Oil finish on a stock.....

[BS2366]

I did a guitar in tru oil and it turned out great. Thinned it out with naptha and applied many thin layers for a couple of weeks. Has held up really well.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Guys, I will preface this by saying this ole boy has been refinishing gun stocks for many moons. Not only for myself, but for many others as well. I usually put a high sheen finish on them because that's what most folks wants, but not always. However, I have a hankering to refinish another project ML but this one I want to do in an oil finish. The only things I'm seeing so far is boiled linseed oil and perhaps tongue oil to use. Therefore I am seeking information on this.

Recommendations would be appreciated.

Lets hear it guys. And some pics of some of your oiled stocks would be nice as well.

Best finish I have ever used: Sutherland Wells Ltd, polymerized tung oil finish. It is also one of the easiest for me.
Larry

 

[BS2366]

Best finish I have ever used: Sutherland Wells Ltd, polymerized tung oil finish. It is also one of the easiest for me.
LarryView attachment 192548

Nice! Tru oil is also a polymerizing tung oil finish. Lots of people finish guitars with it to keep that natural wood look. They all say to thin it out and put it on extremely thin in many layers. If you don't seal the wood first, you will have open grain with tru oil. If you want a smooth finish, use a wood sealer. Sand the sealer down. Seal it again, sand it down. Then apply many thin layer of water oil finish you like.

 

[Stykbow]

I refinished this one with BLO. Much better than the original and pretty straightforward to apply.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

A lot of the final appearance is not so much due to the brand of finish but to how it's applied. I'm lucky enough to have a copy of Alvin Linden's book "Stockmaking". He was one of the premier gun stockers of the '30's '40's. (It's for sale by the way). One of his methods was to give the stock a liberal dose of linseed oil and let it set up for quite awhile and then follow it up with top coats of varnish. He claimed it looked just like the famed "London Oil Finish". It's generally the method I use. Ask 10 folks what is the best finish and you'll get 10 different answers. What is usually agreed on though is that linseed oil is not waterproof no matter how old it is.

 

[1950DAVE]

Many people like boiled linseed oil. Be careful of the rags though. They can heat up and burst into flames. I have used Watco Danish oil finish with great success.
https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/watco/danish-oil

Not just BLO rags but rags used to apply any type of finish, be they oils or varnishes.

 

[satwel]

Over the years I've tried them all. Now I use only Jim Chambers oil. It's the easiest to apply, dries fairly quickly, and gives a durable, authentic finish.

 

[Bobby MacAlphin]

I like Tung Oil myself !

 

[ETipp]

I like Tung Oil myself !

Nice!

 

[Billy Boy]

Guys, I will preface this by saying this ole boy has been refinishing gun stocks for many moons. Not only for myself, but for many others as well. I usually put a high sheen finish on them because that's what most folks wants, but not always. However, I have a hankering to refinish another project ML but this one I want to do in an oil finish. The only things I'm seeing so far is boiled linseed oil and perhaps tongue oil to use. Therefore I am seeking information on this.

Recommendations would be appreciated.

Lets hear it guys. And some pics of some of your oiled stocks would be nice as well.

Tru Oil from Birchwood Casey. Easy, durable, can be left gloss or taken down to the sheen you want - just let it cure a few days before taking it down with OOOO steel wool. Also a good idea to wait 24 hrs between applications (small drip, spread with a finger).

 

[Art Caputo]

…..I gave up on Tru-Oil for its tendency to 'turn white' on hunting arms when subject to moisture, even if carrying the arm with a glove or hand that was wet or it is misty out………

I have experienced this…..I have found that o top coat(or more) of Permalyn Sealer over the fully dried finish will stop this along with excellent durability, and the ability to control the luster… from hand rubbed to a varnish appearance, depending on preference. Linseed oil absorbs water.

 

[Siringo]

I have tried BLO, Tung oil and Permalyn. All worked well. I liked Permalyn because you could dial in a satin or glossy finish but it is expensive and makes you have to seal the can from air or it will go bad. BLO gives a nice sheen and does not get real glossy. Tung Oil is good and it is fairly cheap.

What I like about Permalyn on a hunting rifle is that it is tough as nails. Oil finishes are not. I hunt in a very brushy area and have experienced the differences. Especially in inclement weather Permalyn is better than oil.

 

[ppb]

Full-stock Vincent pattern w/lotsa tung oil rubbed in...

 

[COTNTOP]

I have used all of the above and all are good, BC-tru oil is easy. I take a thin cotton patch and wipe very thin coats until each coat looks finished, wait several hours and rub another thin coat until that coat already looks finished. About 4 or 5 trips and the finish is hard to beat. Each coat must treated like you are trying to remove the finish.

 

[JBird]

Not all tung oils and linseed oils are created equal. I've used formbys tung oil twice now (read about it on ALR) with great results, one is curing as we speak, I was never happy with the permalyn so I stripped it off an older gun.

 

[frankie]

Ive been stock making stocks since 1994. From my experience any oil is great as long as it is tung oil. I add a little urethane to make it harder, (NOT polyurethane). Linseed oil is not that great on being waterproof. I know most of my fellow guild members use tung oil and stay away from tru-oil and especially linseed or linspeed oil. David W is so right on (be careful of the rags you use on applying it). After I use them for applying finish, I discard them in a can outside because they may spontaneously combust at least while they are still wet. After they dry there is less chance. I would post pictures of some of the stocks I have refinished but the stocks I do, the pictures cant be posted on this sight. They are not muzzleloaders. I really hope this helps.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Artists Grade Refined Linsead. Non sticky, Almost clear, Penetrates Well and drys well. One coat a day untill it won't take any more. Put it away to dry then re-coat with 70% oil + 30% Terabine.(Drying agent) to build a finish.As used by B'ham & London Stockers. All it then needs is ELBOW GREASE,Blood,Sweat & Tears..This is of course After all the wood finishing and grain filling before you think of the oil stuff. O.D.

 

[Crew Chief]

On my curly maple stock, Iron nitrate with Tried and True Varnish oil. I finished my Kibler SMR in it. Thinned with turpentine and hand rubbed 4 coats. Works great. In the past on walnut, I used Tru Oil with good results but it stayed sticky for a while.

It is what you are comfortable with and the finish you are after.

 

[Appowner]

Not all tung oils and linseed oils are created equal. I've used formbys tung oil twice now (read about it on ALR) with great results, one is curing as we speak, I was never happy with the permalyn so I stripped it off an older gun.

That's what gets me. Do a search for tung oil and you get page after page of different brands. And they all seem to say 100% Pure. And some of the prices.......more than I paid for the stock.

Ah! Which to Choose? Which to Choose?

 

[user 43911]

Watco oil is much, much easier to apply.

The only problem with Watco Danish oil is it's for INDOOR use only, if gun gets in the weather it's not good.