Boiled linseed oil vs raw linseed oil for finishing a rifle stock

[Sixgun Symphony]

I was told that the military used raw linseed oil to finish their service rifles like the 1903 Springfield and M1 Garand. I like the idea of a hard wearing, dull finish for a hunting rifle. Can anyone here confirm if they did use raw linseed oil? Are there reasons why boiled linseed oil might be a better option?

Also, I been watching YouTube videos. I don't see anyone using stain or finish on the wood where it is inletted for the lock and barrel. That seems wrong, rainwater would get in there and cause the wood to swell, affecting accuracy I am sure. So does one do alot of sanding to keep the metal to wood fit in those areas when applying the finish?

[Ithaca Gunner]

I've read the .45 Springfield stocks were dipped in hot, (possibly boiling) linseed oil and hung to dry. I'll have to find the book to be exact.

[LAGS]

I was told , that Boiled Linseed oil dries much quicker over Raw Linseed oil.
I only use Boiled stuff on my stocks.

[sharps4590]

BLO has always been my choice. Many coats over many days and finished off with rottenstone and a wax.

[Wayne Smith]

BLO is not 'boiled' as in heated to a boil. It simply means it has dryers added so it dries more quickly. The military heated the oil so it would penetrate into the wood - at least in theory. It was a simple dip process suitable for production. Typically multiple days drying, though.

Linseed oil does not completely polymerize - or harden. It always retains that tacky feel. Only two oil finishes completely polymerize - Tung oil and walnut oil.

[freakonaleash]

I build guns for a living. I don't use any sort of BLO product. It isn't water proof, water goes right through it. I find tung oil finishes much better. I like Formby's. I have had many originals apart, NONE of them have finish in the barrel channel or lock mortise.

[KCSO]

Raw linseed oil is just better than nothing, it offers no protection from water. I much prefer either Danish oil or French oil (shellac, turpentine and BLO). Danish oil in thin coats well rubbed in and each coat let to dry a week or so and let it build into a fine finish.

[Buck Shot]

Best oil finish for gunstocks that I have found is called "Lin-Speed. (https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/wood-finishes/gunstock-oil-prod8004.aspx)" Family has been using it since the 1950s or earlier. What's nice is you can touch it up every few years, just rub it on with your hand. If you don't rub it down well afterwards, it will also retain a bit of a tacky feel, which I like for my hunting guns...

Formby's and similar watery "wiping varnish finishes" are typically just polyurethane thinned down w/ mineral spirits that flash off fast and maybe some Japan drier with some kind of oil thrown in so they can call it an "oil finish."

There's a lot of folklore, hocus-pocus and misrepresentation in the wood finishes aisle...

https://thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/make-your-own-oil-varnish-blend/

[JoeJames]

I used Watkins Danish Oil dark walnut finish (used it after I saw Mark Novak using it and recommending it) on an 03 that I had stripped which had been slathered with varnish by Bubba. It worked fine. In the past I have used Tung Oil and BLO for military stocks. All worked about the same. The Danish Oil had a walnut stain in it which helped even out the light places on the Bubba'ed 03 stock. BTW I read somewhere that in WW2 tung oil and BLO were used interchangeably by the US manufacturers. Basically whichever was on hand.

[quail4jake]

I use many gallons of BLO in a year but that's for wooden farm equipment. It is not waterproof or repellant, it does not "dry" to a hard finish but preserves weather exposed wood when it is applied many times over to soak in. It doesn't form a hard resilient surface soooo...you really don't want it on a stock. Adding hardeners, like japan, to linseed will make it tack up and form a soft, gummy coating. That's about it. And that's why I use commercial stock finishes that someone else, smarter than me, has already figured out. Birchwood casey's tru oil, Jim Chamber's stock varnish (very red tinted) and sometimes Waterlox. These are blended varnishes using naturel polymerizing oils and hardeners etc to make a hard surface once cured, that's what I recommend. Tung oil is OK but it hardens to a brittle coating and can chip also coats don't always adhere to each other well. Good luck![smilie=s:

[rfd]

Any manner of linseed oil and tung oil for wood finishing is just a pain for me to process and the results are never stellar let alone "good".

