Capt. Jas.
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Problem is off the shelf "boiled" linseed oil is NOT boiled. Good linseed can be turned into a quality linseed varnish and that's what the old guns were done with.
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wood finish for flinter
- Thread starter canepole
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Not replying to anyone inparticular.
I'm surprised I never see Lin-speed oil mention as a finish.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=8004/Product/GUNSTOCK_OIL
I'm surprised I never see Lin-speed oil mention as a finish.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=8004/Product/GUNSTOCK_OIL
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odd fellow said:
method 1: How-to make you're own from scratch per Eric Kettenburg http://www.muzzleblasts.com/archives/vol5no2/articles/mbo52-1.shtml
method 2: Get some Tried and True Oil Varnish - this is a commercially prepared real boiled linseed oil with rosins added - it's a bit soft and without the lead dryer takes a bit longer to dry between coats so:
1) you can use as is
2) add a bit of Japan Dryer
3) or to keep it close to the original: add a bit more rosin and a lead dryer. Lead Dryer's can be purchased at some art shops online or you can make your own - put some lead in a sealed container with some vinegar - be sure as much of the lead is out of the liquid as possible. Let set for a week or so, the white coating on the lead (sugar of lead aka lead acetate) can be scraped off and added to the heated oil and rosin mix or just throw the lead in as is with the coating.
Any linseed oil based finish needs sunlight (UV) and plenty of air movement to dry ( I put mine out in the sun and wind or during the winter use a UV lamp or two and a fan. Apply each coat sparingly and then allow to dry before adding the next - 4-5 coats is usually good. You can also apply real shellac as a sealer first and then the linseed oil varnish over that - the combo make a very weather resistant finish that is easy to maintain or be re-applied where need.
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It is a additive that accelerates the drying of the finish you put it in. If you have some Tru-Oil or Tung Oil you are having issues of it drying, such as in high humidity days. You take about a teaspoon of the Tung Oil & put it in a jar lid, take a eye dropper (or dip a small cocktail straw with your finger over the end of it) and you put about 4 drops of the Japan Dryer in the finish & it will make the finish dry Much faster in high humidity.
Keith Lisle
Caution: Japan Dryer is highly flammable & poisonous.
Keith Lisle
Caution: Japan Dryer is highly flammable & poisonous.
paulvallandigham
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There are "Linseed oil", and Boiled Linseed oil. Plain "Linseed Oil" needs to have a dryer added to it to help it dry quickly. Otherwise, it stays tacky for as long as 6 month-1 year! I am told that if you put the stock finished in a coat of "Linseed oil", in the sun, so that its hit directly by UV light, that it will dry.
I would prefer to add the japan dryer compound, Thank you.
I hear different comments about BLO- some say it has dryers, and others say it doesn't. that it doesn't need them since boiling the linseed oil makes it dry faster. Someone else will comment here, I am sure. I simply have stayed away from ALL linseed oil since I tried to use it on a shop project when I was only 13 years old.
Neither linseed oil is WATER PROOF, so you have to decide Why you want to put it on a stock, IMHO. And since its not waterproof, its hard to describe it as a " Sealer", NO? UV light will darken the finish, turning almost opaque over time. If you want a dark stock, that might be a reason to use it. :idunno:
I would prefer to add the japan dryer compound, Thank you.
I hear different comments about BLO- some say it has dryers, and others say it doesn't. that it doesn't need them since boiling the linseed oil makes it dry faster. Someone else will comment here, I am sure. I simply have stayed away from ALL linseed oil since I tried to use it on a shop project when I was only 13 years old.
Neither linseed oil is WATER PROOF, so you have to decide Why you want to put it on a stock, IMHO. And since its not waterproof, its hard to describe it as a " Sealer", NO? UV light will darken the finish, turning almost opaque over time. If you want a dark stock, that might be a reason to use it. :idunno:
mtmshieldshotmail.com
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When I built (assembled) my T/C Renegade from a kit 25 years ago, I followed the instructions in one of Fadala's books (sorry, i'm deployed overseas and the book's on a shelf at home, so I can't cite by title and chapter). I used hardware store BLO, applied by hand once a day for a week; once a week for a month; then once a month for a year. That stock looked great after the first week of applications, and looks even better now. I've used it in wet conditions with no ill effects, but I won't argue the "not waterproof" part. Fadala stated in the book that he studied it's water resistance, including running BLO treated wood through the dishwasher with OK results.
