Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Renew oil finished rifles, What to use?

I have a few older rifles and shotguns with gorgeous, oil finished, walnut stocks. I would like to bring the oil finish "back to life". I will take as much time as necessary. Are there products avaliable to do this? Do I simply get good oil and start rubbing? Any advice will ge greatly appreciated. Thanks, Gregory

There's a lot of good products out there, I use "Sea Fin" by Daly's in Seattle. I has Linseed oil, Tung oil, castor oil, verethane: of course, thinners. If you just want to freshen it up, smear a little around. let it set for a few minutes, then polish off across grain with paper towel..use an old toothbrush in the checkering to avoid a build up. This can be repeated and should be done about once a year after hunting season...gets prettier every year.

Sea Fin is a finish for wooden boat railings, decks, etc.

Hello Duane welcome to the campfire

I just found out about a product called "Howards Feed & Wax". You can get it on ebay for about 11-12.00 shipped or I guess some Home Depots carry it.

Few stocks I've used it on I've been very impressed. Lemmon oil and bees wax are the main ingrediants.

Duane, welcome. It is an honor to have a man of your talent visit us here from time to time.

If you don't mind, please let us know which of the Daly products you are actually using. Thanks.
http://www.dalyspaint.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

Howard's Feed and Wax, like just about all of their products, is great. However it is a wax with some citrus cleaning oil in it and will not be as good long term as a yearly coat of oil finish. You may also want to remove the wax with a buildup remover, and let the stock dry for a few days before applying the oil finish.

I have used CCL Gunstock Conditioning Oil and Pilkington's Linseed stock rubbing oil with good results, but they are ridiculously expensvie when compared to other products available.

The quickest and best finish for you is probably Brownells GunsaveR, in simi gloss. It is very easy to use, very durable, and quick to apply to the desired finish...

It is all I use on my Custom guns anymore, and the more I use it the better I like it..

I am sure that I have tried every known finish out there, and the bottom line is that it usually boils down to the individuals ability to apply it..but some individuals can apply one brand better than another, thus you get many different suggestions...but anyone can apply the new GunSaverR finish, just follow the directions.

Pro Custom is great stuff and easy to use. Midway has it on sale right now as well. I have never used it to touch up or renew oil finished stocks, does it work well for that purpose also? Thanks.

I use CCL too. By the way CCL stands for Clive C Lemon-I think its an Engkish product. Ridiculously expensive but since you use so little one tiny bottle will last you years. I just bought their stock wax and hear its very good but waiting on the oil to dry before I put the wax on.

Most of the custom gunsmiths here swear by the CCL.

regards
John

Polymerized Tung Oil from Lee Valley Tools or Sutherland Wells (same stuff)is good. It provides slightly more gloss than regular tung oil.

Stuart

Long Ranger: Thanks for the welcome. I like to keep things simple. With a new stock, I flood with "Ship n'Shore " sealer until the wood will take no more...let dry overnight, then do it again. Let it set a few days, then start with the "sand in method" to about 800 grit.

I did a seminar on stock finishes a few years ago with the help of Dr Geo Chandy. Wow...what an eye opener! Lot of the stuff sold contains really bad ingredients...i.e. toluene, xylene, etc.

The Daly.s product I've mentioned will not turn your liver into a door stop. The thinners COULD cause a little drying out of the skin...But most of us are not contending for a beauty contest anyway.

The main inredients are Linseed , Tung and Castor oil with appropriate thinners plus verathane.

Lots of good stuff out there, just read the labels carefully

Thanks Duane!

Info stored to my hard disk for future reference!

John

Duane
Would you do the same with a very open piece of claro?

After making dozens and dozens of sample boards with different finishes on the same wood I have yet to find anyone that does not gag on a sanded-in finish on open-pored wood.

Good tight wood is not what the average guy on a budget is using to build his first stock and the idea of killing the luster with mud leaves me cold.

ShipnShore is a sealer I am familiar with but have never tested for waterproofing. Have you got a feel for how good it is at truly sealing wood?
thanks
art

I too am a Daly's junkie. I use the Pro fin. Have had great luck with it.

It has worked so well for me that I have not had to try anything else.

On vary open grain wood, I have found what works best for me is regular old Accra glass. The Lady that does my checkering does not much care for it, she says they wear out cutters to fast. Oh well, no fallout either.

Thanks a million, I sincerely appreciate all the help and advice. I will report back to everyone after I've finished the first rifle. It is a custom 257 Roberts with "show stopper" checkering and gorgeous walnut. Gregory