As of years ago I'll only use Tru-Oil and have done many stocks to my perfection.

https://i.imgur.com/z3vcsfm.jpg

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

[waksupi]

I always have put stain and a coat of finish in all inlets. No extra sanding needed. Sometimes finish will build up a bit in the lock mortise, that will need scraped a bit to allow the lock plate to seat properly.

As has been said, linseed oil is a poor finish, it was just a military expedient. I've had good luck with Truoil, and Hunters Shack finish.

I've done a few guns with tung oil, but no more. Last weekend I went to a dangerous game rifle shoot, where we by chance ended up shooting in the rain. Pretty much all the tung oil finish came off of the checkering on my .375 H&H. I've not had that problem on any of the muzzleloaders I have finished.

For those who HAVE used linseed and ended up with a tacky mess, wipe it down with paper towels and white gas.

[bedbugbilly]

"raw" linseed oil will get gummy - boiled linseed oil can be worked into the wood in repeated applications - I thin it with "real turpentine", not the new artificial turpentine. If properly applied and rubbed in over many coats, it can provide a nice finish but it all depends on what you are applying it to. Yea . . it's been used by many for many years for gunstock finish but it will not provide a true waterproof finish. I always kept it on hand in my woodworking/custo millwork business because every once in a while, I would have a need for it but it was never my "preferred" finish. Every once in a while I woulds be called upon to make replacement pieces for antique farm equipment - usually out of white oak due to the nature of the species to resist rot - 9 times out of 10, the customer would request a BLO finish application unless it was going to be painted - they knew what they wanted so I did as asked.

In this day and age, there are many good finishes out there for such things as gunstocks that will provide for a nice waterproof finish. In my business, I used a lot of sprayed Laquer for finishing cabinets, furniture and millwork that I produced. There are many types of lacquer. I once had a fellow ask me to spray lacquer his half-stock of a muzzleloading kit that he was building - he saw the finishes I could put on cabinets, etc. and he really wanted me to do his stock in spite of me saying that it was not the "best" finish for a gunstock. He loved it but after a fall of hunting, going through the brush and swamps of lower Michigan, he brought it back to show me - like I said - not the best finish. He stripped it down and used a commercial gunstock finish on it.

Many of the cheap production guns - those with birch stocks, etc. are often sprayed with lacquer with toner in it. Think of it as a combination of lacquer and stain. Toner is used in the cabinet industry in order to come out with matching color finishes on such species as maple, red oak, etc. which otherwise, if just stained first, would never match since different pieces of wood from different trees stain differently and some stain "muddy". On stocks made out of birch, etc. - using lacquer with a toner in it allows the maker to make it look good as far as "color" goes - but it is not a finish that will last over time and normal things you run into when hunting.

BLO is a "traditional" finish and I have used it on a number of my muzzleloading builds over the years - but I always kept a bottle of BLO/turpentine thinned finish handy so that I could rub in a good coat on the stock after cleaning the rifle after a hunt in usually wet or damp hunting seasons like we had in lower Michigan.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I tried ''Linspeed'' and didn't like it, Birchwood Caseys ''Tru Oil'' was what I used for many years, then I tried some Formby's ''Tung Oil'' and didn't like that either and went back to ''Tru Oil''. Here's what I may have settled on, Minwax ''Antique Oil Finish'' $16.00 Qt.

[GregLaROCHE]

Boiled linseed oil is a lot thicker than regular and drys faster. Yes it does dry compared to petroleum oils.
Cutting it with turpentine works well to speed up penetration and then the turpentine evaporates fast. You can use super fine steel wool to clean up dirty spots. Afterwards wipe off the excess and let dry. It will give you a nice patina, if that’s the type of finish you’re looking for.

[Traffer]

Raw linseed oil DOES NOT DRY. It will remain sticky. USE BOILED.

