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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,819 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,819 Likes: 6 |
Yep, try to "improve" the existing finish first because if you strip it you'll have no choice but to follow wood finishing protocols you say you don't know how nor want to do.
Pappy- I wouldn't apply a brass brush to checkering, no matter how fine and soft it is. You can't help but soften sharp diamonds to one degree or another. Matte varnish is a lot less UV light resistant than gloss- fact. If a subdued finish is wanted, use gloss varnish and rub out the final coat to the desired effect, then wax it.
Always wax the final coat of any finish you use. Birchwood Casey's liquid stock wax is woeful stuff compared to about any good paste wax. (BC products are average at best, but universally used because their stuff is omniscient in every gun shop in the land. Marketing, baby, marketing.) If you want the best damned wax for your prized possessions use Renaissance Wax, proven in use by the conservators in the great museums of the world. Expensive? Yes, but that little $20 65ml can of the stuff will probably do 50 guns. And it's easy-peasy to apply. I swear if you try it you won't use anything else again. I guess I’m just lucky; did everything wrong and still had a good outcome. I’ll get some of that Renaissance Wax for my Browning. Sweat takes a toll on it shooting clays in the Summer. EDIT: The 200ml was $25.69 w/free shipping and also just free with my points. Thanks.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101 |
Have yet to see a steel wool rusted stock. Anybody got pictures ? Sorry, can't help you. My experiences were long ago, back before cameras were in everybody's hip pocket, and I'll not purposely expend the time and energy to re-create it today.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz
"Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,819 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,819 Likes: 6 |
Woke up this morning to find my Renaissance Wax sitting on the porch, delivered in the early morning gloom judging from the pic the driver took. That’s fast!
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101 |
Don't eat it all in one sitting!
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz
"Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,153 Likes: 13
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,153 Likes: 13 |
Have yet to see a steel wool rusted stock. Anybody got pictures ? Here's one that DIDN'T rust. It's a custom 6.5x55 on a commercial FN Mauser action, barreled with a 1-8 Lilja by Charlie Sisk, who also blue-black Cerakoted the barreled action. The stock was made from a pre-turned piece of pre-turned "California English" walnut. I did the final inletting, shaping, finishing and checkering. The finish is commercial spar varnish, these days generally a mixture of urethane and "natural" oil, usually tung. It's very water-resistant, which is why I didn't worry about the stock lying in the snow. The deer was taken in 2011, and wasn't the first or last time the stock got wet. I suspect a stock finished in only oil, whether tung or linseed, might acquire some steel wool fragments, since such finishes tend to be softer--and far less water-resistant. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/246614.jpg)
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101 |
Today's hardware store grades of spar varnish are actually spar urethanes like John said. It's good stuff, I use it too, but it's more inelastic than higher grades of spar varnish. Stuff like Epifanes is more elastic and have a much higher solids content and brewed to move with wood expansion/contraction (hence why the marine industry gravitates toward it) and is formulated with natural resins. Spar = mast, and a wooden mast flexes like a fishing rod, hence the term spar varnish. Urethanes (synthetic resins) are typically harder and more unyielding. The relatively softer Epifanes may well also pick up steel microfibers more readily than say Minwax Helmsman spar urethane and could well be why I encountered the phenomenon. I use Epi's when I can but it's damned expensive so it's reserved for the most significant projects. Bamboo rods and gunstocks are two.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz
"Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1 |
Ixnay on 0000 steel wool. Oh, it works nicely but microscopic pieces of the steel wool will embed themselves in the finish and announce their presence later as little brown rust freckles if the stock gets wet. Rub out with rottenstone, it isn't rocket science and there's tutorials out there for doing it. Quick and dirty approach also is to use a 3M Scotchbrite pad, but be careful to use the most ultra-fine grade they make (light gray) which can sometimes be difficult to find. I have heard that before, now and then--and haven't found it to be true. In fact have tested it by pouring water over steel-wool smoothed finishes. Suspect it might happen depending on the finish, and if the steel wool is pressed really hard on them. But so far haven't had it happen.... I lightly polish with the 4-0, don’t grind it hard into the finish. I’ve not experienced those rust spots. Once a satin finish has been achieved, polishing it with progressive finer grades of polish, the level of resulting sheen depends on desired look. And it will be a much nicer, hand rubbed look. DF
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,380 Likes: 1 |
To all who have replied, and others - this is a real learning experience for me. Please keep information coming, it is apparent that there are a great many ways to improve the mud finish.
