Stock finishing question

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BillyC

Shooting my .45 better every time
Joined
Feb 13, 2023
Messages
598
Reaction score
1,474
Location
Pittsburgh PA
Does this look right to you guys? I finished prepping my stock with 400 grit paper and it is smooth as glass but has these very dark grey streaks all over
E3AC65BB-AEC0-4329-901C-809C3728CE1A.jpeg
E3AC65BB-AEC0-4329-901C-809C3728CE1A.jpeg
 
No steel wool was used. The 400 paper was black though. I emailed Kibler and they said it would be fine. I’m guessing after the aqua fortis it will just be darker stripes. I whiskered it three times and finished up burnishing with white scotch brite. My aqua fortis should arrive today so by tomorrow I should have a good idea what the final product will look like.
 
The wet/dry paper grit as you have figured out has left the color. Next one you may want to stay with sand paper that is meant for wood on raw wood. I only use wet/dry paper when working the finish into the wood but never on a light wood that I stain. That’s the way I was trained but never asked why, your experience has broadened my understanding. Kibler has probably seen this before and I’m sure has given good council .
 
Aqua fortis should get rid of the funky grey stripes. That'l turn them plenty black. By the way , OOOO steel wool is ok to dewhisker , and polish , stock wood ,just rinse the oil out of the wool , with acetone , before using the wool. Folks are too quick condemn a tool , when they don't understand how to use it. Been using cleaned steel wool to dewhisker stocks for 50 + years. Guaranteed to eliminate the grey stripes. What the grey stripes can be , are the end grain whiskers , not cut off by sand paper. Sand paper has it's place , but not for dewhiskering wood. To use steel wool to dewhisker a gunstock , finish sand the wood. Wet the wood lightly with water , and dry with heat gun. The heat will raise the whiskers , and they are prepped for removal with 0000 steel wool. The wood will be polished , ready for finish. Quick and easy. If you have any interest in learning how to stain gunstock wood with alcohol stains, instead of uncertain chemical reagents , will be glad to share the process . ...oldwood
 
If you're using dark grey automotive wet or dry sandpaper.....Stop.

If you're sanding steel and then using the same sandpaper to sand wood.....Stop.

Use very fine sandpaper designed for.....Wood. No color bleeding that way.

If you have inletting black on your hands, regardless of how much, it will transfer to the end grain in the wood. Per Kamala Harris.....Basically, that's bad.
 
Crisis averted. Like Jim said the AF took it away. I just have one diluted coat of Danish oil for now. I’ll continue the finishing tomorrow but so far things are looking good. I even managed to get the new sight installed correctly. LOL
 

Attachments

  • 14F95422-6D43-4098-801A-2D451BD19FAC.jpeg
    14F95422-6D43-4098-801A-2D451BD19FAC.jpeg
    1.8 MB
Sometimes hands will do this depending on acidity levels. I've also seen some water from the whiskering process do this. The wood could have been somewhat stained to begin with as well. In any event, it's not problem at all. It will be completely gone after staining.

Jim
Jim- Any problems using true oil after sealing with Danish oil? I kind of like the shiny finish better.
 
Another coat of danish oil this morning, still soaking right in
 

Attachments

  • CEFFA59D-610B-4E33-BF46-922108568623.jpeg
    CEFFA59D-610B-4E33-BF46-922108568623.jpeg
    2.2 MB
Yes and thank you Jim, the kit was everything it was said to be. I made a couple mistakes but nothing I couldn’t make good again.
 
Rifle looks great! I’m in the process of finishing my SMR stock now and I like the finish yours shows. Did you end up using Tru-Oil over the Danish oil?

Happy shooting 👍
 
Back
Top