[Char-Gar]

BLO and later Tung Oil is what the military used. BLO is an OK stock finish, but will constantly need to be reapplied. Some branches of service (USMC) used "Gunny Paste" on their wooden stocks. It is a mixture of beeswax, turpentine and BLO each by 1/3. It is available commercially as Tom's 1/3 Wax.

BTW. stock inletting and other exposed areas like under the butt plate should never be left unfinished. Back in the day, stock makers used several coats of white shellac.

Have used Tru-Oil for over 45 years and have learned it's ins and outs. You have have a wonderful high gloss finish or take it back down to the wood with OOO steel wood for a duller but still very pretty finish. It is about as water resistant was a wood finish can be. No wood finish is waterproof. I give any wood rifle or handgun stocks a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax if they might get wet. I would never intentionally carry any firearm in the rain, but a time or two, the rain caught me by surprise.

[uscra112]

I don't like that the chemical "dryers" they use in "boiled" linseed are toxic. The traditional 18th century London Oil Finish used raw linseed. It cures as hard as any oil will, but it takes a long time. "Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever" wasn't too far off. In the early stages it does get gummy. Therein lies the secret. The trick is to cut that gummy layer off with more oil and a coarse cloth. The old-timers used burlap - I use progressively finer grades of aluminum oxide paper. This is the same technique used to get a fine lacquer finish on cars - you don't build up the finish, you cut down to it.

I've got a dozen guns I did ten and fifteen years ago that look and feel great. But I'm a patient man. If you're not, then boiled oil or one of the "Magic Oils" will suit you better.

I think it was Howe who admitted that gunsmiths tend to prefer the quickest finishing methods because they want the job delivered and paid for as soon as possible.

[Traffer]

I don't like that the chemical "dryers" they use in "boiled" linseed are toxic. The traditional 18th century London Oil Finish used raw linseed. It cures as hard as any oil will, but it takes a long time. "Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever" wasn't too far off. In the early stages it does get gummy. Therein lies the secret. The trick is to cut that gummy layer off with more oil and a coarse cloth. (The old-timers used burlap - I use progressively finer grades of aluminum oxide paper. This is the same technique used to get a fine lacquer finish on cars - you don't build up the finish, you cut down to it.

I've got a dozen guns I did ten and fifteen years ago that look and feel great. But I'm a patient man. If you're not, then boiled oil or one of the "Magic Oils" will suit you better.

I stand corrected. My experience is with finishing woodwork not gunstocks.

[toot]

one never dries, and stays tacky/ sticky. guess witch one? clue RAW!

[444ttd]

i use minwax antique oil and johnson's paste wax.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdAhnS_qYYM&ab_channel=CyclopsVideosJoeWRhea

[Tar Heel]

Any manner of linseed oil and tung oil for wood finishing is just a pain for me to process and the results are never stellar let alone "good".

As of years ago I'll only use Tru-Oil and have done many stocks to my perfection.

https://i.imgur.com/z3vcsfm.jpg

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

Very nice rifle!

[1Hawkeye]

Both will be tacky if not done properly. The trick is to warm the oil first either by itself or cut with real turpintine and warmed. Then apply it to the stock by hand / fingers working it into the grain with a rubbing motion. After the finish has been applied vigorusly buff of the excess oil with a rough cloth let set at least overnight but 24 hours is better. Repeat over at least 3 to 4 times and you will have a good finish.

[ShooterAZ]

I use low gloss tung oil, I don't care for really shiny stocks. Many coats, gently rubbed with 4-0 steel wool in between coatings. Let dry at least 24 hours between coats. I will caution anyone who uses raw linseed oil to be VERY, VERY careful with the used rags. They WILL spontaneously combust. In a past life I was a painter, and had a 5 gallon bucket with some oily linseed rags in the back of my truck catch fire. Luckily, I was able to catch it and put it out before my truck turned into a melted heap of scrap metal.

[megasupermagnum]

I have both raw linseed oil, and BLO. I really can't tell much difference in the consistency, both are a lighter oil, and of a kind of yellow/amber color. The main difference is the smell. BLO is ok, but you can tell it has chemicals. Raw linseed oil smells fantastic, kind of a lemony scent to it.

