Ok, while some of these responses will produce very good results, why not go for the current state of the art in finishes? If you read Westbrook's "Professional Stockmaking", you will find that 3 of his 5 pro stockmaker references use Permalyn for a lot of very good reasons. If you use sealer with the finish, the result is a thick, extremely clear finish which requires #0000 steel wool to dull. If you use ONLY the sealer, then a very clear, but non-glossy finish can be had "in-the-wood". Buff to the the desired sheen. The big advantage I have seen in the two pieces that I have used this stuff on is that it dries CLEAR, and does not hide all that beautiful walnut. Even stocks and scraps that I though were extremely plain have revealed good grain and figure. This stuff just doesn't turn dark like the older oils, and you can get as thick or thin a finish as desired by adjusting the application.
Finishing and hammering scraps seems to show good durability compared to any of the old oils.
So far as wax goes, anyone who has tried and used B-C Microcrystalline Gunstock Wax won't agree that it is junk. Warm the stock with a hair dryer first, and hand buff to remove excess.The water protection from a quick shower is excellent. Haven't used it on metal. I prefer car wax, applied on warmed metal, and it seems ok for the Gulf Coast humidity.
