What finish on maple....

[garandman]

...to get it to look like walnut? Yeah, yeah, I know... :wink:

I'm looking to finish a maple stock with an appropriate shade (whatever that might be) and then coat with boiled linseed oil, all to replicate the typical USGI stocks of the mid-1800's forward.

Any suggestions? I'm using Minwax right now, simply because of its ready avaiability.

Any pics of your guns?

Thx.

 

[Bill Hall]

Vinegar/dissolved steel stain does a pretty good job of making maple look like walnut. Not a dark walnut mind you, but a nice warm glowing lighter color. I can remember two maple stocks I stained with vinegar that brought comments like, "Oh, what beautiful walnut!"

It takes at least a few days to start getting the "brew" going (the longer, the better), and you can't count on any certain shade, as it looks slightly different on different pieces of maple. But I will say it gives maple a walnutty look. If interested, ask for the recipe. Besides myself, lots of folks here can help you with that. Good luck. Bill

 

[Bill Hall]

P.S. I won't be the only one here to tell you to steer clear of the boiled linseed oil. Speaking from experience, it's not a very good stock finish, especially when there are so many better available finishes on the market. Bill

 

[garandman]

P.S. I won't be the only one here to tell you to steer clear of the boiled linseed oil. Speaking from experience, it's not a very good stock finish, especially when there are so many better available finishes on the market. Bill

Given this all comes down to personal preference, and I really like all my USGI stuff, I'm pretty sure I'll end up going with BLO over the appropriate color stain. What I don't want is some perfect satiny / sheen that looks plasticated. (This is for an old CVA kit - not a high dollar gun. I want an antiqued finish - not store bought finish)

At any rate, I'm testing all this on a scrap piece of maple, I should be able to see what it'll look like before staining the actual stock.

 

[Gobbletn]

Use what the original builders used... Aqua Fortis... Applied with a small rag and heated to make the chemical react... It takes on the color differently on each piece of maple... Reacts with the sugar content that is in the wood. It will be from a walnut brown to dark brown color. This maximizes the stripes in your wood making the best depth of color possible, without "staining" over the stripes covering the beauty of the wood as with commercial stains... Then finish as you desire to protect. Read up on it, it's not hard and period correct.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

If the stock your working with is an old CVA are you sure it`s maple? I have several old CVA guns and have done a few of their kits from back in the 80`s. All of their stocks that I have seen other than the early Mountain Rifles have beech (I think) stocks. Anyway not maple.
I`ve done a fair amount of stock finishing and refinishing on those CVA`s and old milsurp rifles with beech stocks and found that oil based stains like Minwax are not the best choice to use as the wood doesn`t take the stain evenly and tends to come out kind of "blotchy" looking. Water based stain works alot better in my experience. I use Birchwood Caseys walnut stain if I`m looking for a walnut colored stock. I also like the look of a BLO finished stock. It just takes a long time to do one right. You need a LOT of thin coats of oil rubbed in well and allowed to throughly dry between coats.

 

[ihuntsnook]

Just curious. I've used Linspeed on two stocks. First one I did was a birdseye maple longrifle more than 30 years ago, second was my side by side walnut stocked bird gun. Both have held up very well. I can't locate my little jar of the stuff at the moment, but isn't Linspeed boiled linseed oil? I'm about to do another stock and am open to using something else if it's easier to apply or works better.

 

[Dane]

Linspeed is a linseed varnish. Lot's of driers, and VERY glossy. Similar to Tru-oil.

Here we go.... stirring the pot.

BLO is NOT a finish. It never dries, (without additives). It is just an oil. It does not provide a vapor barrier in the wood.
That's why it's used with all the additives like Linspeed and Tru-oil.
Traditional finishes BLO, but the BLO of today is not the BLO of 200 years ago. This was boiled with driers, and polymerized by boiling. Changing it's characteristics into an oil varnish.
snook..... your Linspeed wouldn't be good any more anyway. If you like it, buy a new jar.
If you like easier to apply, buy a can of Chamber's oil finish. Just flood the surface, and wipe it off, 3 or 4 times, and you'll get a nice, low gloss finish. In the wood, not on the wood. Touches up just as easily. Very forgiving, nice finish.
Hope that helps.

 

[Mountainman56]

:stir: I like tung oil. One coat a day wet sanded progressively down to 400 grit, wipe off excess gently and set in the corner to dry.

 

[ebiggs1]

I won't be the only one here to tell you to steer clear of the boiled linseed oil. Speaking from experience, it's not a very good stock finish, especially when there are so many better available finishes on the market

This is good advise and true!