I've never been a fan of Tung oil, or true oil. There's also a bunch of tung oils, and they are all different. Overall they are more or less a varnish that dries over the wood, and results in what I consider a less than stellar appearance. Take RDF's rifle. A beautiful rifle, with great wood, but it looks like he dipped it in plastic. It's all personal preference, but I don't want my rifles to look like that.

I've had good luck with BLO, although I have yet to totally strip and refinish a rifle with it. Mostly I've used it on tools and such. Sure it takes a little time to dry, but it isn't that bad. The big thing for me is it is repairable. When I get a scratch, and every thing I own will be scratched, I just rub a little more BLO on it, and you can't hardly tell what happened. My only real experience with raw linseed oil was on a surplus M14 stock. I used it just like I used BLO, and it really brought the life back into the stock. I never noticed any problems with it being wet. It's not like it was running off or anything, and I didn't get any on me when I was shooting. Both seem to hold up as well as they need to in the rain and snow, at least as well as anything else I've seen.

I'm kind of torn on my own build at the moment, although I have a lot of time to think about it yet. I'd naturally use BLO, but wood craft sells something called "tried and true", which is kind of a more traditional BLO, vs the stuff we buy now which is a bunch of chemicals. The only reason I shy away from raw linseed oil is because of its reputation for taking months to dry.

[Traffer]

I use low gloss tung oil, I don't care for really shiny stocks. Many coats, gently rubbed with 4-0 steel wool in between coatings. Let dry at least 24 hours between coats. I will caution anyone who uses raw linseed oil to be VERY, VERY careful with the used rags. They WILL spontaneously combust. In a past life I was a painter, and had a 5 gallon bucket with some oily linseed rags in the back of my truck catch fire. Luckily, I was able to catch it and put it out before my truck turned into a melted heap of scrap metal.

I was a painter too...my dad was a painter all of his life. He would go ballistic if we let linseed oil (or oil based stain rags) piled up. His dad had a Nash dealership burn down in 1930 because of oil rags piled up. NEVER PILE OIL RAGS.

[ogre]

I was told that the military used raw linseed oil to finish their service rifles like the 1903 Springfield and M1 Garand. I like the idea of a hard wearing, dull finish for a hunting rifle. Can anyone here confirm if they did use raw linseed oil? Are there reasons why boiled linseed oil might be a better option?

Also, I been watching YouTube videos. I don't see anyone using stain or finish on the wood where it is inletted for the lock and barrel. That seems wrong, rainwater would get in there and cause the wood to swell, affecting accuracy I am sure. So does one do alot of sanding to keep the metal to wood fit in those areas when applying the finish?

This is a long read but should answer your questions: https://thecmp.org/wood-cleaning-article/

[Sixgun Symphony]

This is a long read but should answer your questions: https://thecmp.org/wood-cleaning-article/

Thanks much!

[Jniedbalski]

Sompthing I haven’t seen used is lemon oil or orange oil. I did a 3o3 Brit 4#2 with lemon . Rubbed let sit . Steel whoop it and apply more rubbing it in till hot. This turned out great .

[freakonaleash]

Some great folk lore here.....

[megasupermagnum]

Some great folk lore here.....

I can attest a pile of oily rags can most certainly get scary hot. I've never let any combust, but I have no doubts at all they could. It's happened to too many people. Not just rags, plenty of barns have burned down from wet hay and such.

[PhatForrest]

i use minwax antique oil and johnson's paste wax.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdAhnS_qYYM&ab_channel=CyclopsVideosJoeWRhea

I've used this method on stocks before and had great results, albeit I used furniture wax instead of paste wax.

[toot]

a beauty!

[JoeJames]

Sompthing I haven’t seen used is lemon oil or orange oil. I did a 3o3 Brit 4#2 with lemon . Rubbed let sit . Steel whoop it and apply more rubbing it in till hot. This turned out great .

