Looking for stock finish options

[Four22]

Finally coming towards the end of a build and am ready to finish the stock.

I have a figured piece of walnut and want to do an oil finish. Problem is, boiled linseed oil gets pretty dark and can hide the figure.

Any other ideas for hand rubbed finishes that would turn out lighter?

The picture show it rubbed with mineral spirits.

 

[VikingsGuy]

@BrentD is your answer man for this type of refined question.

 

[BigMonk96]

I refinish my ""re-do's"" with Tru-Oil -- find you a few of the you-tube videos, with some different ways to use the Tru-Oil and take what you like from each video and apply to your stock -- I normally put anywhere from 10- 15 coats on a stock,till I get the look I want ** my way listed below, that works for me**

A. __items needed - Tru-Oil,mineral spirits,0000 Steel Wool,3000/5000 grit sand paper,plenty of tee shirt patches ( 3x3 inch squares ), cotton balls
B.__ the rub-down process, by each coat* ( always rub with the grain*******)
1.First coat with diluted Tru-Oil ( dilute with a small amount of mineral spirits )
2. repeat after 1st coat is dry*
3.Apply l100% Tru-Oil with fingers using ( rubber glove )
4.Repeat after drying
5.Apply next coat of Tru-Oil using 3000 or 5000 grit sand paper,very lightly
6.Apply another coat of Tru-Oil with fingers
7.Lightly smooth the finish with the 0000 Steel Wool,till you get it smooth
8.Final coat, with cotton ball or tissue soaked in Tru-Oil , placed inside tee shirt cloth (very thin coat** ) Note** always rub,with the grain**
9.Repeat step #8 as many times as it takes to get the look you want, buff lightly in between coats with 0000 steel wool if needed**___________hence my 10-15 coats mentioned**

If you ever do a stock that has checkering,use boiled Linseed oil on the checkered wood and stroke it out with a tooth brush,to avoid build-up**

Below is a 1989 Remington 700,a 1972 Winchester 94, and a 1977 Remington 788 that I did using this method --- good luck,___________Monk**

 

[BrentD]

@BrentD is your answer man for this type of refined question.

I am honored that you think so, but I'm not an expert. Maybe a fairly experienced amateur, but not a pro.

This will be quick, because I'm in Nebraska exterminating their last pheasant and just killed a bottle of Lagavulin. That aside, I don't think you can really lighten or prevent darkening of black walnut. That's what happens when you use any reasonable finish. There are wood bleaches, and I have no experience, but I would hesitate to risk them next to fine steel. If you want lighter wood, you have to start with it, and you can't make honey flavored English Walnut out of American Black.

There are lots of really good oil finishes. Pilkingtons is one, Velvit Oil is another (my current fav). I have also mixed equal measures of Spar Varnish, Linseed oil, and mineral spirits. They all work very well. (I tend to avoid Tung oils however - because I don't know much about them). Then there is also Laurel Mt. Forge's Permalyn which is an oil, but it has a little bit of polyurethane in it. I use this for my target rifles because they are abused so much more than hunting rifles. I don't think it looks as good but it is still a really fine finish.

Oils that work into the wood really work well when they have the right optical density. It gives that illusion of looking into the wood rather than on the wood. The cheap commercial urethane finishes that lay on the wood (Browning, I'm talking about you, among others), won't darken your woods so much but they look like you just wrapped it in Saran wrap.

In the end, it's not the particular oil finish you use, it's the way you use it. The best advice I ever got was from an Oklahoman. He told me to find a copy of the Pilkington instructions and follow it with any finish you choose. He was right. It works. There are other methods, but Pilkington's won't lead you astray. I have a PDF copy if you would like. Just PM me next week.

Don't be afraid to add a little red color to you oil. It can go a long ways. Look at the old Winchesters - they all have an alkanet root stain in their oil that is pretty subtle but adds a lot of warmth to their appearances.

 

[tarheel]

I am honored that you think so, but I'm not an expert. Maybe a fairly experienced amateur, but not a pro.

This will be quick, because I'm in Nebraska exterminating their last pheasant and just killed a bottle of Lagavulin. That aside, I don't think you can really lighten or prevent darkening of black walnut. That's what happens when you use any reasonable finish. There are wood bleaches, and I have no experience, but I would hesitate to risk them next to fine steel. If you want lighter wood, you have to start with it, and you can't make honey flavored English Walnut out of American Black.

There are lots of really good oil finishes. Pilkingtons is one, Velvit Oil is another (my current fav). I have also mixed equal measures of Spar Varnish, Linseed oil, and mineral spirits. They all work very well. (I tend to avoid Tung oils however - because I don't know much about them). Then there is also Laurel Mt. Forge's Permalyn which is an oil, but it has a little bit of polyurethane in it. I use this for my target rifles because they are abused so much more than hunting rifles. I don't think it looks as good but it is still a really fine finish.

Oils that work into the wood really work well when they have the right optical density. It gives that illusion of looking into the wood rather than on the wood. The cheap commercial urethane finishes that lay on the wood (Browning, I'm talking about you, among others), won't darken your woods so much but they look like you just wrapped it in Saran wrap.

