What kind of wood is this? (Marlin 122)

[TomBulls]

Hey, guys- Any help? This is a stock for a Marlin 122 Auto-Safe .22, and I can't positively say what it is. Clearly, it's not walnut. It doesn't strike me as being Beech or Birch, and wood identification isn't really my area of knowledge. Any help is appreciated.

-thomas

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tom: it is more than likely Beech wood. Beech is used on lots of inexpensive gun's stocks. It is a hardwood and it works well.

It will take a stain, and it looks like you've got some interesting grain, so you could darken it up with some minwax stain after you sand it well and then do a nice oil finish like the Winchester 67 you did.

It should look real nice.

Randy

[oldred]

Pecan possibly, at least it's a dead ringer color and grain-wise for a piece Pecan I have.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I also believe it's beech,
20 years ago, I bought a old BB gun with a wood stock with grain exactly like that...but not 1/4 sawn. someone cut the butt-stock shorter for a youth...too bad...it some beautiful wood, even it it's not that rare.
Jon

[Bren R.]

Judging by the open pores, it's beech. More specifically "fagus grandifolia" - American Beech. Fagus sylvatica (European beech) looks different.

Bren R.

[nekshot]

count me in on beech. Some beech is hard to stain dark, but I took walnut shells(hulls) and soaked them in water for about a month and collected the stain and that stuff darkens beech nice. Very cheap!

[Wayne Smith]

If it is beech, and I tend to agree, use a sealer before you use an oil based (Minwax) stain. It will save you the very strong grain marks. You will also have to fill the pores just like walnut.

[TomBulls]

If it is beech, and I tend to agree, use a sealer before you use an oil based (Minwax) stain. It will save you the very strong grain marks. You will also have to fill the pores just like walnut.

Wouldn't a pre-stain also accomplish that? Or am I thinking of something else?

[nekshot]

One time I was redoing a cheap savage 110 stock ( the ones with birch) and it was turning out a stupid streaked lite brown and I got ticked off and took the butane torch with a wide easy flame I scorched the wood gently in a even sweeping with the grain strokes. It turned out amazing for a crappy piece of wood. The oil stain seemed to help this darkening process. I then steel wooled it and started applying lite coats of tru oil. It wasn't nice walnut but sure was better than the original look.

[TomBulls]

Having finished stripping and sanding, I'm positive that this is a very unique cut of Beech wood. I compared the grain and end cuts to one of my other rifles that has Beech (Yugo M48, pretty sure that one is also Beech wood...) stock, and they're more or less the same, but the difference is that the pattern on this Marlin is just wider. The grain is a little more clear in this photo, enjoy. The previous owner got a little wild and crazy trying to drill a sling swivel mounting location, so needless to say that's going to get filled in with some DevCon and wood shavings.

[akajun]

I have a stock made of Elm which looks very similar. YOu will not be able to stain it with regular stain, you will need to use an alcohol based stain. Also watch out for grain raising, seal it up good, sand in the finish between coats.

[Wayne Smith]

Yes, same thing. A thin cut of shellac is all it is.

[TheGrimReaper]

I don't know what kind.....but I know it is got pretty character to it!!!

[KYRick]

Another vote here for beech.

[TomBulls]

I have a stock made of Elm which looks very similar. YOu will not be able to stain it with regular stain, you will need to use an alcohol based stain. Also watch out for grain raising, seal it up good, sand in the finish between coats.

You were right. It won't take any kind of a stain evenly. I tried it, and I could have saved myself the trouble. I can't remember who said it, but it was recommended to not put any stain on it at all, and, that person was right, too. I'm finishing it up with Formby's Tung Oil Finish (varnish) and it's looking pretty sharp. I'll let y'all know how it came out.

[Hackleback]

Another vote for elm.

[fishin_bum]

It looks like a block of tiger maple I have in the garage I got from custom gun maker and it is labeled as tiger maple

[Jeff Michel]

Beech, like birch has almost no grain pattern. When you sanded it, did the fibers lift or tear out? Was the sanding dust somewhat course? I doubt it would be beech unless it is very heavy and dense. If it's fairly soft, I would go with a silver maple. I've whittled out a number of stocks, and I've seen some outrageous grain in soft maple, similar to what you gave. Also the pores in the wood are pretty large, you would not see that in birch or beech. Take you time refinishing and use something to fill the grain. Amber shellac imparts a nice color and seals well, couple of coats and finish off with tru-oil 7-8 coats rubbed in between. Do not use aluminum oxide sand paper, thats for drywall. Go to Ace Hardware if you have one around and get agate paper. You will not be sorry. Nice stock BTW.

[texassako]

If you really want to figure it out, head to where I figure out any oddball wood I end up with: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/person...indextotal.htm . Then use a magnifying glass to look at the end grain and compare to the pics of what I think it is.

[fryboy]

while i consider beech a possibility i cant discount ( from the limited fotos ) ash

http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/wood/ashinfo.htm

http://www.advantagelumber.com/ash.htm

http://www.advantagelumber.com/beech.htm