BLO will dry. I think my stock was dry to the touch, and usable, after about a week (but, again, that was 25 yrs ago).
Regards,
Mike
BLO will dry. I think my stock was dry to the touch, and usable, after about a week (but, again, that was 25 yrs ago).
Regards,
Mike
paulvallandigham
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Tung oil dries faster, but it still doesn't "waterproof" wood. My father used it to restore old furniture. My oak, Clawfoot table in my dining room is finished in tung oil. Its gets regular coats of furniture wax on it.
IMO, with walnut, you takes what you gets when it comes to deep blacks, reds and browns.
There's not much that can be done to improve it unless it has some sap-wood or other light areas.
Walnut that has these blemishes can be stained with an alcohol or water based Walnut stain but every effort should be made to keep the stain confined to the light colored areas.
As for adding reds, it can be done using a diluted mahogany stain but be sure it is cut at least 50/50 with denatured alcohol and apply it lightly. This will darken the overall color of the wood while adding a red tinge to it.
By the way, ALL walnut looks very light colored when the wood is freshly sanded.
The only quick way to see what a walnut stock will look like when it is finished is to take it outside into the sunlight and then apply water to it.
The water will suddenly darken the color to the same color that it will be after the finishing oils are applied to it.
Do not apply stains until you have first done this water test to see what your working with.
Also, as I mentioned in my posts about lye water, do not use lye water on walnut. It will turn the wood almost black.
There's not much that can be done to improve it unless it has some sap-wood or other light areas.
Walnut that has these blemishes can be stained with an alcohol or water based Walnut stain but every effort should be made to keep the stain confined to the light colored areas.
As for adding reds, it can be done using a diluted mahogany stain but be sure it is cut at least 50/50 with denatured alcohol and apply it lightly. This will darken the overall color of the wood while adding a red tinge to it.
By the way, ALL walnut looks very light colored when the wood is freshly sanded.
The only quick way to see what a walnut stock will look like when it is finished is to take it outside into the sunlight and then apply water to it.
The water will suddenly darken the color to the same color that it will be after the finishing oils are applied to it.
Do not apply stains until you have first done this water test to see what your working with.
Also, as I mentioned in my posts about lye water, do not use lye water on walnut. It will turn the wood almost black.
hoochiepapa
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Ray
In the dim past I used danish oil (Watco) on walnut and maple stocks. Maple worked out the best, because of the tight grain. It was a bird's eye maple and came out stunning. But follow the directions on the can.
Mike
In the dim past I used danish oil (Watco) on walnut and maple stocks. Maple worked out the best, because of the tight grain. It was a bird's eye maple and came out stunning. But follow the directions on the can.
Mike
Capt. Fred
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Hmm, that high humidity might be an issue. I've never used Linseed Oil so I don't know for sure but it may get tacky on you on those days when it is that humid.
I just read through the thread and I didn't notice if anyone had mentioned the finish that Jum Chambers sells. It is what I use for my top coats and I love it. It does add a little bit of red to the gun due to its color but it couldn't be any easier to apply and it leaves just the sheen that I'm looking for.
I use Formbeys tung oil (which is not tung oil BTW) for my sealer because it penetrates so dang well and it tends to make the grain pop a little better. Then I put on a coat or two of Tru-oil because it is just so dang tough and waterproof. Then I use the Chambers for my top coats. I steel wool after the tru-oil coats and then in between the Chambers coats. When I steel wool I try to take off most of the finish so I'm just leaving what has soaked into the wood. I leave my last coat or two on as actual "coats" depending on the sheen I achieve.
I just read through the thread and I didn't notice if anyone had mentioned the finish that Jum Chambers sells. It is what I use for my top coats and I love it. It does add a little bit of red to the gun due to its color but it couldn't be any easier to apply and it leaves just the sheen that I'm looking for.
