Bluing and Stock Finishing

[BigMikeM]

First of all, I just want to say thanks to all of you guys for sharing your expertise. I started putting together an Investarms Hawken Kit (my first build) earlier this year and I have found your advise to be extremely helpful. Now, I've got everything fit the way I want it and I am getting ready to start bluing the barrel/tang and finishing the wood. I was wondering what you guys would recommend to use for a cold blue and what you might use to finish the stock. I'm building this to hunt with so I'm shooting for function over form if that helps you guys narrow it down. Thanks for all your help!!

 

[wtilenw]

I'd brown the metal. Pretty easy with Laurel Mtn. Forge Browning Solution. Seems to blend in better for hunting. I got mine at[url] www.trackofthewolf.com[/url]
For the stock I use Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil. I get it in a spray can at Sportsman's Warehouse. Real easy to hang the stock by a bent coat hanger in the garage and just spray on a coat and leave it. Use 000 steel wool between coats and if you want a satin finish, use the steel wool after the last coat then wax the stock or oil it with Ballistol.
Idaho PRB

 

[silverfox]

I would go with what Idaho PRB said brown the metal lots better for a hunting gun. I to have hung a few with the coat hanger wire and they seem to come out ok. You got it this far now to finish it.
Only problem I see is it will never be finished. Thats the problem with doing a kit it's ok for a little while and then you want to make it better or fix that little slip up you missed. Theres just no end once you do one.
It's like the artist is his own worst critic.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[AeroncaTAL]

I used Birchwood-Casey Super Blue on the barrel of my GPR. Put on with a cotton swab, even strokes, then it was rubbed back to a dark grey. The stock I stained with Laurel Mtn. Lancaster Maple and Cherry. I filled the stock with black artists oil paint, rubbed back to bring out the grain. Finish was with 12 coats of Boiled Linseed Oil cut 50% with mineral spirits spread on thin. I found the Super Blue real easy to do. I've used Dixie Browning on a Kentucky pistol, and it is also easy to do, but takes a bit longer to do. Whether you brown or blue, is up to you and what you want. Good luck,
Scott

 

[smokehouseman]

Just finished one myself with the LMF browning and TruOil finish. I'm still trying to properly get the gloss off the TruOil but like the finished product otherwise. I'm also working on refinishing a TC Hawken, on this one refinished the stock by boning it and then applying a combination of boiled linseed oil, turpentine, and tung oil. I'm really happy with the way that stock is turning out. Good luck!

 

[cowpoke1955]

I agree with IdahoPRB. I browned my GPR and it turned out great. Good, even, non-reflective finish that seems to flow out of the stock. I hand rubbed 8 coats of linseed oil that gave the stock a nice soft finish. Good luck :thumbsup: .

 

[Vaino]

LMF Browning and degreaser yields a nice color, is easy to apply and it's very durable. For the stock {maple only}, AF is used w/ an LMF stain on top. For the final finish I apply 2 coats of LMF sealer that are allowed to soak in for 20 minutes each and the excess is wiped off. When completely dry, a few very thin coats of Wahkon Bay Truecoat finish is applied and each coat is thoroughly dry before the next is applied. This combination eliminates the need to dull or "rub back" a glossy finish and in fact, the Truecoat yields a dull finish that requires some rubbing to achieve somewhat of a shine. This finish also is as rain resistant as a final finish can be........Fred

 

[BigMikeM]

Thanks for all the help, guys! Maybe I mislead you guys but the stock I have is walnut, so I guess that changes things a little bit. Also, being a newbie, I've never seen a hawken with all brass furniture and a brown barrel, so I was wondering if any of you had a picture of how something like that might look. Thanks again!

