Easiest finish to apply

[BS]

This is 1-1-1 finish, spar varnish is from Ace hardware, a gloss.

1-1-1 sealer and finish 0r, try 1-1-1/2 finish

If you are still having trouble with the true oil or anyone else looking for a faster finish, try this. This is probably the easiest and one of the most beautiful finishes there is.

Mix equal parts marine grade spar varnish (semi gloss), Tried & True Varnish Oil, and pure gum turpentine.

Sand bow down to at least 220 grit then wipe a heavy coat of the mix on with a cloth. Leave it until it gets almost to sticky to wipe (45min.-1.25hr depending on temp.) (Tried & True may (will) be less time ) then rub vigorously with clean cloth until all the excess is gone and you can touch the bow or gun without sticking.

Let this first coat dry 24hrs, after that you can do a coat every couple hours or less. When the first 24 is up lightly sand with 400 grit then rub with 0000 steel wool [may not need sanding], just to get the little bumps that raise up from the wet finish. All other coats are rubbed in with a cloth and ready to wipe after 20-40min. no other sanding is needed after the first coat, just rub the bow hard with a clean cloth just before putting a new coat on.

Because you wipe off the excess on each coat you don't have to worry about dust or runs, and you get the look of linseed oil with the protection of marine spar varnish. 4 coats will do but 7-10 is better, then just rub in a few coats of your choice of wax.

A couple of warnings- linseed oil will spontaneously combust on cloths as it dries, when you are done with a coat put all soiled cloths in water and put them outside, also if you wait too long before you rub off the excess you will have an almost impossible time getting it even, just rub it off as soon as it feels sticky. You get a fast build up, flexible, water proof finish with minimal work, and it looks awesome.

Original formula was using boiled linseed oil. Tried & True is a polymerized linseed oil.

*What is Polymerized Linseed Oil?

Polymerized Linseed Oil is created by heating raw linseed oil in the absence of oxygen to about 300°C (572°F) over the course of several days. During this process, a polymerization reaction occurs, which increases the oil’s viscosity and decreases the drying time.

 

[#BPBReloadingFFL]

Minwax its easy & durable. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-Pol...UbXReFLzNYXX4RviDJhoC0DUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Linseed oil sux

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I suppose “easy” is a relative term…

Use a rag, put it on in even coats, wait for it to dry, apply 3 coats. Hand rub it in.
1-2 more coats for what sheen you wish.
Been using Matco Tung oil for decades. Makes my stocks look like furniture.

Tru Oil sux. I used it on a M1 stock and it was not matte it was butt shiney.
One of my winter projects is to take it down and re do the finish.

This is a matte finish with Tung Oil

 

[Billy Boy]

What do you guys recommend as a “user friendly” final finish on a stock? I’d like something that is somewhat durable. My goal is a warm satin finish.

Thanks in advance!

True Oil from Birchwood Casey. Can be rubbed back to any sheen you like, very durable. Important to let it dry thoroughly between coats

 

[Buckskinquin]

Before I knew any better, I finished a TC Renegade stock with a Hand Rubbed Polyurethane. It has held up for 20 years now, a hard dull satin finish. Not period correct but I have no issues with it and have been complimented of the rifles appearance.

 

[Rob M.]

What do you guys recommend as a “user friendly” final finish on a stock? I’d like something that is somewhat durable. My goal is a warm satin finish.

Thanks in advance!

Two or three ( max ) coats of shellac in the evening , dry over night . In the morning ... fine steel wool it , rub wood down with finish wax , rub off in 20-30 min. Done . Its authentic and actually protects the wood .

 

[TDM]

Hard to argue with @Rob M. ‘s results. Beautiful.

 

[FlinterNick]

What do you guys recommend as a “user friendly” final finish on a stock? I’d like something that is somewhat durable. My goal is a warm satin finish.

Thanks in advance!

Without question the easiest finish is tru-oil, it dries in probably less than 5 hours in the right conditions.

Tru-Oil is pretty much a polymerizing linseed oil based varnish, it’s an also a great base for a modified varnish.

You can thin tru-oil with turpentine 50/50 and it really does make a nice finish and dries rather quickly.

Another rather easy finish is Permalyn, another polyurethane based Varnish that is highly protective.

Other easy finishes are any kind of polymerizing tung oil finishes, there are many out there. My favorite is by old masters.

If you’re using straight BLO or Tung oil, i recomend adding some japan drier to the oil as it will help it dry, there is a risk with this though, the risk is the oil will not cure correctly. You need the right conditions, mostly warmth for it to dry correctly. I recommend doing this with a wood box that you can heat up.

NOW a very cheesy but easy method of finish wood is with a very thin crazy glue.