Not particularly concerning rifle stocks, but at several gun shows there has been a feller who sold nothing but pistol grips, and had several tables at each show. . His wood grips looked great. I asked him what he used, and he swore by lemon oil. He said you could get it a Walmart for @ $4 . I got a pint of it and since then have been using it exclusively on my revolver grips. I really perks them and is not sticky at all after it dries.

[ogre]

https://thecmp.org/wood-cleaning-article/

[almar]

Raw will dry but it takes months. The trick is to heat it just below flash point preferably in a vaccume so you can go higher in tempearature without fire. Some purist do this because they put additives in boiled linseed oil now to speed up the drying. Some have alot of trouble with boiled because they lay in on too thick so it never dries.

This old guy is a pro, explains why boild linseed is best and how to apply it

https://youtu.be/eEBBc7O8nYQ

https://youtu.be/mzVdsln29o8

[brassrat]

I mostly just freshen up my finished long guns and used Danish and never was impressed. I ended up with a 69A in poor condition that got a repair on the smashed handgrip and the rest of the stock. I used a random orbital and refinished in about two minutes. After a finer finish and a few coats of Danish and wax, it never kept any sheen, and I wasnt happy. I tried some Tung oil and it looks great now and even has a Winchester color. All my guns now look fantastic with some standing out even more.

[shootrj2003]

I been trying to replicate the look of the walnut in a new M1 or M 14 stockI remember my 66 Marlin had a similar look to it( this was before Marshield) it has little or no gloss ,but a beauty all it’s own ( of course I spent 16 years growing up in the Army) four years later I went in the Marines,in time to have a M14 issued to me,and did I mention the smell of military canvas and supply depots makes me all warm inside!? Excuse me…I’m getting teary..but anyways I want that finish ,Tru oil is great but does not look like military issue walnut,I have a can of Minnesota pure oil ( with hardeners) it’s a leftover ,I’m sure very old,but still good,I also have a can of Hopes pure ,real 100% tung oil,

[William Yanda]

I believe BLO has driers added to speed cure time. If time is not critical plain linseed oil is fine.

[Jackrabbit1957]

I personally don't use or like linseed oil in any form. There are much better finishing products out there that are much more durable and less of a hassle. My own preferences are polyurethane or acrylic based finishes. Gasp, did I really say that? Use what floats your boat.

[Loudenboomer]

I have used tru oil to a high gloss many times. If I'm looking for a more traditional look I'll mix spar urethane, boiled linseed oil and low odor turpentine in about equal parts. I put in a old baby food jar and give it a light shake before each use. goes on easy with a cloth or hands. The first couple coats really soak in. A couple more and your good to go. Dries overnight. Touch up any time. Hope this helps.

[Winger Ed.]

That seems wrong, rainwater would get in there and cause the wood to swell, affecting accuracy I am sure. So does one do alot of sanding to keep the metal to wood fit in those areas when applying the finish?

Raw linseed oil will tend to stay 'gummy' rather than dry.
The govt. ran their stocks through a pressure cooker like they do the green pressure treated wood.
The process is to seal the chamber, draw a vacuum on it, then flood it with the desired treatment, then raise
the temp. and pressure cook it awhile. The oil soaks in pretty deep.
If they started with raw linseed oil, it'd be boiled by the time the stocks came out.

For what you're doing, I wouldn't waist the time sanding inside the cut out.
Jst mop it down well, let it soak and wipe off what you can.

[todd9.3x57]

i started out on my stocks with Lin-speed oil. it took me about a week to dry it. linseed oil is about the best, IF YOU HAVE TIME TO DRY IT!!!!

i use Minwax Antique Oil and i let dry overnight (about 24 hours). Minwax Antique does the same thing but better. i use it much like Lin-speed oil, my finger takes out a drop of Antique Oil and its put on the stock. the first coat sucks into the wood, it will take me around 10-12 drops, if not more. the second coat is only about 5-6 drops while the 3rd and up coats only takes 3 or 4 drops.

i recently take the Antique Oiled stock and i use polyurethane oil and mineral spirits, 3 poly: 1 mineral spirits. i take a lint free cloth and put it into the mixture, wring it out and then start the stock with the grain. i only have to wring out once or twice to do the stock. i then let it hang overnight and then its time for another coat of 3:1. i do that 3 or 4 times and then i'm done.

you could use Wipe On Poly, but it costs more to do. the 3:1 mix is still cheaper than the Wipe On and the Wipe On is basically the 3:1 mix.

