I like the BLO finish I ended up with but I appreciate the advice. I stripped that section again tonight and used acetone as I sanded to wipe the particles off. I got a lot of black dust which I'm guessing was the plastic off the but pad. I put the first coat of BLO back on and started to feather it back in. We'll see, It took about ten coats to get the desired finish so I'll see how it turns out. Its just a ruger so I'm not concerned about it being a show piece. I'll practice on it and see how it turns out before the winchester. I'll keep everyone posted.
I'll check it with a straight edge, I sanded it with a block when I did the work
Out of curiosity, why the hate for BLO as a finish? Seems to be used by lots of people. I like it a lot better than TruOil (garbage).
TruOil is an outstanding finish and far, far better than BLO could ever be. Apply heavy, wait 10-15 minutes, then wipe dry, repeat. Allow to cure thoroughly after the last coat and buff the finish to the desired gloss... simple and effective.
BLO is junk oil, the worst grade used in finishes. It was used by the military because it was cheap. And then they were using a higher grade oil stock to start and it did not have curing inhibitors in it like today's BLO. It will never cure properly.
There is ZERO difference between tung oil and linseed in service. That would be no difference in waterproofing or application, period. They are used interchangeably in the industry to make finishes. Many tung oil finishes have no tung oil in them... and that is not an issue except for those allergic to tung and then it is a good thing.
Suggesting mineral oil and wax is almost criminally ridiculous.