You rub in the crazy glue with a rubber glove, it will dry to a semi gloss finish. Work it back with 0000 steel wool and mineral oil and its a decent finish with added strength. The issue with this is forget about fixing dents and other issues, it will not work unless you sand off the glue or use a heavy stripper.

It really depends on the kind of look and feel you’re going for.

If you’re looking for an original type of finish, most gun makers from the 18th century Europe used varnishes, linseed ill was really an American thing because varnish was not readily available at decent prices. Most common american varnishes in the 18th century would have been made from linseed oil and spirits and perhaps heated (with lead bars and copper bars) and then cooled to create a polymerizing effect.

FYI a lot of gun builders have a difficult time finish their gun stocks with finishes often because they over sand the stocks . You kind of want to end around 220, i stop at 150/180. Going over 220 causes the wood grains to close up from being over sanded / polished, the finish takes much longer to dry and doesn’t penetrate the wood well.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Tru-Oil put on with a 1" square piece of green scotch bright pad.

Scrub it on thick and quickly wipe off the excess with a rag. This is 5 or 6 coats; no shine to be seen.

 

[barracudadave67]

Very nice stock Eric.

Dave

 

[Frontiersman77]

Maple?? Walnut and mystery wood will probably need the grain filled.

Sand to 400 grit level using oblique lighting to see any scratches that need to be addressed. Fill the grain if needed with a tinted paste filler or sanding dust that is darker than the wood. Finish, use anything you want other than BLO, water based finish, or shellac. I usually grab some spar varnish. Dilute it to a water consistency, 50/50? . Wipe it on the stock. Let it soak in a few minuets. Wipe off any excess with a dry cloth. Let it dry, apply several more coats the same way. If you get any nibs knock them off with scotchbrite. When you are happy wax it. There is no need to overcomplicate rustic stock finishing. : )

I agree that Tung oil has better properties, but it comes from a Chinese nut, so I think the people who want everything period correct prefer the linseed oil. Interestingly (at least to me), I've never had (100% pure) Tung oil heat up as it dries like the warning on the can says. I've even set an oily rag outside hoping to observe this effect and have it catch on fire, but it didn't happen. It didn't even get noticeably warm...?

Never believed the linseed oil fire thing either until I was watching a YouTube video one day on the many ways to start a survival fire without a match. They actually put a camera on a linseed rag inside a cardboard box, setting outside with the top of the box open. There was smoke around the 2.5hr mark and fire around the 3hr mark. I can’t find that video but here is another similar one I found. I still use the stuff but I now put my old rags in a bucket of water until they leave my house.

 

[Nav]

I don’t disbelieve it. I’ve just never been able to observe it. I do the same with water (follow the directions), but I’m wondering if there are certain conditions under which this happens, and under which this effect is retarded?

 

[1950DAVE]

Spread the rags flat. Don't wad, and especially don't confine the rags. This is a rule for any porous material dampened to any degree with any organic or mineral solvent based finish etc..
The water can is good advice but they still have to be dealt with out of the water.

 

[TDM]

Never had a rag ignite, but I did have a small pile get hot. Was almost starting to smolder when I noticed. Only took a couple of hours, lesson learned.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Here's a jewelry box I made for my daughter from thin strips of a very special cherry tree that had naturally dark wood near the ground and incredible curl. No stain or sunlight, just bare wood. Dewaxed shellac sealer, then three hand-rubbed coats of T&T varnish oil that I reboiled and added homemade dryers to, finish was rock-hard in three days at room temperature.

How did you deal with predictable seasonal wood movement for the cross grain of the top and bottom surfaces?

I learned that lesson the hard way when I build a coffee table one time.

 

[hanshi]

I still tinker with the stocks when it seems advisable. I've used the solution acid + iron to good effect. I like True Oil and it's not failed me yet.

 

[Jaegermeister]

Watco Danish Oil.

 

[billraby]

The product that you use does not make any difference. Any decent one will be fine. Everyone has their favorite, but it doesn't matter. That is because a good finish does not come from a bottle. It comes from the work that you put into it. But the question is what finish is the easiest. Answer is none of them. A good finish comes from the work that you put into it. If you go for an easy finish it is going to suck. If you put in the time and effort that it takes for a good finish then it won't matter what product you use.

 

[planefixer da50]

2 parts blo- 1 part turpentine 3m between coats. 8-10 coats gives satin finish.

 

[user 34300]

Linseed oil... Fun fact, Jack London's home "Wolfe House" was burned to the ground during the final phases of construction most likely due to linseed soaked rags catching fire.

Put finish soaked rags in the BBQ until they are fully dry, or catch fire.