that do not want to compound their own is Plinkington spirit stains availible From Brownnel's They produce a deep rich transparent color

[UKShootist]

'English Red'? I thought this was going to be about Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. (For those that don't know, he makes Karl Marx look like Ayn Rand)

[W.R.Buchanan]

UKShootist: He actually has moved to the US and has changed his name to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez !

A lot of us seem to like the Commies! But the revolution will NOT be televised!

Randy

[Wayne Smith]

You did not include a filling step. How do you fill the pores in the Walnut?

[SvenLindquist]

You don't fill the pores with clearcoat. Lay on about 3 coats and wet sand it. Then 3 more final coats, followed by 5F and canuba wax. Will look like a Rolls Royce.