Traditions St. Louis Hawken stock....

[John Stark]

I've read through a LOT of the post here searching for my answer but nothing jumped out so....
OK, I'm building/assembling my first Hawken rifle and need some advice on a stock finish. I want to finish the stock with either Tung or BLS oil for a relatively "correct" finish... for me. Now, the problem I'm having is that I also want a finish that will require VERY little maintenance as I plan on passing it down to one of my grands when I croak over and there's no telling how long it will sit in the safe or if they'll have any understanding of the care required to keep the 'ol girl looking young once they take possession or if they even look at it again once they have it. I don't want to create an abomination to the ML world but I also want it to survive well after I'm gone.
So, what's an acceptable finish I can use without getting that sneering, side-eye look to achieve this?
I'd appreciate any ideas or advice, thanks.

 

[54ball]

I've read through a LOT of the post here searching for my answer but nothing jumped out so....
OK, I'm building/assembling my first Hawken rifle and need some advice on a stock finish. I want to finish the stock with either Tung or BLS oil for a relatively "correct" finish... for me. Now, the problem I'm having is that I also want a finish that will require VERY little maintenance as I plan on passing it down to one of my grands when I croak over and there's no telling how long it will sit in the safe or if they'll have any understanding of the care required to keep the 'ol girl looking young once they take possession or if they even look at it again once they have it. I don't want to create an abomination to the ML world but I also want it to survive well after I'm gone.
So, what's an acceptable finish I can use without getting that sneering, side-eye look to achieve this?
I'd appreciate any ideas or advice, thanks.

out of the can......
Tung oil is less trouble and more forgiving.

BLO....can be used but you have to be careful to let the thin coats dry.... this can take a awhile. Applied too thick, it will never dry and be gummy. BLO really needs a drier.

True oil, tried an true are BLO base products with driers. Tried and True has a bees wax component......

With any oil finish try not to apply it too thick, even with tung oil.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Original Hawken finish was varnished. Held up well.

 

[John Stark]

Tried and True has a bees wax component......

That sounds like a good option, how maintenance, or more like the lack of... friendly is it?

Original Hawken finish was varnished. Held up well.

Would that be spar varnish or regular?

 

[reddogge]

That sounds like a good option, how maintenance, or more like the lack of... friendly is it?


Would that be spar varnish or regular?

I would imagine they made their own varnish. Ironically, this was recently posted here about making traditional varnishes.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/traditional-varnish-info.2519/

 

[Phil Coffins]

Traditional varnish was made by the gunsmith, todays builder will do well to use commercially made varnish. Hawken brothers used a dark colored varnish on mountain rifles.
As to “So, what's an acceptable finish I can use without getting that sneering, side-eye look to achieve this?” Most of them only know how to pose like an expert to cover their lack of knowledge. When they say use BLO proves how little he knows.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

It takes a couple of weeks to get a good finish with boiled linseed oil. I see a lot of people complaining about it being gummy but I have never had that problem. I start with a mixture of 1 part BLO, 1 part turpentine and a teaspoon of vinegar. I apply it and hand rub it in let it sit for about an hour then wipe the excess off with a cloth then sit for a day. The next day I go over the stock with 0000 steal wool then go through another coat, do that for 4 or 5 coats. then switch to 2 parts BLO, 1 part Turpentine and a teaspoon of Vinegar. Go through same routine with light coats for probably 5 or 6 coats. then do a couple coats letting it sit for 2 days between coats. do that a couple times then you have a nice satin finish. If it starts to look dull just go over it with the steel wool and apply another coat. Downside of Linseed oil it does not waterproof the stock.

 

[John Stark]

proves how little he knows.

I feel attacked...
Seriously though, thank you. I'll probably go the commercial varnish route. I'm not a wood finisher by any stretch of the imagination so I'll go the easier route to give me a better chance at success. I just don't want to screwup my first build, I have no delusion of perfection but I don't want something that looks like scrap pallet wood with a barrel on it either.