Stock finish options

[RU shooter]

So I'm redoing the stock on my flintlock not sure what kinda wood is on it it's a Dixie mountain rifle early made in Japan gun anyways stripped it and used an alcohol based dye on the wood as I normally do with other rifles I've made . On my other guns I've always used formbys tung oil finish and have been happy with the results .went looking today for some couldn't find any , all they had was watco teak oil and danish oil finishes . Has anyone used either of these oil finishes on gun wood . I want something that's water repellant but yet don't have that covered in shiny plastic finish look . Thoughts or other options ?

Thanks , Tim

[LAGS]

What about Straight Boiled Linseed Oil.
I use it a lot.
I have used Watco and Tru Oil.
Linseed oil is my Favorite for a Satin natural looking Hunter Finish.
Two hand applied , hand rubbed coats of Linseed Oil will seal a stock.
But I prefer to do four coats over several weeks time.

[porthos]

get the watco danish oil. i've used EVERYTHING to finish gunstocks. for the finish you are looking for; watco is the easier to use. keep the stock wet for 30 minutes. dry off with paper towels. let dry 2 or 3 days and do same. too bad that you have stained it already or i would tell you to wet sand the watco in with 350 grit wet paper. after the second treatment you can "burn" the finish in with your hands. too many coats and the wood will start to get a sheen that you may not like. when i'm done wiping off a stock of the oil on it; i take the towels outside an burn them. can't be too careful with oil soaked rags and paper.

[RU shooter]

Lags my last try at BLO a number of years ago did t go well it was regular hardware store stuff maybe it was old or whatever but it seemed like it never dried and always felt tacky that was on an old Finn mosin I refinished that sorta makes me gunshy about it .

Porthos if using the danish if it starts to develop a shine can it easily be knocked down with oooo steel wool ? I'm assuming it like the tung oil is just a varnish and not really much real oil

[LAGS]

You have to put on the BLO with your fingers and rub it into the wood.
The first coat I put it on with my fingers and rub it in good.
Then wipe it down till all the surface oil is gone with an old T Shirt.
I let it dry for at least two days.
Then hand rub the stock with your bare hands untill it feels warm.
Then you apply the second coat with your fingers SPARINGLY.
Don't let it build up where it is runny on the surface.
Again rub it in really good and let it dry two days.
Now if you want to fill the wood and build up the finish , you Wet sand the stock using the Linseed oil to wet your sandpaper.
Keep it wet while sanding and let the sawdust you are creating that is like oily Mud stay on the stock as a filler.
Rub the mud with your hands untill your hands get warm.
Then let it dry for a few days and wet sand it again.
Keep repeating this process to you fill all the wood grain.
Then when dry put on your final coat of Linseed oil very sparingly and rub it till it is drying.
But you may be right about Old Linseed Oil.
If I suspect it is old , I boil it again before I use it.
If it ain't Boiled , Linseed oil doesn't want to dry.

[RedlegEd]

So I'm redoing the stock on my flintlock not sure what kinda wood is on it it's a Dixie mountain rifle early made in Japan gun anyways stripped it and used an alcohol based dye on the wood as I normally do with other rifles I've made . On my other guns I've always used formbys tung oil finish and have been happy with the results .went looking today for some couldn't find any , all they had was watco teak oil and danish oil finishes . Has anyone used either of these oil finishes on gun wood . I want something that's water repellant but yet don't have that covered in shiny plastic finish look . Thoughts or other options ?

Thanks , Tim
Hi Tim,
I used the method described in the link below and it gave me a great satin finish that’s water proof and really easy to maintain. I normally use BLO, but unless it’s on an M1 stock, I’ll use the method below from now on.
Ed

http://https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/how-to-do-the-worlds-best-oil-finish.240961/ (https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/how-to-do-the-worlds-best-oil-finish.240961/)

[LAGS]

One other trick to make your BLO easier to apply and dry faster is to thin the BLO with Terpintine.
Do not use Paint Thinner or Mineral Spirits.
Only real Terpintine in Boiled Linseed Oil.

[Rich/WIS]

You need to match the finish to what is appropriate to the gun. On modern rifles have found Watco Danish oil satin does a nice job following directions on the can. After it cures a coat or two of satin wipe-on poly gives a hard durable finish. US MILSURP rifles get BLO/MS at a 3/1 mix rubbed in. Not sure what is appropriate on the OP's ML. If using BLO on bare wood start with a 2/1 mix for first coat, applied heavily and wiped off after 30 minutes or so. This will penetrate and seal. Allow to cure for several days (3 minimum) then apply at the 3/1 ratio until satisfied. Positive thing with oil is ease of touching up the finish, and a coat rubbed in once a year will keep it looking great.

[mazo kid]

I had a Dixie Southern Mountain flintlock rifle that was made in Japan. The stock wood was Cherry. A lot of the commercial oil finishes ( Watco, Danish Oil, Formbys, Tung Oil, etc) are varnishes in my opinion. REAL Tung Oil is available and is similar to BLO in that it needs to be rubbed in with successive light coats as it takes a couple of days to harden. I thin it half and half with mineral spirits, seems to let it dry quicker.

[porthos]

couple of things. yes you can cut the danish oil down with steel wool, but, it is not a hard finish. very possible to cut through the finish. it is not like a built up hard finish. next it is not adviseable to cut down a finish to the wood with steel wool. if there are some higher spots in the finish. the steel wool will roll over them instead of cutting them down to the surface. wet sanding with the finish yoy are using is a better solution . with a hard finish, using a "no load" paper dry is best 320 or 400 works well. any oil finish is not durable as is a hard finish. there are dozens of stock finishes out there; a excellent stock maker once told me that "its not what you use, but, how you use it"

[BigEyeBob]

Boiled linseed with alcanet root added for a nice red colour .Apply a heavy coat let it soak in for a few hrs then wipe off .Let it dry for 24hrs , wet fingers with oil rub in with the heel of your hand till it gets hot ,becareful not to raise blisters on your hand . Let it dry for 24hrs ,repeat every day for at least 10 days .When satisfied apply carnuba wax and let it dry ,buff off with a soft cloth.

[Wayne Smith]

I've posted this often here but will again. There are two natural oil finishes that completely polymerize - Tung oil and Walnut oil. Completely polymerize means harden - Linseed (Flax seed) oil - BLO does not completely polymerize and is used as an outdoor wood finish specifically because of that - it will move with the wood and not crack. I use Walnut oil on my bowls and my cutting boards.

[Herb in Pa]

Porthos is modest, he has refinished literally hundreds of stocks from modest rifles to very high grade shotguns. I know his client base even includes customers outside the USA. He's a magician with wood finishes.

[RU shooter]

I had a Dixie Southern Mountain flintlock rifle that was made in Japan. The stock wood was Cherry. A lot of the commercial oil finishes ( Watco, Danish Oil, Formbys, Tung Oil, etc) are varnishes in my opinion. REAL Tung Oil is available and is similar to BLO in that it needs to be rubbed in with successive light coats as it takes a couple of days to harden. I thin it half and half with mineral spirits, seems to let it dry quicker.

Yeah I've heard that some were cherry unless Japanese cherry is very different than what I'm used to this ain't cherry wood . Sorta grainy with no figure ? Who knows

[RU shooter]

Thanks all I think I'm gonna give the Danish oil a go