Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Wood worker advice needed

So I recently refinished a couple of wood stocks, Ruger mkII and win fwt. I put pachmyer pads on both, sanded everything down to match, sanded the stocks out to 400 and refinished with light coats of BLO. So ten coats later both stocks are showing the same issue.

Where I sanded the recoil pad and spacer to match the stock, the wood isn't absorbing the BLO. I'm thinking that the plastic dust off the spacer plugged the pores of the wood and it's not allowing the finish to match. The rest of the wood has really taken the BLO well and looks really nice. I'll see if I can post some pics.

So I'm looking for wmr advice on my options. I was wondering how to clean the pores of the wood. I'm going to take off the pads and sand back to bare wood first. Then I was thinking of steaming the wood a little and lightly sanding. I really don't know what to do or if my thinking of the problem is accurate.

Thoughts or advice?

I hope a real gunsmith answers as my solution was only partially successful. This happened on a Myrtle stock so even more noticeable, this was with the ebony tip. I wiped it down
with acetone then whiskered it several times. Seemed to help. This was before any finish so I doubt it will work unless you go back to bare wood.

I suspect that there is not only some plastic clogging but also possible cross grain sanding or using a different grit or degree of sanding. Any of these will show more with a plain oil finish.

I think your on the right track to sand down by hand to a more uniform finish. Another option might be to use wash coats of varnish as a sealer and then sand back to bare wood. This will make absorption more uniform.

I don't have any suggestons regarding getting the rubber pad material out of the pores, you have identified the source of your problem correctly. You are probably on the right track in removing the pad and sanding the butt down to bare wood then adjusting the fit of the pad prior to refinishing. I have always covered the stock with blue painter's masking tape, two layers when doing rough shaping on the belt sander. I remove both layers of tape after rough shaping and apply a single layer of tape when finish shaping by hand. Most customers accept the pad this way, just slightly proud of the wood. For a closer fit you can use clear packing tape which is thinner but requires very careful work with the sanding block. I always sand around the pad and not crosswise and up onto the stock. When removing the clear tape from a finished stock you need to peel it off with the grain rather than across the grain to minimize removing any finish.

I didn't actually cross grain sand it. Took it down on the belt sander and got it real close before matching it up to the stock completely which I did "with the grain." I also thought it might be from sanding too fine but I took it to 400 on the whole stock. The plastic dust was pretty bad when I was sanding and I remember it getting on the wood in a good amount. I was worried about it discoloring the wood.

Thanks for the help!

The problem wasn't visible with just the bare wood.

Your biggest issue is using BLO on a decent stock...

The finish is not matching because your finish does not match... I realize that sounds like Captain Obvious, but it will not work with what you have.

You can rub it with Formby's Furniture Refinisher which will start to blend the finishes and let that dry hard before continuing.

You will be way ahead to get as much BLO out as possible before the Formby's.

After the Formby's cures you should go over the junction between old and new finish areas with a thin dark oil finish like Watco walnut, but any decent brand will work, just make sure it is dark.

Work up to the line from the butt forward. Plan on taking your time with thin coats applied lightly and then wiped dry after about 15 minutes. It will take several coats before you start to see a difference.

A little Formby's can be used to blend the joint as you go. It sounds like a lot of work, but it should be just a few minutes for each coat with lots of curing time between coats.

Topcoat with oil on the whole stock after you are happy with the blending.

I don't think it is plastic or rubber. Your new finish simply doesn't match the original. As Sitka said with his good instruction. You "Might" get it to match. Likely you are looking at a dull refinish.

the original finish had soaked up into the end grain . hard to get it out. i've had the same problem on some stocks.

I may have confused folks, I refinished the entire sock. Stripped and sanded completely from 100 out to 400. So the entire stock started at bare wood. I'm not trying to match that small spot to original finish. I re did the entire stock from bare wood using BLO.

Also the same thing has happened on both stocks, the blonde stock is a win fwt so it had the standard Winchester red finish which I sanded out to the white wood. I felt I got past any original stain.

It's hard to tell but it's like the BLO simply didn't penetrated the grain.

BLO is still the problem... get it out as best you can. It is garbage and totally unsuited for any decent finish, period.

Use acetone to get the wood clean... that will cure the issue with uneven stripping. I suspect a straightedge placed on the stock sides will show a hollow where you sanded too deeply.

Quality 100 grit takes wood off very fast!

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).

While BLO might give the finish appearance you like. It really is not much of a water proof finish.

Ah, copy. Any suggestions?

http://customgunandrifle.com/gunsmithing-tips/stock-finishing

Per another site I'm trying one with Minwax Antique oil.

For years I used a mixture of tung oil spar varnish and mineral spirits.

BLO is linseed with additives. Like Truoil it is water resistant not really water proof.

I happen prefer the Tung oil based. Procustom etc

Next one will be done like Duane uses above.

Steve Bertram also uses the above finish as well.

http://www.bertramandco.com/
The root aids color you can reduce

BLO for all practical purposes is just a looker. I see it like this. It's like spraying your house down with hose water and expecting the nice shiny wet look to protect it from the elements. Wood will always behave like it is a living thing when it comes to moisture unless it is sealed. That is, wood will continue to draw in moisture along the grain and to some degree expand, contract and change shape. No biggy in the butt but maybe not so in other areas like the barrel channel.

The only thing I can think of to address your problem is that for some reason the finish is soaking into the wood at different rates. You may think it was all stripped down but it's my hunch that what you removed around the pad was more than what you removed during stripping and sanding. And because you are experiencing it with both stocks it seems to suggest that whatever technique you used was consistent with both. This is not a negative criticism on your work but only a speculation on what might be causing the problem.

BLO is a drug in a Cheech and Chong movie.

With enough searching in Google, it is also boiled linseed oil.

In 1965 I was 14 and doing inventory at the end of the year 8th grade shop class. I was pulling gallon cans out of a cabinet and one had no lid. I spilled linseed oil. I recognized the smell from my father finishing gun stocks.
I carried that smell the rest of that day.

Now when someone shows me a rifle he built, I make sure there is no linseed oil outgassing before I get it near my cheek.

I finish rifles like a salad bowl. Mineral oil followed with beeswax. The game can't smell my rifle. And it is so non toxic, you can eat off it.

Just wow!!!

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.