All of their stocks that I have seen other than the early Mountain Rifles have beech (I think) stocks. Anyway not maple.

Also true!

So this effectively ends the "what makes maple look like walnut" discussion. Minwax is fine but you should put a dye in whatever finish you decide on using. Minwax Tung Oil Finish is also good and can be dyed pretty dark it wanted. BTW, it isn't tung oil and can have it's “shine” dulled by 0000 steel woof.

 

[garandman]

Also true!

So this effectively ends the "what makes maple look like walnut" discussion. Minwax is fine but you should put a dye in whatever finish you decide on using. Minwax Tung Oil Finish is also good and can be dyed pretty dark it wanted. BTW, it isn't tung oil and can have it's “shine” dulled by 0000 steel woof.

ALl I've seen so far is the "for sale" pic, and its looks for all the world like maple.

We'll se when it comes in. Obviously, the wood grain cannot be changed, but the color can, whatever wood it is.

 

After staining and rubbing the stock out, I used tung oil. Several coats and rubbed well and I've got a nice durable satin finish.
Mark

 

[garandman]

I`ve done a fair amount of stock finishing and refinishing on those CVA`s and old milsurp rifles with beech stocks and found that oil based stains like Minwax are not the best choice to use as the wood doesn`t take the stain evenly and tends to come out kind of "blotchy" looking.

Legit concern, but that's why you use Minwax Wood Pre-Conditioner. My test piece took the stain very nicely.

Water based stain works alot better in my experience. I use Birchwood Caseys walnut stain if I`m looking for a walnut colored stock.

I'll look into the water based stuff, but was concerned about it raising the grain of a softer wood.

I also like the look of a BLO finished stock. It just takes a long time to do one right. You need a LOT of thin coats of oil rubbed in well and allowed to throughly dry between coats.

Will do. I got nuthin' but time. :wink:


BLO has worked well on military rifles for over 200 years. And I don't want a plasticky-looking coating on the gun.

 

[ihuntsnook]

Thanks. I guess I will do the next job with Linspeed. I always give it a good buff with 4/0 steel wool between coats, and then leave it shiney on that stock. On the walnut shotgun stock I prefer it dull, and take the shine off with steel wool. I don't know how many are on my longrifle, but it still looks good after 30 years plus. The shotgun gets another coat every year. Looks much better than the plastic stuff that came on it from the factory.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Use what the original builders used... Aqua Fortis... Applied with a small rag and heated to make the chemical react... It takes on the color differently on each piece of maple... Reacts with the sugar content that is in the wood. It will be from a walnut brown to dark brown color. This maximizes the stripes in your wood making the best depth of color possible, without "staining" over the stripes covering the beauty of the wood as with commercial stains... Then finish as you desire to protect. Read up on it, it's not hard and period correct.

Agree with the acid for coloring. But, I would dilute and add in steps to get the degree of darkening desired. Then neutralize.
BLO does have driers that is what distinguishes it from raw linseed oil. Linspeed and Tru-Oil are high quality versions, perhaps with other 'magic stuff' added. There are other high quality BLOs on the market.
But, like others here, I like pure Tung oil. Easy to use and apply. And it is very-very durable and moisture resistant. I reccomend applying inside all mortises for long term moisture protection.

 

[ebiggs1]

Obviously, the wood grain cannot be changed, but the color can, whatever wood it is.

You are correct, sir! :thumbsup:

 

[ebiggs1]

BLO has worked well on military rifles for over 200 years.

And that may be because they didn't have much else to choose from. Today you do!

And I don't want a plasticky-looking coating on the gun.

Than don't make it “ plasticky-looking”...................! :hmm:

 

[ohio ramrod]

I like a mixrure of 3 parts blo/one part turpentine. It is both origional to the time period and soaks into the wood better than a pure blo. What ever oil finish you use just rememder to put it on in thin coats and wait for them to penetrate and dry.I know some people who use tung oil and put it on to heavy and wonder why it turns gray. :idunno:

 

[Bill Hall]

I like Watco oil for a traditional looking, low sheen finish. Easy to apply, fairly fast drying, and very water resistant. You can put on as many coats as you like, but the more coats you add, the shinier it gets. And it will never look plasticky. Way better than boiled linseed.

 

[Elnathan]

BLO has worked well on military rifles for over 200 years.

Not modern linseed oil, it hasn't. I believe that back around '70s new regulations and concern about lead toxicity induced manufacturers to cut back on the amount of lead added to linseed oil, greatly changing its suitability as a finish. By that time the military was switching over to plastic stocks.

I second the recommendation for Jim Chamber's varnish.