Oil finish on a stock.....

[tjiann]

I use pure Tung oil. First 2 coats cut w/~a third turpentine/thinner, then a few coats of all Tung.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Tru-Oil on walnut and maple.
AC7974C7-0330-486A-8F21-6FC2399E8CDE by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0541 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Tru-Oil on walnut and maple.
AC7974C7-0330-486A-8F21-6FC2399E8CDE by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0541 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Phil, is Tru Oil the only finish on the maple stock? Dan

 

[Phil Coffins]

Phil, is Tru Oil the only finish on the maple stock? Dan

That stock got a coat of Tryed N True linseed and bees wax first but I wiped it off as much as I could. It just wasn’t drying so I went back to using Tru-Oil as this has worked well for me for very many stocks. I’m not against trying new and different things but when they don’t prove to be better I go with what works. I can get any amount of shine with Tru-Oil and it stands up to outdoor use well. Here’s another.
IMG_1287 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Snooterpup]

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.

Agreed! My experience with Permalyn was horrible and had to be stripped. The beauty of boiled Linseed is that if the gun gets a nick or dent (and it will) it can be steamed out or lightly sanded out. Reapply BLO in successive coats and you are back in business (especially with walnut).

 

[Snooterpup]

That stock got a coat of Tryed N True linseed and bees wax first but I wiped it off as much as I could. It just wasn’t drying so I went back to using Tru-Oil as this has worked well for me for very many stocks. I’m not against trying new and different things but when they don’t prove to be better I go with what works. I can get any amount of shine with Tru-Oil and it stands up to outdoor use well. Here’s another.
IMG_1287 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

That stock got a coat of Tryed N True linseed and bees wax first but I wiped it off as much as I could. It just wasn’t drying so I went back to using Tru-Oil as this has worked well for me for very many stocks. I’m not against trying new and different things but when they don’t prove to be better I go with what works. I can get any amount of shine with Tru-Oil and it stands up to outdoor use well. Here’s another.
IMG_1287 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

I have not tried Tru-Oil but may on the next build. The finish on that beautiful flintlock looks superb!

 

[Bunk]

Boiled linseed oil and Tung oil are the only two I've ever used for an "oil" finish. Tru-Oil isn't oil in the same sense, it contains linseed oil, IIRC, and some kind of polymers that have been described to me to aid in drying. Bottom line, if you want an old-fashioned oil finish, use BLO or Tung. Rub it in, rub, rub, rub, coat after coat..........it takes time, but is well worth it.

on the first coat or two mix the oil with about 10% real spirits of turpentine and let it cure for an hour or two. The turpentine helps soak the finish down into instead of on top of the wood. A trick told to me by an old time stock maker now RIP.
.

 

[ETipp]

That stock got a coat of Tryed N True linseed and bees wax first but I wiped it off as much as I could. It just wasn’t drying so I went back to using Tru-Oil as this has worked well for me for very many stocks. I’m not against trying new and different things but when they don’t prove to be better I go with what works. I can get any amount of shine with Tru-Oil and it stands up to outdoor use well. Here’s another.
IMG_1287 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Indeed. I have put many, many, bottles of Tru Oil on gunstocks beginning in the early 80's.

Heck, I might just use that again. Works for me and I have hunted in some real monsoons.

 

[flashpoint]

Tru-Oil on walnut and maple.
AC7974C7-0330-486A-8F21-6FC2399E8CDE by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0541 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Wow, that's a really beautiful gun.

 

[flashpoint]

FWIW 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 used to use Formby's tung oil, even on my wood cedar arrows, but had problems finding it reliably.

A family friend makes 'high end' custom furniture, mostly of highly figured or flamed woods and he turned me on to the oil based 'wiping varnishes' by Arm-R-Seal. They wipe on thin like a TO, and dry fast - overnight. On figured stocks, they show the chatoyance like nothing else - just amazingly really! For satin finishes, one builds up the bottom coats with gloss - to build that 'depth' of finish - then use satin or semi-gloss for the last 2 top coats. As a bonus, if you ever need to touch-up or fix an area or whatever, it matches the old finish perfectly ... one would never know you re-did an area! It is also not sticky.

