Stock finish question

[JRBCo.]

Do you apply the finish on the stock before or after you install inlays, butt plate, etc.. ?

 

[ohio ramrod]

I do it before. And then touch up if needed.

 

[JRBCo.]

Thanks ohio ramrod. I thought that maybe if you did it after it would help fill small gaps but I suppose you could touch up adjacent the gaps after. Should have thought about that.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Small inlays (including the muzzle cap) I leave in there and finish over them. Most of them are attached with epoxy or other glue, so the wood under them is sealed. Bigger parts like butt plates and patch boxes I seal first and then install. Those that are pinned in place (RR pipes, trigger guards) I finish under them and then re-install. There is often a bit of jiggering that has to be done with some of the parts to make them fit again after the wood swells from the finish.

The key part to get finish on is under the butt plate though, and (to a lesser extent), inside the lock mortice. Lots and lots of end grain there that will wick water in to the stock if you don't get it well sealed. Don't forget to dab some sealer inside the RR hole too.

 

[oldwood]

The Col. has got it........ For instance , Flint deer season , Once reloaded my deer rifle in the woods on a rainy day , looked down oops , butt plate sitting in a puddle. Luckily , had sealed the wood under the butt plate. Always seal any bare wood , barrel channel , lock mortise , etc.. Epoxie under inlays.

 

[treetophunter]

What product do you use to seal the? unfinished wood

 

[oldwood]

Once the gun is assembled , sanded , and stained , assuming the wood has been polished with OOOO steel wool , any good "wipe on , wipe off" penetrating finish is a good start. Apply it until the wood will not accept any more , wait three days in warm dry atmosphere , so it dries hard. Now you can decide what else you want to apply. I use four coats of Polyurathane GEL finish. Follow the directions on the can. It's easy , and fool proof. Consistency is like pudding. Here's the trick for a mat finish , once the Poly has dried , Use the OOOO steel wool to super lightly go over the Poly coats , so light you can't tell you're doing it , and apply one more coat of the wipe on wipe off penetrating sealer coat. Let that harden, and wax with Minwax , Special Dark Furniture wax. The wax is your forever finish every so often when cleaning , and storing the gun. Has worked for me for 50 years. If you want to know about alcohol stain , I'll go over that as well. I don't use chemical acid or base stains , 'cause you have no control of the final result. ................oldwood

 

[frankie]

Do you apply the finish on the stock before or after you install inlays, butt plate, etc.. ?

Better to do inlay after you put the finish on. You don't want to get the oil off your hands on the bare wood. The finish wont take to the wood as good.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Earlier question on what to use to seal the end grain;
Any finish that is water impervious when dry.

There's something of a trick to finishing under parts that will be installed after finishing. The wood is going to swell when they are finished, so parts that are perfectly flush when the wood is in the white, will wind up slightly proud once the finish goes on. The biggest part this most often happens to is patch boxes, and particularly the finials.

One way to deal with it is to get them flush while the gun is in the white, dab your sealer under the finial (you only need 1 coat), and let it dry. Then re-install it, and re-flush it. Now you can remove it and do your engraving on it.

 

[oldwood]

treetop..............Once the stain is where you want it, the inlays are set in w/ epoxie , and leveled , before staining. the sealer is applied. Watco Danish oil is one , Minwax clear wood finish./ Penetrating sealer. Tung Oil...Don't use Raw Tung Oil, it doesn't dry.

 

[JamesT]

I must be the only one who does it differently but I apply the stain with the gun assembled. Minus the barrel and lock. Once I'm happy with the color I start applying my hand rubbed oil finish at 1 coat a day. After several coats the gun is then reassembled. I believe original guns were finished in this manner. I dont stain inside the patchbox cavity and I dont apply oil finish inside the lock mortice.

 

[Dutch7]

I must be the only one who does it differently but I apply the stain with the gun assembled. Minus the barrel and lock. Once I'm happy with the color I start applying my hand rubbed oil finish at 1 coat a day. After several coats the gun is then reassembled. I believe original guns were finished in this manner. I dont stain inside the patchbox cavity and I dont apply oil finish inside the lock mortice.

you are not the only one - this is how it should be done in my opinion when using period correct finishes

 

[oldwood]

James........I would recommend to always put at least one good coat of sealer in the barrel channel ,in the lock mortise , patch box cavity , especially in a sliding wood patch box dovetails. Anywhere water , high humidity , cleaning chemicals , etc., can swell the wood. Also , remove the butt plate , t. guard , triggers , or trigger and trig. plate ,ram rod thimbles , Put sealer any place where bare wood can swell ,then in dry times , shrink leaving gaps. Wood is a dynamic solid. It shrinks , expands , warps,etc. , To keep it stable , seal it. ...............oldwood

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Black walnut wood and tung oil, nuttin else.

 

[user 34300]

"Do you apply the finish on the stock before or after you install inlays, butt plate, etc.. ?"

All wood shaping must be done with the various parts installed. IF you don't the level of the wood will not match the metal. Inlays are finished over.

You can apply finish with the parts installed and clean them after, or not. IF you finihs with parts installed the finish tend to fill tiny gaps and make the inletting look perfect. Leaving the butplate on during finishing is a good idea. You don to want to chip the toe. A little paste wax on the butplate will keep the finish from sticking too much. Apply the wax with the butplate off of the gun. IF you choose to finish with the small parts installed put some wax on them.

 

[Adneg]

I finish with the furniture on the stock that way the slurry from the oil or varnish fills in any gaps and tightens up the fittings. The polish with a rotary tool and by hand and remove finish from the brass with denatured alcohol.

 

[treetophunter]

Hmmm. I have a lot to learn…

 

[frankie]

I always put a sealer on any bare wood. Especially under the butt plate (on the wood). That is end grain and if you leave the butt plate off for any length of time the wood can move and then your butt plate may not fit back exactly the way it was. Then you will have to re inlet it again in some places. Sealing the bare wood under the barrel and lock will help keep gun oil from entering the bare wood over the years. If you dont you could wind up with an oil-soaked stock like you see lots of antique firearms.