 

[50cal.cliff]

Go to Photo's forum about page #3 I think, look for a post under my handle and (My First Hawken). That is my 50cal. with a Plumb Brown finish by Birchwood Casey and me! :rotf: :rotf: Its got alot of brass on it.
Hey as for the stock and it being Walnut. I would think about maybe a clear finish to let the Walnut grain, texture, and color show thru. My 2c, but I think Walnut is much to purdy to cover up. You may want to experiment with something to enhance grain before sealing clear though. You can do small test areas under barrel or under lock area or someplace it will cover if you don't care fore the result! I am sure some of the others might be able to help in that area. Good Luck though! :v

 

[Goldhunter]

I finished my GPR with the LMF brown treatment. I also used LMF Nut brown on the walnut stock and it imparted a reddish tint to the wood. I like it mucho.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Here's a link to my GPR with a walnut stock. The artist's oil paint technique I mentioned above really brings out the grain in the wood. I have to say though that the stock has more of a warm reddish hue than the pictures show...
Scott

Lyman in Gray

 

[Old40Rod]

I browned my GPR with LMF and didn't use any stain on the stock... I just finished it with a BLO and spar varnish mix.

I am finishing a trapper pistol on a walnut precarve, and I am going to try for something along the lines of Longsmoke's reddish stock/grey hardware combo shown in this post:
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum...p?tid/204539/post/387135/hl/+Old40Rod/#387135[/url]

Longsmoke didn't say what type of cold blue he used... I am going to use OxPho Blue. Since I will be carding it back using 0000, to get more of a grey look, I'm not that concerned if it stays blue. I tried a bit on a few smaller iron parts, and I think it will work out fine. If you want to get a "blue" blue, you might search the forum for other suggestions on cold blues. From what I can tell, you can find advocates and detractors for just about most of the commercial cold blues out there.

 

[Zonie]

As for staining Walnut stocks, before you use any stain on the wood, take the sanded stock outside into the sunlight and wet the wood. The color you see (and the grain pattern) is exactly what it will look like after the wood is oiled without any stain at all.

Some walnut needs a bit of stain but usually it is already dark enough for most people.
Also be aware that any stain you might apply will tend to mask the natural grain pattern making it disappear.
zonie

 

[MagKarl]

I bought Jim Chambers finishing kit when I was putting my GPR kit together last month. It comes with LMF Nut Brown stain, LMF browning solution, and Chambers oil finish for about $25 if I remember correctly. I used the rust bluing directions with the browning solution and it turned out really nice and was easy to do even for a novice like me. I thinned the stain 50/50 with alcohol and it looks good on my walnut stock. I think full strength would have been too dark. I was amazed at how nice the finish turned out on my rifle, exceeded my expectations. I need to get a photo bucket account so I can share some pics.
Anthony

 

[renovato]

Looks wise, I've always preferred blue on guns with brass furniture. I rust blue using Mark Lee Express Blue and it's a durable and great looking finish, but it's a lot of work. I've recently stumbled onto an amazing cold blue though.

After trying just about everything on the market, Wheeler Engineering's Premier Gun Blue is the best cold blue I've found. They say it's just as durable as hot blue and looks just as good! I know it's more durable than the Oxphoblue I had been using for year, and it looks a lot better.

I still prefer rust blueing, but it's good to have an easy to use backup.

 

[douglas34474]

I shoot a 45 T/C Hawkin that I completely reworked myself. I did not like the factory black 'bluing' so it was gone real quick. I found a gent who did saw sharpening and had a glass bead blaster. The barrel has a real nice soft finish to it. I rust browned it using common salt and Ivory soap. Took about a week but I was in no hurry.

The stock was stripped and finish sanded. I used RAW Linseed Oil for a finish. Can be hard to find but I can find it all day at any health food store. Ask for Flax Seed Oil, same stuff. I figure if it's good enough to eat, it's good enough for my rifle. :grin: I just rub a little bit in, let it set about an hour, and rub it off. Again, it gives a soft finish that goes with the barrel.

Polished the brass one time and just let it mellow with time.

I think the rifle looks good, IMHO.