Help with Finishing Veteran Arms Stock

[Aglukan]

Hello all new to the forum, been trying to use organic tung oil on my veteranarms brown bess and cant get it to dry, please assist thank you.

 

[Master Blaster]

This⬇⬇⬇

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Do not use raw tung oil. Like raw linseed oil, it takes forever to dry. I will provide 3 good options for you. One, use polymerized tung oil like that sold by Sutherland Welles. Polymerized means it is heat treated and mixed with solvents. On a warm day outside, it dries to the touch in 2-3 hours. Two, mix your existing raw tung oil in the following way: 25% tung oil, 25% polyurethane varnish, 50% mineral spirits or turpentine. This is an excellent finish, dries quickly, and is very tough. Third mix 25% raw tung oil, 25% spar varnish, and 50% turpentine or mineral spirits. This is a good variation on the previous mix. I finished over 80 muzzleloading guns with the first 2 mixes and a friend on this forum duly recommended the third. You can also match the look of any original finish using those mixes. When applying, brush a coat on, let sit for 10-15 minutes depending on temperature and humidity, and then wipe off all of the excess finish with a rag or paper towel. Get into all the nooks and crannies and remove the excess finish so it does not build up in the corners. Let the stock dry for a full 24 hours regardless of how dry it feels in a few hours. Here are guns finished in this manner. Note the variation in gloss depending on our objectives.

My shop produces some of the most historically accurate guns made today and the first 2 finishes I described are our go to mixes. You can do similar things with linseed oil, which was used on most originals, but tung oil is much more weather resistant and can match the old look.

dave

 

[Commodore Swab]

Not to disagree with Dave but the particular wood used in these guns are not your typical gun stock wood. If stripped down they will "bleed" as in you will begin seeing spots coming thru the surface. Your best best is to have it stripped and apply a stain ASAP. Once the stain has dried seal it, Casey gun stock finish works well on the stain. Due to the nature of the wood used on these guns this works.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Commodore Swab may be right. The teak or whatever it is used on India-made guns may not react well to traditional finishes. The wood may contain oils that complicate things. I suggest trying finishes behind the butt plate or in the barrel channel to see what happens.

dave

 

[Aglukan]

Hi,
Do not use raw tung oil. Like raw linseed oil, it takes forever to dry. I will provide 3 good options for you. One, use polymerized tung oil like that sold by Sutherland Welles. Polymerized means it is heat treated and mixed with solvents. On a warm day outside, it dries to the touch in 2-3 hours. Two, mix your existing raw tung oil in the following way: 25% tung oil, 25% polyurethane varnish, 50% mineral spirits or turpentine. This is an excellent finish, dries quickly, and is very tough. Third mix 25% raw tung oil, 25% spar varnish, and 50% turpentine or mineral spirits. This is a good variation on the previous mix. I finished over 80 muzzleloading guns with the first 2 mixes and a friend on this forum duly recommended the third. You can also match the look of any original finish using those mixes. When applying, brush a coat on, let sit for 10-15 minutes depending on temperature and humidity, and then wipe off all of the excess finish with a rag or paper towel. Get into all the nooks and crannies and remove the excess finish so it does not build up in the corners. Let the stock dry for a full 24 hours regardless of how dry it feels in a few hours. Here are guns finished in this manner. Note the variation in gloss depending on our objectives.

My shop produces some of the most historically accurate guns made today and the first 2 finishes I described are our go to mixes. You can do similar things with linseed oil, which was used on most originals, but tung oil is much more weather resistant and can match the old look.

dave

Thank you for this detailed response. I went to my local wood working store and was able to purchase something called Waterlox tung oil finish, this worked very well. Finish is drying now, quickly too.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Wash stripped stock with acetone before finishing ... works on teak.

 

[Aglukan]

Hi,
Commodore Swab may be right. The teak or whatever it is used on India-made guns may not react well to traditional finishes. The wood may contain oils that complicate things. I suggest trying finishes behind the butt plate or in the barrel channel to see what happens.

dave

The advise you gave me was correct. I took the gunstock to a local woodworking shop, the specialist showed me some of the tung oil finishes that met your description. I do wish this stock was a little nicer now, unfinished it’s very dry and pale with very little attractiveness to it. Thanks you

 

[Commodore Swab]

Hi,
Commodore Swab may be right. The teak or whatever it is used on India-made guns may not react well to traditional finishes. The wood may contain oils that complicate things. I suggest trying finishes behind the butt plate or in the barrel channel to see what happens.

dave

Absolutely correct. I've gone thru many of these stocks as well as building using traditional wood and finishes.

 

[Commodore Swab]

The advise you gave me was correct. I took the gunstock to a local woodworking shop, the specialist showed me some of the tung oil finishes that met your description. I do wish this stock was a little nicer now, unfinished it’s very dry and pale with very little attractiveness to it. Thanks you

Let it sit overnight, it won't be dry and pale anymore.

 

[Aglukan]

Hi,
Do not use raw tung oil. Like raw linseed oil, it takes forever to dry. I will provide 3 good options for you. One, use polymerized tung oil like that sold by Sutherland Welles. Polymerized means it is heat treated and mixed with solvents. On a warm day outside, it dries to the touch in 2-3 hours. Two, mix your existing raw tung oil in the following way: 25% tung oil, 25% polyurethane varnish, 50% mineral spirits or turpentine. This is an excellent finish, dries quickly, and is very tough. Third mix 25% raw tung oil, 25% spar varnish, and 50% turpentine or mineral spirits. This is a good variation on the previous mix. I finished over 80 muzzleloading guns with the first 2 mixes and a friend on this forum duly recommended the third. You can also match the look of any original finish using those mixes. When applying, brush a coat on, let sit for 10-15 minutes depending on temperature and humidity, and then wipe off all of the excess finish with a rag or paper towel. Get into all the nooks and crannies and remove the excess finish so it does not build up in the corners. Let the stock dry for a full 24 hours regardless of how dry it feels in a few hours. Here are guns finished in this manner. Note the variation in gloss depending on our objectives.

My shop produces some of the most historically accurate guns made today and the first 2 finishes I described are our go to mixes. You can do similar things with linseed oil, which was used on most originals, but tung oil is much more weather resistant and can match the old look.

dave

Your work is excellent as I will follow you and your advice.

 

[Aglukan]

Wash stripped stock with acetone before finishing ... works on teak.

My last time buying one of these in teak. It’s not very attractive wood