Unfinished Stock

[longrange17]

I just recived a unfinished Warner Varminter Stock in Pepper Laminate, I I am going to put it on my Savage 110 .270, I asked a local gunsmith what I should finish the stock with and he said boiled linseed oil. Has anyone ever used this method ?? Dose any one have any suggestions???

[John Traveler]

Hi, Longrange17!

So-called "boiled linseed oil" is not boiled at all.  It has chemical driers in it to make it dry and cure faster, as compared to raw linseed oil.  Don't use THAT or you will be waiting for weeks and MONTHS for your oil finish to dry!

Any of the commercially available  "oil" finishes are better and EASIER to use.  Birhwood Casey TruOil, is good, LinSpeed is good, and several others.  A really FINE finish can be obtained in half a dozen coats.

I prefer to use Tung Oil, as do many professional stock finishers.  The raw kind (with thinners) is good or the modified kind (with driers) is better.  Tung oil really is water resistant, and much closer to "water proof" than any linseed oil finish.  It dries overnight to the point that you can rub it down with steel wool or wetndry paper.  A dozen coats (or more, if you want) of this stuff, and you will lots of "OH and AAAH" compliments on the looks of your stock.

All of these stock finishes totally depend on proper preparation of the wood!  Take your time sanding and prepping it properly, and it will look great!

The US Military went to tung oil stock finishes in the late 1930's for the Springfield, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and BAR, Thompson, etc.  Stocks were simply dipped, allowed to absorb tung oil until they could hold no more, and dried.  The tradition of a "hand rubbed oil finish" got interpreted to mean linseed oil, but in actuality, refers to tung oil.

HTH
John

[Graybeard]

Perhaps I'm mistaken since I've not finished one but I don't think you can use any kind of oil finish on a laminated wood stock. I believe you'll find the lamination process has more or less filled the pores of the wood with epoxy already. I think you'll be forced to use one of the newer varnish type finishes. That's not experience speaking however.

GB

[Sean]

I would just add one thing to John's post that he may not be aware of. My stockmaking instructor told me to be careful with Tung Oil, some people are very allergic to the stuff. Otherwise it is a very fine stock finish. Sean

[gunnut69]

GB is sort of right.  The laminating process does fill a lot of the pores but you can still use TruOil or one of the other commercial stock finishes.  It will not penetrate very well but will begin building on the surface.  On laminated stocks I use a wipe on polyurethane available in most paint supply centers.  It just seems more appropriate.  When using any linseed oil type finish, realize that basically what you have is a varnish..  Varnishes are not really water proof.  I use a version of the finish used on the M70(pre-64).  After the desired level of finish is reached and the number of coats is quite variable, I 'level' the built up finish with steel wool and apply a couple of coats of wax.  A wax with carnuba is best.  This will make the finish as water proof as it can get and done properly will produce a soft glowing sheen..  Still use the wipe on poly for laminates.  It is just thinned polyurethane and must ne applied in very thin coats or it will run.  As always heat the stock very hot before applying the first coats, it helps with penetration but don't thin the wipe on poly, it's quite thin enough as is.

[Mikey]

longrange:  I've used linseed oil and tung oil on different stocks and it amounts to your preferance.  

When I use linseed oil, I heat it up in a pan and mix beeswax with it.  Once it is mixed, you can apply it by hand and handrub it into your stock and the stock comes out with a beautiful, natural finish.  When I use tung oil I will rub it into the stock and then use 4-0 steel wool to prepare that for another layer and so on until I am satisfied with the look of the stock.  When I use the linseed oil mixture, I make certain it goes everywhere - including the barrel channel and any other place that might swell if moisture gets in.  I have handrubbed that stuff into stocks until the wood was hot from rubbing, but man do they look great afterward.  And everytime you clean the gun, any oils you use just add right to it and soak in, giving the stock that well used natural look.  My preferance.  And, my 2 cents worth.  HTH.  Mikey.

[I am CAL.........]

I agree with all that has been posted.Thought I would mention a set up I have seen at my local gunsmith.He has a metal trash can rigged with one or two lightbulbs.He prepares his wood,stains and uses spray can Helmsman Poly.and dries the stock in the trash can.The lights keep the moisture down and also give off heat which speeds up the drying time.

  I am CAL..........

[rimshot]

I prefer to use Tung Oil, as do many professional stock finishers.  The raw kind (with thinners) is good or the modified kind (with driers) is better.  Tung oil really is water resistant, and much closer to "water proof" than any linseed oil finish.  It dries overnight to the point that you can rub it down with steel wool or wetndry paper.  A dozen coats (or more, if you want) of this stuff, and you will lots of "OH and AAAH" compliments on the looks of your stock.

Is the Formby's Tung Oil Finish one of the Modified kinds?
rimshot
homepage: www.bluecollarshooter.com

[brooky]

Long - Don't know if you read Precision Shooter but the last couple
issues they have finished a couple laminate stocks with automotive
clear coat.  I just finished my Shehane laminate this way and it looks great
It took me four coats of sanding and spraying and it really could use
one more but I'm happy with it for now.  It almost looks to pretty to
shoot but the beauty of the clear coat is once it gets scratched up
you can sand it down and do it over.
I have also used linseed but the clearcoat sure brings out the grain.

[Downwindtracker2]

I use tung oil,polymerized,cooked with driers and thinners.The serious stock fiishers do more coats but this will give a stock with that magic "glow". I strip with the standard meth........... ,then dry sand 220 or 320.Now I wet sand with 400 wet-dry,I use tung oil sealer as the wet.I wipe 1/2ass off across the grain to pick SOME of the sanding mud and fill the pores.Do this until you have a finish.I'm lazy I only do it about 3x.Now I move on to 600grit,again 3x.You can move on to 800,1000,then 1200.I quit at 600 and then cheat,I use one coat of High Luster Tung Oil with out sanding.One week 15 to 20 minutes a night.I got my Tung Oil from:  http://www.leevalley.com/home/main.asp?SID=&ccurrency=    Repairs are quicker and easier.

[The Shrink]

Rimshot

Sorry to say, Fornby's "Tung Oil Finish" has no tung oil in it!  It's a surface rub on varnish, nothing more.

What you want is "Polmerized Tung Oil", sold by several of the woodworking outlets, Lee Valley/Veritas among them.  

If you get raw tung oil you must thin it with thinner or it will never set up.  It does keep better that way, though.  The stuff in the bottle never hardens.  Just add thinner to make the amount you need.  I usually start with a 50% mix, sand this in as described to create sanding dust mixed with the oil to press into the pores.  I find that I have to do this multiple times with open pored woods such as oak and Walnut, and sometimes end up with a slightly speckled surface, 'cause the stuff in the pores is darker (more of it) than on the wood.  Doesn't show in Walnut and other dark woods, though.  Once the pores are filled the tung oil in the mixed is gradually increased up to around 75%.  A few coats of this and you are ready to polish to the sheen desired.  This will usually total seven to ten coats.  

No woodworking finish is waterproof except epoxy finishes.  There is no exception to this.  Tung oil is probably the next best, but far from waterproof.  

Woodworking finish laminates, not plywood, are usually not finished but simply polished as is.  The epoxys used in  making them saturate the wood and provide the finish.  I had assumed that laminated gunstocks were the same, but I've never actually examined one.  

Wayne the (woodworking) Shrink