I use Formbeys tung oil (which is not tung oil BTW) for my sealer because it penetrates so dang well and it tends to make the grain pop a little better. Then I put on a coat or two of Tru-oil because it is just so dang tough and waterproof. Then I use the Chambers for my top coats. I steel wool after the tru-oil coats and then in between the Chambers coats. When I steel wool I try to take off most of the finish so I'm just leaving what has soaked into the wood. I leave my last coat or two on as actual "coats" depending on the sheen I achieve.
paulvallandigham
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The grain in a wood stock has both wide, summer growth "rings", and narrow, " Winter growth rings".
I get that effect, by putting a red stain on the stock that soaks into the wide grain. Then I sand off the stain from the harder, winter growth wood, around it. Now, with those Open pores still holding the "cherry Stain", I use a walnut stain( or some other for different woods, or different colors) on the stock. That also fills the larger pores of the summer growth, going on top of the red stain, and mixing with it a bit. If the red stain has been allowed to dry sufficiently, you will still see red in the grain after applying the walnut stain.
That two stain effect seems to make the grain POP when an oil finish is applied to the wood. I think that is what you are asking about. :thumbsup:
ALWAYS try new stains, and process out on similar scraps of wood. At the least, test these things out in the barrel MORTISE, where whatever color you get will be hidden by the barrel from view. Or use the end grain under your butt plate, for testing colors, and finishes. You should be sealing all exposed wood in a gun stock, one way or another. That includes: under inlays, mortises for the barrel, lock, trigger guard, patch box, the tang, and under the muzzle cap, the entry pipe, the ramrod hole in the stock, and under the butt plate, side plate, and toe plate.
I hope that helps. I am sure there are other ways to enhance grain colors, but this has worked for me on a number of stocks over many years. The last stock I tried this out on was a plain grain birch stock on a modern rifle. Its factory finish included brown PAINT, that I removed with acetone. I used cherry stain as described above, and followed with one coat of walnut stain( alcohol based). Then I finished the stock with hand rubbed coats of B/C Truoil.
The owner didn't recognize his gun when I returned it to him.I had to show him the serial number, and our note describing the serial number he gave to me with the gun, before I could convince him it was the same gun. That was fun to do. And his joy at getting an old, beat-up and neglected .22 rifle back looking better than new made it all worthwhile for me.
I get that effect, by putting a red stain on the stock that soaks into the wide grain. Then I sand off the stain from the harder, winter growth wood, around it. Now, with those Open pores still holding the "cherry Stain", I use a walnut stain( or some other for different woods, or different colors) on the stock. That also fills the larger pores of the summer growth, going on top of the red stain, and mixing with it a bit. If the red stain has been allowed to dry sufficiently, you will still see red in the grain after applying the walnut stain.
That two stain effect seems to make the grain POP when an oil finish is applied to the wood. I think that is what you are asking about. :thumbsup:
ALWAYS try new stains, and process out on similar scraps of wood. At the least, test these things out in the barrel MORTISE, where whatever color you get will be hidden by the barrel from view. Or use the end grain under your butt plate, for testing colors, and finishes. You should be sealing all exposed wood in a gun stock, one way or another. That includes: under inlays, mortises for the barrel, lock, trigger guard, patch box, the tang, and under the muzzle cap, the entry pipe, the ramrod hole in the stock, and under the butt plate, side plate, and toe plate.
I hope that helps. I am sure there are other ways to enhance grain colors, but this has worked for me on a number of stocks over many years. The last stock I tried this out on was a plain grain birch stock on a modern rifle. Its factory finish included brown PAINT, that I removed with acetone. I used cherry stain as described above, and followed with one coat of walnut stain( alcohol based). Then I finished the stock with hand rubbed coats of B/C Truoil.
The owner didn't recognize his gun when I returned it to him.I had to show him the serial number, and our note describing the serial number he gave to me with the gun, before I could convince him it was the same gun. That was fun to do. And his joy at getting an old, beat-up and neglected .22 rifle back looking better than new made it all worthwhile for me.