In the end, it's not the particular oil finish you use, it's the way you use it. The best advice I ever got was from an Oklahoman. He told me to find a copy of the Pilkington instructions and follow it with any finish you choose. He was right. It works. There are other methods, but Pilkington's won't lead you astray. I have a PDF copy if you would like. Just PM me next week.

Don't be afraid to add a little red color to you oil. It can go a long ways. Look at the old Winchesters - they all have an alkanet root stain in their oil that is pretty subtle but adds a lot of warmth to their appearances.

I also use the Pilkington's method, but as far as finish I do a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits and spar varnish. In the absence of any alkanet root I've been known to use a little bit of mahogany furniture stain to impart a reddish tint. Just be sure to plan sufficient time to finish the job, don't get in a hurry, and allow plenty of drying time between coats.

 

[Four22]

BrentD

I’m not looking to lighten the wood at all but was wondering if there was an oil that didn’t darken as much a linseed oil. I’ll ahoot you a pm for that pdf too

Thanks for the other replies. I’ve heard of truoil but not used it. I’ll look into that one for sure

 

[Don Fischer]

I'm a Tur Oil fan also. First one's I did with it back in the 70's, I simply wiped it on with my fingers and let it dry. When dry called it good! Year's down the road I discovered whiskering. have the stock sanded to where you want it and then hold it over boiling water. That will make small whisker's of wood pop up, you can feel them with your hand. Then take 0000 steel wool and rub out the stock, it pulls out the whiskers. I whisker two times. Since my first re-finish job I learned to rub in the tru oil with max 400 grit wet and dry sand paper rubbing cross grain. The paper cuts the wood a bit first time and start's filling the grain. I don't use a grain filler anymore. When I'm done, about 15 coats, I take some mineral oil on 0000 steel wool and rub out the stock. Takes the shine off the finish if you don't care for the shine! While re-finishing, I cover the checkering with paper tape to keep finish out of the checkering. When I'm done I remove the tape and rub finish into the checkering with a tooth brush. Remove any caps, recoil and grip cap and put a good coat of oil on them. Also put a coat of oil inside the stock on all bare wood. Do not leave bare wood anywhere!

 

[MO Betta]

Another spar varnish user here, particularly Epifanes clear gloss. You can cut the gloss with very fine grit wet sanding at the end to give it the "glow" look of a rubbed finish. I get alkanet from SB McWilliams off of eBay.

 

[BrentD]

Mountain Rose Herbs is a good source of alkanet root also.

Do any of you finish your finishing process with rottenstone or Pumice? To get just the right amount of gloss or sheen or whatever, I find rottenstone is perfect.

 

[Goodfish]

I’ve had good success with around 10 coats of Minwax Antique Oil finish after appropriate sanding.

 

[grizzly63]

The old recurve bows of various woods used a basecoat of shellac followed by topcoats of something like Tru oil. Do your research on wood finishes. Google that stuff. Lacquers don't darken wood but keep evaporating until their gone. That is a nice piece of wood you have there. Grain is pretty straight to. Nothing gets my goat like an interior designer having the quartersawn white oak trim stripped and refinished with dark walnut stain. Argh!

 

[44hunter45]

I refinish my ""re-do's"" with Tru-Oil -- find you a few of the you-tube videos, with some different ways to use the Tru-Oil and take what you like from each video and apply to your stock -- I normally put anywhere from 10- 15 coats on a stock,till I get the look I want ** my way listed below, that works for me**

A. __items needed - Tru-Oil,mineral spirits,0000 Steel Wool,3000/5000 grit sand paper,plenty of tee shirt patches ( 3x3 inch squares ), cotton balls
B.__ the rub-down process, by each coat* ( always rub with the grain*******)
1.First coat with diluted Tru-Oil ( dilute with a small amount of mineral spirits )
2. repeat after 1st coat is dry*
3.Apply l100% Tru-Oil with fingers using ( rubber glove )
4.Repeat after drying
5.Apply next coat of Tru-Oil using 3000 or 5000 grit sand paper,very lightly
6.Apply another coat of Tru-Oil with fingers
7.Lightly smooth the finish with the 0000 Steel Wool,till you get it smooth
8.Final coat, with cotton ball or tissue soaked in Tru-Oil , placed inside tee shirt cloth (very thin coat** ) Note** always rub,with the grain**
9.Repeat step #8 as many times as it takes to get the look you want, buff lightly in between coats with 0000 steel wool if needed**___________hence my 10-15 coats mentioned**

If you ever do a stock that has checkering,use boiled Linseed oil on the checkered wood and stroke it out with a tooth brush,to avoid build-up**

Below is a 1989 Remington 700,a 1972 Winchester 94, and a 1977 Remington 788 that I did using this method --- good luck,___________Monk**

This.

My variation is to wet sand with thinned Tru-Oil to fill the pores.

 

[Four22]

I’m going to cut some walnut strips and experiment. I’ll post pics for side by side comparison as I go