Stock finish with tru-oil

[Artificer]

As for sticky; I have bought a few bottles over the years that the finish, once applied, stayed tacky for days and never really set up hard like it should. In these rare cases I trashed the bad bottle and bought a new one at Walmart. Being able to buy the stuff at Walmart is another plus for me.

I should have added; I apply Tru-oil to the stock scrubbing it in with a scotch bright pad and quickly wipe off any excess with a rag.

Here is a stock with 5 coats applied and the excess of each coat wiped off with a rag.

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This absolutely shows a Tru Oil finish need not be a super shiny finish, if one doesn't want that.

Matter of fact if at this point you want a "warm glow" to the finish, all one has to do is rub the dickens out of it with a terry cloth rag or towel.

This is also in no way a difficult finish to repair.

Tru Oil is an Oil Varnish finish, so just like other period Oil Varnish finishes, the coats can be built up to a high gloss as seen on period high end guns, IF that is what one wants.

Gus

 

[Eric Krewson]

On the 5 coat stock picture, that is the final look of the finish, no shine at all. Like I said, apply the finish with a saturated 1" square piece of burgundy scotch bright pad and quickly wipe off the excess, no rubbing back is necessary. I did use Birchwood Casey walnut stock sealer to seal the pores of the stock before I applied any Tru-oil

Here is the same stock before I put a new GM drop in barrel in the stock to finish the project.

Done;

 

[GriscomRun]

All of the above rifles had the Tru-oil applied with a scotch bright pad and scrubbed in.

To keep the bottle contents from setting up for long periods of time only punch a pin hole in the seal and store the bottle upside down.

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What a cool idea ! Nice to learn things here. And id does make sense.

 

[cannonball1]

I've used Tru-oil before life began. In the late 50's I got a hand-me-down shotgun. It had a varnished dinged finish so I sanded it down and my Tru-oil experience started. I even stained stocks with Chromium-Trioxide before I knew better and my stocks turned green. I went thru many stock refinishing during those years of which many used Tru-O. My first CVA muzzleloader was finished with Tru-O, but I have found I like the linseed-wax formula. A lot more work, but the finish seems deeper and more accurate for the period of time. I know that I am set in my ways, too old too not be. If you are going to make a period looking American gun and finish it like an English Gentlemen's gun, why bother. I just finished an English Sporting Muzzleloader and yes I finished it with Tru-O, but my other guns I have finished with the good old linseed-wax. Polished it in day after day and week after week and now they have a deep finish. To me half the fun of shooting is to lightly cover the wood and polish with the wax formula after being home from the field. Taught my kids the same way and my oldest boy's 40 year old Hawken has taken on a deep rich look. There you have my two-bits on the subject. Do you want your ML to have a new looking finish, an old looking finish, or a better formula? No wrong answer here.

 

[wiscoaster]

.... My first CVA muzzleloader was finished with Tru-O, but I have found I like the linseed-wax formula. A lot more work, but the finish seems deeper and more accurate for the period of time.....

Yes.

 

[olskool]

i don't use tru-oil on ML guns. but i have used it for many years on many guns, i have never had any problem.