[shootrj2003]

I just did a Rem. 511 with blo it was the oil finish I’ve looked for for years drenched it for couple hours wiped it down dried over night ,next day beautiful color ,but still oily on hands so I wiped with a cloth that night I hand rubbed like with Tru oil and left a thin coat of oil next day it was again oily to touch,the color was deeper and I liked it better,wiped it dry,let it set all day,then that night repeated the same,next day color still great but not much darker so I wiped it no more coats ,next day I just rubbed it by hand and built a dull sheen with hand rubbing ,it was and is now dry with a beautiful e dull gleam,this is the finish my 1966 Marlin 336 had when I bought it in 1970,that was pre Marshield, nothing else has ever replicated that look ,the same look as a fresh M1 Garand or m14 walnut stock.Tru oil has too much shine for THAT look,I like Tru oil,but this is a different look,one I tried to replicate for years,now I have to redo my 336 again.I’ve had this can for years still had the tin seal under the lid,finally got the guts ( and patience)to try the old style finish,it was worth it.perfect for Walnut.Yes,it does dry and does not stay tacky .

[KCSO]

The old timers used shellac or varnish as BLO is not really waterproof. Tru Oil is good and I prefer it over tung oil. Boiled has dryers in it and it sets up way faster and is a little more waterproof, raw oil I only use for soaking and conditioning ram rods and ax handles and such.

[longbow]

I can't speak for other people's experiences but I have used double boiled linseed oil for a finish on several wood selfbows and it has worked just fine. I jave a yew bow I made close to 20 years ago that has been used a lot in weather ranging from 40°C to -15°C (104°F to 5°F) and in snow and rain. Water beads up and runs off the finish. This bow was waxed once many years ago and has never been refinished. While the linseed oil may not stop wood from warping due to moisture/humidity, rain has not affected the bow and water still beads up and runs off.

The double boiled linseed oil has yellowed and darkened some but is not sticky at all. I put on about 8 coats of the oil thinned with mineral spirits, wiped on with a rag then any excess wiped off with a clean rag and left to dry for a day. I did that every day for 8 days. Each coat was obviously very thin. I did not sand or rub with steel wool after the last coat was applied. I won't say it is the most attractive finish for a fine piece of wood but it has certainly been functional.

I do not know the details of how boiled and double boiled linseed oil are made so looked up what seems to be conflicting information. I read that boiled linseed oil is not truly boiled and that it does have additives that may be solvents and/or heavy metals added as "dryers" on one site and that it was safe for food use on another site (seems contradictory to me if heavy metals are additives), where double boiled linseed oil seems to be boiled and has no driers added... at least this brand:

https://www.swingpaints.com/product/2147/Circa-1850-Double-Boiled-Linseed-Oil

More linseed oil info:

https://thewhittlingguide.com/guides/difference-between-boiled-and-double-boiled-linseed-oil/

Based on that 2nd link and referring to the polymerized linseed oil, it is possible (probable) that the military method of pressure cooking resulted in a polymerization of the linseed oil. I'll have to look into that some.

I have also used Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil on both gunstocks and bows and like it a lot. I don't believe it soaks into the wood like double boiled linseed oil but it is quick and easy to apply and makes a nice finished that seems quite durable, and doesn't darken over time. I've used 3 coats on the last couple of bows I have made.

Not trying to change anyone's opinion, just adding to the knowledge base.

Longbow

PS: this link posted by ogre is a good read and answered some of my questions: https://thecmp.org/wood-cleaning-article/

[Gobeyond]

LO mixed with paint thinner soaks into the wood better so it can preserve it deeper. Thin coats.

One time Royal Danish cherrywood finish worked real well on a walnut m1 carbine stock. It sealed, preserved, finished to satin and looked natural and almost original. Royal Danish is for high end wood a fine finish that artists would use, but it looks good on a stock.

