Stock finish drying time in winter

[Col. Batguano]

4-0 Steel wool is roughly equivalent to 600 grit wet sandpaper. Maybe 800. Over time, handling and mounting it will leave oil deposits on the surface, and have the effect of "glossying" the stock back up again. Not a big deal to scuff it up again when it needs it to knock back the gloss.

Rotten stone is finer than pumice powder, and pumice is finer than 4-0. I suggest starting on the fine side, and going coarser as you feel you need to. I also suggest degreasing the surface first, or else you might go too far.

 

[Felonious]

I finished my stock last year during the winter, I used a space heater in a small bathroom on a timer. Kept it around 80°, and decreased drying time substantially.

 

[oldwood]

Coat or two of Minwax Special dark furnature wax wil do it , as a maintenance coat , once a year. Lowes.

 

[yellowhammer]

All good suggestions I will definitely try in the future - thanks! UPDATE: Well, I can't leave well enough alone and said dang the winter torpedoes full speed ahead and just went back to my old reliable T&T Varnish top coat. 4 super thin top coats hand rubbed, without any drier, and let it sit by the fireplace. Each dried to the touch in about 8 hrs, letting me do a couple a day like Phil Coffins said. I'm ok with it as it is now:

Edited to add: compare to my Kibler I finished in the heat of last summer: