Painting design on a stock.

[Henry2357]

Is it possible, acrylic paint. After staining is complete can you paint a small design on the stock, my wife wants to put a turquoise flower, and will the finish go on and protect it? I was thinking of putting it on before sealer and finish. Thoughts would be appreciated. Joe

 

[Ames]

Her gun. Her decision.

 

[Henry2357]

Actually I was kind a looking for thoughts on whether this is how I would do it? Whether it’s even feasible to do it and the finish will hold it in place.
Musket is actually mine, the flower is for family members passed.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Henry,
There were guns with vines and flowers painted on the stocks. I suspect if you let the paint dry thoroughly first, a coat of finish over it will not hurt it. Remember, oil paintings were always varnished to protect them. It was that task for which boiled linseed oil varnish was invented as early as the 13th century, not as a wood finish.

dave

 

[foxm1754]

If you have a reputable paint shop in your area with knowledgable staff you could run the sealer, finish, decorative paint, topcoat combination past them to see it they foresee any issues with compatability and possible adverse effects.

Part of this process will be the vehicle compatability and ability of all coats to bond to each other.

Worst case example would be peeling that can occur with some latex over oil base paints, which you want to avoid.

If it was mine I would try a sample board for short term results then proceed with the stock.

You may have to stray from "traditional" finishes to get the finish compatability and long term results you want. This means using finishes that are compatible with each other thru the entire process.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Acrylic over oil might present a problem down the road as mentioned. Using a varnish to “hold” the painting on will help but who knows how well, especially with a frequently handled gun.
One way to go would be to seal the oil- stained wood over with a thin application of shellac ( there’s an old axiom: “Shellac sticks to everything and everything sticks to shellac”). Than an over- coat of varnish would be good.
Best way though would be to use artists oil paints I suspect.

 

[Henry2357]

Appreciate the input. Lot to think about.

 

[david w]

The best way to hold paint on a stock is to incise carve it.

 

[muzzlecap]

If your stain is oil based, I would not use acrylic paint.

 

[Eric Krewson]

After cresting a gazillion arrows with acrylic paint here is how I do it; I stain with alcohol based dye, put two coats of Tru-oil over the stain, apply the cresting and put 3 or 4 light coats of Tru-oil over the paint after it dries.

The paint never smears or comes off, 20 years later and lots of shooting the cresting looks like I did it yesterday.

As for painting a gunstock, it is all about using compatible materials.

 

[Whughett]

All manners of house hold goods, even table tops have painted on designs. Why not a gun stock. I’d go with a wooden stock that’s finished sanded, a sanding sealer applied and sanded down, the design of choice painted on then a clear coat of finish. Only issue I could think of is compatibility of the paint and clear coat selected. Modern urethane's can be oil or water based and come in several sheens high gloss to satin.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Appreciate the input. Lot to think about.

So I'd paint the stock too, but either way I'd go to the local paint store and buy an oil based paint.

My trade gun is painted with oil based paint. It has proven to be a very weather resistant coating. Don't do Rusoleum, though, get a commercial exterior oil based paint, and use that. I tested Rustoleum and it seemed too brittle and much more easily chipped.

Sorry the focus on my gun photo is messed up...,

Here are some other repros.

Here's one without stain, just varnish and a painted pattern...

LD

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Is it possible, acrylic paint. After staining is complete can you paint a small design on the stock, my wife wants to put a turquoise flower, and will the finish go on and protect it? I was thinking of putting it on before sealer and finish. Thoughts would be appreciated. Joe

Check out the Grumpy Gunsmith of Williamsburg on YouTube, he did a stock just like you are thinking of.

 

[Henry2357]

L Dave, beautiful work. I will check out Grumpy, thanks

 

[Relic shooter]

So I'd paint the stock too, but either way I'd go to the local paint store and buy an oil based paint.

My trade gun is painted with oil based paint. It has proven to be a very weather resistant coating. Don't do Rusoleum, though, get a commercial exterior oil based paint, and use that. I tested Rustoleum and it seemed too brittle and much more easily chipped.

Sorry the focus on my gun photo is messed up...,

View attachment 124203

Here are some other repros.

View attachment 124209

View attachment 124213

View attachment 124215
View attachment 124216

Here's one without stain, just varnish and a painted pattern...

View attachment 124217


LD

Nice workmanship Loyalist Dave, looks like your artistic as well.
And while we're at it thanks for your help running herd on this forum.
relic shooter

 

[tenngun]

The best way to hold paint on a stock is to incise carve it.

That’s right…. But , it’s a lot easier to paint and paint was done, I THINK it was confined to trade guns.

 

[Henry2357]

I’m going to start the staining of my trade gun, then before I seal will do the design painting. I am not using a oil base so going to try the acrylic paint, then seal and finish. I do want it to look like it was added by some 1800’s trapper. Thanks all

 

[tenngun]

I’m going to start the staining of my trade gun, then before I seal will do the design painting. I am not using a oil base so going to try the acrylic paint, then seal and finish. I do want it to look like it was added by some 1800’s trapper. Thanks all

I would think after stained an oil base then with a varnish might be a little more period.
you could get real hard in and try an egg base. An 1800 trapper who wanted to paint his gun would have had a hard time finding acrylic

 

[Crown_Pointer]

Is it possible, acrylic paint. After staining is complete can you paint a small design on the stock, my wife wants to put a turquoise flower, and will the finish go on and protect it? I was thinking of putting it on before sealer and finish. Thoughts would be appreciated. Joe

I'm thinking it should be possible but you likely don't want a build-up of paint thickness (that will be a wear problem). I would experiment on a piece of scrap of the same type of wood. Lay in your stain, then your paint and finish with a finish. While a little diferent I made up my own stencils for a musket case I made. I used "Delta" stencil creme paints (they're different and specifically made for stenciling). You kind of poke it in with brush bristles. In the picture below you can see the oil of the paint "wetted" the Butternut wood but it eventually dried out fine. Then I applied my finish. It came out OK. I think your success will likely be on the thinness of your paint coat and the toughness of your finish. A musket case doesn't get rubbed as much as a gun stock though so I can't comment more. Be cautious of anything waterbased (I now stick with oil based stuff) I'll never forget the fiasco of using a water based finish on birch ply stereo shelving that I walnut anilline dyed first. Proto on scrap! If you do it let us know how it went.

 

[winter1857]

Eric Kettenburg had an amazing Folk Art rifle on his site that was based on an original. Sort of a Pennsylvania Dutch Fraktur design. I have always been highly covetous of that rifle.

I have no idea how it's accomplished but it can be done wonderfully.