[toot]

true, RAW LINSEED OIL, does not ever seem to dry, it takes forever to dry and every time you touch it to check to see if it is dry, you will leave leave a thumb / finger print!

[Edward]

I build guns for a living. I don't use any sort of BLO product. It isn't water proof, water goes right through it. I find tung oil finishes much better. I like Formby's. I have had many originals apart, NONE of them have finish in the barrel channel or lock mortise.

Me too I 2nd that and Tru oil works too/Ed

[uscra112]

I personally don't use or like linseed oil in any form. There are much better finishing products out there that are much more durable and less of a hassle. My own preferences are polyurethane or acrylic based finishes. Gasp, did I really say that? Use what floats your boat.

I could wish I had a nickel for every hour I've spent scraping that synthetic stuff off fine old classics when doing restorations.

[dondiego]

I could wish I had a nickel for every hour I've spent scraping that synthetic stuff off fine old classics when doing restorations.

After they are scraped, what do you finish with on those classics?

[uscra112]

London Oil Finish. After whiskering the wood, one coat cut 50-50 with turpentine or mineral spirits, applied to wood warmed almost too hot to handle. Let cure 2-3 days. Then straight linseed, once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever. Rubbed in with a pad of burlap each time. Or a piece of wet-or-dry 240, which will load up and cut finer and finer with each successive coat. This is necessarily a labor of love - you can't rush it.

[dondiego]

London Oil Finish. After whiskering the wood, one coat cut 50-50 with turpentine or mineral spirits, applied to wood warmed almost too hot to handle. Let cure 2-3 days. Then straight linseed, once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever. Rubbed in with a pad of burlap each time. Or a piece of wet-or-dry 240, which will load up and cut finer and finer with each successive coat. This is necessarily a labor of love - you can't rush it.

HA HA! I like it.

[uscra112]

Frankly, rubbing down an oil finish on a fine piece of wood is as sensuous as anything you'd find in the Sultan's harem.

[Jedman]

I don’t have the time to wait for linseed oil to dry. I have found many other “ oils” that dry much faster and look just as good. I don’t like glossy so any refinish gets rubbed down with 0000 steel wool or rottenstone after as many coats I feel it needs. Just can’t see waiting weeks or months to get a finish to get cured.

Jedman

[freakonaleash]

I have built muzzleloading rifles full time for 42 years. BLO sucks.

[FrankJD]

I always have put stain and a coat of finish in all inlets. No extra sanding needed. Sometimes finish will build up a bit in the lock mortise, that will need scraped a bit to allow the lock plate to seat properly.

As has been said, linseed oil is a poor finish, it was just a military expedient. I've had good luck with Truoil, and Hunters Shack finish.

I've done a few guns with tung oil, but no more. Last weekend I went to a dangerous game rifle shoot, where we by chance ended up shooting in the rain. Pretty much all the tung oil finish came off of the checkering on my .375 H&H. I've not had that problem on any of the muzzleloaders I have finished.

For those who HAVE used linseed and ended up with a tacky mess, wipe it down with paper towels and white gas.

BLO et al is not a good finish for all the above reasons.

I stain the entire stock and then wick in quality water thin CYA to all inlets - bbl, lock, trigger - that will harden and seal the wood from BP residue mitigation. My CYA of choice is Hot Stuff, but any quality hobby shop water thin CYA will work just the same as Hot Stuff.

Tru Oil is my stock wood finish of choice.

[HighUintas]

BLO from hardware store is junk and shouldn't be used without modification for gunstocks.

Traditional finishes on rifles long ago (not sure what military was actually doing to rifle stocks of your subject type) were actually a linseed oil varnish. Heated or bodied linseed oil with metallic driers (lead compound), resin, and sometimes gum added. This creates a fast drying, flexible, tough finish that isn't tacky and is decently weather resistant. You can make it, or buy something similar.

Tried and True oil varnish is probably the closest to traditional easily available and easy to use quality linseed oil finish you can get. It is partially polymerized oil with resin added.

