Need advice on refinishing

[Steve Lasley]

I have a CVA .58 cal hawkens I was wanting to refinish the stock didn't really like the light color finish. What should I use to get a antique looking dark finish? Thanks Steve

 

[don hepler]

What type wood? I've seen CVA's with what appeared to be walnut and some with something like birch. I think we need more information or a picture.

 

[Steve Lasley]

It looks like birch. Trying to figure out how to post pics. From my phone.

 

[rafterob]

The birch on CVA' s don't take stain well. I usually recommend water based stains but not for birch. The key to a good color absorption is to put a liberal coating of stain, let it set till almost tacky and then wipe it off and even it out. Plan on 3 coats of stain to get a decent color.

 

[Zonie]

Most of the CVA's I've seen are stocked with Beech wood.

It is a light colored, very close grained wood that resists oil based stains.

One of the big mistakes made by CVA and Traditions kit builders is to try to stain the wood with something like Minwax. This quickly oil soaks the wood so it will refuse to take any more, resulting in a light tan colored stock.

I've found that a good alcohol or even water based stain works quite well on it.

Allowing it to dry between coats, repeated coatings of a alcohol stain like Birchwood Casey Walnut can produce a very nice looking dark colored stock.

This beech wood CVA 12 guage double was stripped of its varnish (applied by its original builder) and coated with several coats of BC Walnut stain.

It was then finished using Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil.

 

[Steve Lasley]

That's a nice looking gun zonie, Thanks for the advice cant wait to get started on it.

 

[MSW]

+1 ... that's really a nice looking finish ... I like the red undertones ... :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[don hepler]

Zonie's your knowledge and experience is invaluable to this Forum. I know if you respond, there's a real good chance, the problem will be solved, for the OP and the rest of the Choir.

 

[Billnpatti]

Woods such as Birch will do better with one of the gel stains. Soft woods are hard to stain evenly but even such woods as pine and spruce will take a pretty nice even stain if you use a gel stain. You may well have to apply more than one coat to get the depth of color that you want. They are available in almost all stores that sell stains and varnishes. For the final finish, I recommend either Tru Oil or Lin-Speed. Several coats applied with your finger tips with light buffing between each coat. Let the last coat dry for at least a week and then buff it to the desired softness of luster with 0000 steel wool.

Hmmmm :hmm: I've done like I often do and that is to read the question and just start answering. Now that I have taken the time to go back and read what others have said, and looked at the results that Zonie got with his Birch stock, I'd have to agree with his recommendations. The proof is in the pudding and what Zonie has is some darned nice looking "pudding". :thumbsup:

 

[gunmaker43]

Feiblings alcohol leather stain (Tandy co.) will penetrate that wood and give a good reddish brown color, I use the med. brn. or the dark thinned with alchol and rubbed back. Not a big grain raiser either....Tom

 

[Artificer]

Zonie,

Nice looking color and finish on that double.

I used to use Birchwood Casey's Walnut stock stain a whole bunch, starting back in the early 70's. There were times I was ordering and using three to six bottles every other month with all the stock refinishing I did. However, at least 5 if not 10 years ago, they seemed to have changed the formula and it no longer gave a good brown color with a nice red hue undertone. The change was dramatic and seemed to have happened all of a sudden.

I also switched to Fiebing's Medium Brown stain that does have a red hue undertone for most stock work; though for some Beech, Birch and Chu Wood stocks, I use Fiebing's Dark Brown with a little Cordoba added for the red hue.

I have found Dixie's Antique Stain, which almost has to be a Fiebing's stain as well, a little TOO red when used by itself. However, when mixed with Fiebing's Medium Brown, it gives a more reddish hue if one likes that much red. However, I have mixed it with Fiebings Dark Brown and it works nicely for a darker brown color with a reddish hue.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3913

Gus