I have had good results on about four rifles recently going over the finish with alkanet oil. This is a mix of turpentine, ground alkanet root, and linseed or tung oil. It has penetrated the finish on two Winchesters, an Iver Johnson and a Miroku stock. It enhances the grain and makes the wood look much better.
Use about 25% Oil food grade or art grade linseed or tung oil, these can be polymirized but for maximum penetration the raw form is better, and 75% Turpentine, and about four ounces of the alkanet. Let this stand for a week or more then rub on and wipe off after about 30 minutes. Wait 24hrs and repeat. After about the third coat you should start seeing some results. Usually 4-8 coats will get the result I want. Then wait 24 hrs. or more and wax with Oxblood or Cordobon shoe polish. Wait 48 hrs. or so then use Renaissance or other wax on it.
Just buffing a factory stock with oooo steel wool or bronze wool and then rubbing it with rotten stone will improve the looks quite a bit.
It is impossible to apply "polymerized" oils... "polymerizing" oils, yes.
Turpentine does nothing positive for oil finishes except cleaning up spills.
Didn't you leave out the incantations and voodoo chants?