The key to getting linseed oil finishes to dry and harden (if you used hardware linseed oil it may never harden) is to put on super thin coats and let it dry in the sun and warmth. If sun is not available, warmth and air movement can help. But, UV light really speeds the polymerization. With Tried and True, you only need maybe 6 coats. Applying a coat a day, for a week, a coat a week for a month, etc etc until you're too old to shoot your gun because it's not finished yet is a waste of time.

There are very professional gun builders that use minwax antique oil, Sutherland Welles polymerized tung oil, tried and True varnish, and Chambers traditional oil finish. Laurel Mountain Forge Permalyn sealer is another option. It is synthetic and polyurethane based, but can be made to be indistinguishable from a linseed finish, is tough as nails, and very very weather resistant.

[uscra112]

Having used nothing BUT plain "hardware store" linseed oil for at least a dozen highly successful gunstock restorations, I take umbrage, sir.

[freakonaleash]

Having used nothing BUT plain "hardware store" linseed oil for at least a dozen highly successful gunstock restorations, I take umbrage, sir.

OH NO! NOT UMBRAGE![smilie=w:

[dondiego]

Having used nothing BUT plain "hardware store" linseed oil for at least a dozen highly successful gunstock restorations, I take umbrage, sir.

+1 on this^^^^ I don't care for the hard, shiny finishes and BLO makes a nice oil finish. I dilute it with mineral spirits 50/50. I will look at some MinWax finishes. They usually make a good product.

[Bent Ramrod]

The descriptions of the “real” London Oil Finish (IIRC) that I’ve read entail a mixture of boiled linseed oil and “Spirit Varnish” (ie shellac dissolved in alcohol) mixed together and rubbed into the wood with a piece of clean cotton cloth covering a ball of “tow” (whatever that is) attached to a stick for a handle. Of course, since the oil separates from the alcohol solvent, the mixture has to be shaken up well for each application.

With the usual drill of letting it harden, sanding it down to the wood surface, and repeating as needed. Which seemed to be quite often.

I dunno—I guess if I was in Audsley Street in London, and the rest of the gun was still a bunch of steel forgings clamped in bench vises being gone over with files by 12-18-year-old apprentices under the supervision of 60-year-old Master Gunsmiths, (and the delivery date for the whole shebang still years in the future), such a finish might seem more practical than it does to me now.

Generally, I have the stock off the gun for the finish applications, and by the fourth or fifth such, my ambition for the project has devolved from achieving perfection to being able to shoot the gun before I die of old age.

I notice that Tru-Oil has little tendency to darken as the coats build up, whereas the fine London guns I see at the high-end gun shows have such dark stocks that only the most prominent aspects of the wood figure are visible. I’ve also noticed an obscuring of the figure with the use of “filler sealers.” These have some sort of silica preparation in them, which precipitates out into the wood pores as it is applied. This speeds up the filling process, but again obscures the figure, and the stuff dulls checkering tools something fierce.

I go for a finish that is all oil filling the pores and not darkening with succeeding applications (or, at least, not needing so many applications that it does eventually darken). Properly done, it seems that one is looking several inches down into the wood, with the figure glowing and rippling in the light. For me, Tru-Oil does this.

The “glinty” look that Tru-Oil leaves at the last application can be steel-wooled off to as dull a finish as one could want, with the glow and figure still visible. Or, it can be cut just a little by rubbing with one of those commercial pumice-in-petroleum-naphtha rubbing compounds on a piece of old t-shirt.

[uscra112]

"Tow" is loose fibers of hemp or flax.

[uscra112]

Generally, I have the stock off the gun for the finish applications, and by the fourth or fifth such, my ambition for the project has devolved from achieving perfection to being able to shoot the gun before I die of old age.
And therein, I believe, lies the appeal of these Johnny-come-lately products like Tru-Oil. Gunsmiths want the job out the door as quickly as possible, so as to maintain cash flow. Amateurs are just impatient. :wink: The true connoisseur lives for the process, and doesn't care if it's never "done".