TIP: If worrying about using any good oil finish (that air dries) in months to a year from now, Woodcraft store sell cool storage bags that look like IV drip-bags that you put the oil into and use the twist-top to squeeze all the air out of the bag. Works slick!

Now one of my long longrifle photos won't fit here, haha ... so here the satin finish as applied to a black powdah [so I can post it here, LOL!] cartridge Schuetzen rifle on the stock that I made/checkered.

View attachment 192516

Now that's just plain gorgeous along with the checkering. You are a master at this.

 

[david w]

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

I forgot to add, I coat my wood with very warm beeswax after using Watco.

 

[oldwood]

Don't use untreated raw Tung oil. Use treated Tung oil , the kind with driers already in it. Some places sell Raw Tung oil ,w/o driers ,and it washes off hunting in the damp weather. Been there done that.

 

[flntlokr]

My only experience with tung oil was sticky. I have used BLO on my stocks. I rub it in one coat a day allowing to dry before the next coat. I rub it in until it does not absorb anymore oil then let it dry 3 or more days. Buff it with a soft rag and then wax with your favorite paste wax. This yields a semi-gloss finish.

I did rub-ins once a day for a week, once a week for a month, then periodically once a year or so.

 

[DCAN]

Since we are discussing finishes here, I'm going to be finishing my Woodsrunner soon and need the most water resistant finish I can find. Living on the Oregon coast, it's wet most of the time. I've used Tur-Oil in the past as well as a few other products.
Any suggestions?

 

[Khufu]

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.

I have been finishing stocks since the mid 70s, the best finish I have ever used is linseed oil with a touch of coleman fuel added

 

[Khufu]

(yes, I'm a southpaw) its not a reversed image. it dries pretty fast goes deep and is quite hard the old timer that taught me used Kerosene, but that was too hard to find, Coleman fuel was easy to get, and actually works better.

 

[ETipp]

I will definitely keep that in mind.

I thank you sir.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

FWIW 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 used to use Formby's tung oil, even on my wood cedar arrows, but had problems finding it reliably.

A family friend makes 'high end' custom furniture, mostly of highly figured or flamed woods and he turned me on to the oil based 'wiping varnishes' by Arm-R-Seal. They wipe on thin like a TO, and dry fast - overnight. On figured stocks, they show the chatoyance like nothing else - just amazingly really! For satin finishes, one builds up the bottom coats with gloss - to build that 'depth' of finish - then use satin or semi-gloss for the last 2 top coats. As a bonus, if you ever need to touch-up or fix an area or whatever, it matches the old finish perfectly ... one would never know you re-did an area! It is also not sticky.

TIP: If worrying about using any good oil finish (that air dries) in months to a year from now, Woodcraft store sell cool storage bags that look like IV drip-bags that you put the oil into and use the twist-top to squeeze all the air out of the bag. Works slick!

Now one of my long longrifle photos won't fit here, haha ... so here the satin finish as applied to a black powdah [so I can post it here, LOL!] cartridge Schuetzen rifle on the stock that I made/checkered.

View attachment 192516

Beautiful! Do they sell that oil you mentioned at Woodcraft stores?

 

[Frontier's]

Birchwood Casey genuine oil

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

That stock got a coat of Tryed N True linseed and bees wax first but I wiped it off as much as I could. It just wasn’t drying so I went back to using Tru-Oil as this has worked well for me for very many stocks. I’m not against trying new and different things but when they don’t prove to be better I go with what works. I can get any amount of shine with Tru-Oil and it stands up to outdoor use well. Here’s another.
IMG_1287 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

The finish is over aqua fortis, right?

 

[rusticbob]

BLO works for me