top coat advise please

[relicshunter]

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I am redoing a stock on a sxs 20g replica. It is beech and was pretty poor looking finish job. It's a very no frills gun. I'll be actively using it for hunting and the top coat will need to hold up to the swamps of Florida. I wanted it to be fairly dark but not lose the figure of the wood. I have done one coat of danish oil, and it's about the tone I wanted.
For the top coat there is a lot of conflicting suggestions. I am looking at varnish, shellac, poly, tru oil?

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[bpd303]

When I used to hunt in the Everglades, I always used Formby's Satin Tung oil as a top coat. It held up well but took at least 6 coats for a good finish.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

... I always used Formby's Satin Tung oil as a top coat. It held up well but took at least 6 coats for a good finish.

That was what I've used on stocks for years, but can't get it in the satin anymore. I've switched to Arm-R-Seal by General Finishes and am pleased so far (will take years to tell), and it seems as good as Formby's albeit a tad thinner.

 

[necchi]

You want something water resistant?
Laurel Mountain Forge Permalyn
start with the Sealer and do the entire stock inside an out http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/products.htm

 

[don hepler]

I have been using some information, that I'm picking up on other forums. I could never get the top sheen the way I wanted, with tru oil, so started spraying a top coat of satin Minwax poly over the tru oil, came out looking great. The tru oil fill the grain very good, but the top coat poly gives the desired sheen. May not be the best thing for a nice maple rifle, but works great on birch, Chinese wood, Brazilian wood, etc.

Worst case scenario, have to redo it. I did a SKS yesterday, and it is the nicest I've ever seen.

 

[MSW]

I've used Permalyn on shaving brushes which have held up to daily soaking with no problems ...

hard to argue with that kind of performance ... pricey, but worth it!

good luck with your project - and, after all is said and done,

make good smoke!

 

[fleener]

I have to say that about all I use any more is permalyn as well.

It gets my vote.

Fleener

 

[Jason Lewis]

my 10ga fowler is finished with permalyn. after an extremely rainy turkey season, the finish and stock are just fine. it gets my vote as well.

 

[okawbow]

6 or 8 coats of real marine spar varnish, such as Epiphanes would do the job. It holds up well on brightwork on boats. I've used it on a musket with good results. Start with a 50% thinned with turpentine, and reduce the thinner every coat, until the last 2 coats are almost pure varnish. A soft bristle varnish brush, or a foam brush works. It can be wet sanded and rubbed out after it dries for a couple weeks.

 

[relicshunter]

I appreciate all the advise. I went with varnish based on the danish oil being a mixed varnish product. The first coat soaked in nicely and I have a total of three at the moment. I will see what I think when this coat dries.