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1 |
To all who have replied, and others - this is a real learning experience for me. Please keep information coming, it is apparent that there are a great many ways to improve the mud finish.
drover More than one way to skin a cat. My wife doesn’t like that statement. I’ve offered to take her ole cat hunting on more than one occasion. She won’t hear of it. What if that cat can tree a squirrel? No deal. She doesn’t trust me with that cat in the woods with a rifle. Back to the subject at hand. My take, do the easiest options first, you can always circle back and start over. Don’t strip it down to bare wood if the finish is intact. Lots of info on that subject. I’d exhaust those options first. DF
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Joined: Aug 2010
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,106 Likes: 10 |
No one here uses pro custom oil, instead of tru oil? I made the switch and really like it. It was suggested by my gunsmith. It works about the same way, but I found that it dries a little quicker. Maybe because it's slightly thinner than tru oil. I still use tru oil on some jobs, but thin it down a bit. Especially on the last couple coats. Good luck to the op! Hopefully it turns out to your liking. Also, as an aside, I handled a 457 yesterday, while at the fun shop buying a Sako. That 457 had a very nice looking stock on it. Much like the ones I've already seen. This one was a varmint model though, or I may have bought it...
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,380 Likes: 1 |
To all who have replied, and others - this is a real learning experience for me. Please keep information coming, it is apparent that there are a great many ways to improve the mud finish.
drover Back to the subject at hand. My take, do the easiest options first, you can always circle back and start over. Don’t strip it down to bare wood if the finish is intact. Lots of info on that subject. I’d exhaust those options first. DF This will be my most likely approach. I don't enjoy wood working/refinshing and am reluctant to tackle it except as a last resort. But if I have too there have been some really good suggestions made, which I really appreciate. drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1 |
To all who have replied, and others - this is a real learning experience for me. Please keep information coming, it is apparent that there are a great many ways to improve the mud finish.
drover Back to the subject at hand. My take, do the easiest options first, you can always circle back and start over. Don’t strip it down to bare wood if the finish is intact. Lots of info on that subject. I’d exhaust those options first. DF This will be my most likely approach. I don't enjoy wood working/refinshing and am reluctant to tackle it except as a last resort. But if I have too there have been some really good suggestions made, which I really appreciate. drover This Pre-64 FWT was sorta refinished without going to raw wood. I lightly sanded it, used Custom Pro Oil which is a Tung Oil/Urethane product sold by Brownell's. I had to recut the checkering, which is a slow process but can look good if you take your time. Get a 90* tool, preferably carbide. DF ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/hBGYI5Jl.jpg) ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/vuZuIFGl.jpg) ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/b4r0DwX.jpg)
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,153 Likes: 13
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,153 Likes: 13 |
For those who might be curious, here's a close-up of the 6.5x55 shown lying in the snow next to a dead buck--which also doesn't show any rust in the finish, at least that I can see: ![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/246702.jpg)
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1 |
For those who might be curious, here's a close-up of the 6.5x55 shown lying in the snow next to a dead buck--which also doesn't show any rust in the finish, at least that I can see: Those finishes worked. No worse for the wear. Nice rifle. DF
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,380 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,380 Likes: 1 |
To all who have replied, and others - this is a real learning experience for me. Please keep information coming, it is apparent that there are a great many ways to improve the mud finish.
drover Back to the subject at hand. My take, do the easiest options first, you can always circle back and start over. Don’t strip it down to bare wood if the finish is intact. Lots of info on that subject. I’d exhaust those options first. DF This will be my most likely approach. I don't enjoy wood working/refinshing and am reluctant to tackle it except as a last resort. But if I have too there have been some really good suggestions made, which I really appreciate. drover This Pre-64 FWT was sorta refinished without going to raw wood. I lightly sanded it, used Custom Pro Oil which is a Tung Oil/Urethane product sold by Brownell's. I had to recut the checkering, which is a slow process but can look good if you take your time. Get a 90* tool, preferably carbide. DF That is really nice - you did a great job drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,145 Likes: 1 |
To all who have replied, and others - this is a real learning experience for me. Please keep information coming, it is apparent that there are a great many ways to improve the mud finish.
drover Back to the subject at hand. My take, do the easiest options first, you can always circle back and start over. Don’t strip it down to bare wood if the finish is intact. Lots of info on that subject. I’d exhaust those options first. DF This will be my most likely approach. I don't enjoy wood working/refinshing and am reluctant to tackle it except as a last resort. But if I have too there have been some really good suggestions made, which I really appreciate. drover This Pre-64 FWT was sorta refinished without going to raw wood. I lightly sanded it, used Custom Pro Oil which is a Tung Oil/Urethane product sold by Brownell's. I had to recut the checkering, which is a slow process but can look good if you take your time. Get a 90* tool, preferably carbide. DF That is really nice - you did a great job drover Thanks. Shot out .243, now a .358 Win thanks to JES in Oregon. Shoots MOA. DF
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,380 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,380 Likes: 1 |
With a bit of luck with the post office being on time I should have my 457 American on Friday. It's going to be a little cool here (28) but I have a shooting bench on my deck so I can step out and take some shots to at least see if it has promise. If it shoots as well as I hope then I will decide what to do about the stock finish.
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,645
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,645 |
Good judgment comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement! 🥴
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