Previously I had posted pictures of the blanks I bought from Chris Schofield. I've received two of the semi-inletted stocks and am taking one down to the gunsmith today to have the barreled action inletted.

The smith used a French Red stain on my Zastava stock so I was trying to decide if these stocks might need a little "help" as well. From the pictures I don't think they will. Sorry about the double posting as these are in the Gunsmithing forum so I just cut and pasted from there.



I went ahead and rubbed a light coat of Tru-Oil on the bigger areas to see what it would look like. I was a bit worried that this might mess up any other finish that will be applied but these stocks are both made well oversize so these areas will all be sanded down below the level one light coat would reach.

With the wet Tru-Oil the colors really popped out but I let it dry overnight to see how that would change things. These pics were just taken this morning before the sun hit my patio.

These stocks are both Idaho walnut, the first one came from my Idaho home town of Fruitland and the second one is from this area of SW Idaho as well. AFAIK they are both black walnut, juglans nigra.


Stock number one really has a nice basic color with those chocolate streaks all through it, and a lot of nice fiddleback.



The forend is even darker than the butt.



Different angle of the butt stock.




Stock number two. This one isn't as chocolatey dark but it has nice grain and fiddleback as well. I think it will take on a more warm reddish hue all by itself when finished.

The right side cheek piece.



Right side forend.



Left side.



Different angles on the left and right side.

[img]http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_02832.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_02846.JPG[/img]


I'm thinking neither of these stocks need any help in the color department. Just putting a nice hard shell finish on them will let the natural beauty of the wood shine through. It won't be a glossy shiny finish nor a flat matte one either, kind of a semi-gloss from the examples the gunsmith showed me.

There's a limit on number of pics on one post so here's the second half.


I spritzed the stocks with alcohol to show more of the grain the and layouts. I'm really pleased with both of these. They are a little glarey from the wet alcohol but hopefully these also show more of the basic color of each.

Stock number one again:


The grain flow through the pistol grip and forend.



Little closer view of the pg.




Stock number two. These show that more reddish hue a bit better but really show the grain flow. This one was born to be a gunstock, that grain flows from the pg to the forend as perfectly as a guy could want.

Jim,
I love your wood and it does have exceptional grain flow. I like a little alkanit root in mine. It will turn out to be an exceptional stock.

Nice!