If you visit most paint stores, you can find a product called " Rottenstone", which is a very fine, powdered abrasive, used to take the high sheen off of varnished woods in furniture making. This also works well to take the sheen off dried gunstock finishes. YOu dip a rag into oil, and then dip the oiled rag into the Rottenstone, and gently rub it on the surfaces to create that matte finish. Wash the rotten stone and oil off the stock with mild soap and water, and then dry the stock thoroughly. ( a couple of hours in a warm kitchen.)Then I apply a paste or spray furniture wax to the stock, and put the stock and metal parts together, for the trip to the range.
I don't have much luck with paper toweling being lint free, which is why I just use my fingers to break the surface of the finish. I usually wait about 10 minutes after I have stretched and rubbed in the final coat of finish, washing my hands in that rest period, before returning to the stock, to knock off the sheen as described above. I have been known to use my whole palm and four fingers to rub the stock when it has dried faster than I was anticipating. As long as my hands have been cleaned in soap and water, to remove the natural oils in my hands, there is no problem with holding or transferring any lint to my finishes.
