Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing History of ebony tip gunstock?

Ok sorry I am a photo-slacker!

So as not to hijack the thread I'll post what is appropriate here, and PM you others.

Before:




After:




Note: he installed the end cap, recoil pad, a shadowline on the cheekpeice, and reshaped the grip PERFECTLY for my hand using a traced image.

Also, the finish is curing a few wks before being polished w/ 2F pumice.

what did you use for a finish??

I took a cue from Sitka Deer and combined teak oil & helmsman, slathered it on, left for a half hr and wiped w/ lint-free towell. 3 hrs between coats and when the mixture got low I replaced w/ only helmsman so the last several coats are only spar varnish w/ little to no oil. I put on about 25-30 coats.

Letting it cure for a few wks then will work it down w/ 600 grit, 2F, and 4F pumice, respectively.

Ps- its french walnut which accounts for the red hue. No stain.

Pretty!

But I reverse it, replacing with the easier to work oil as the mixture runs down...

Very nice. I would use rottenstone rather than pumice for the final rub down, unless you have access to much finer pumice than what I do.

Was that Helmsman spar urethane or spar varnish?

Any one use Ebonized Rosewood? I know I can get it dark enough with Potassium Permanganate and then black spirit stain. Just not sure about scratches and dings when in use.

Plus 2 on rottenstone only for that great looking stock.
Pumice or pads only if it has that orange peel look. Even then I would try an 800-1200 3m pad or the rottenstone first. Easy to go from finer back to coarse if needed. The other way you may end up having to refinish a couple more coats of oil.

If ebonizing is your plan, use maple or good birch. It will look every bit as good as rosewood and there is no point in using a wood as expensive as ebony.

For years I have been picking up ebony carvings at garage sales for next to nothing. They are not common, but people that have them are usually happy to sell them! I have gotten huge quantities of ebony for next to nothing.

Rosewoods do fine just as they are especially on lighter colored stocks. I have used Brazilian rosewood, Padauk, goncalo alves (an unusual, nearly black piece), bubinga, black palm, walnut (on myrtle and maple stocks), and lots of ebony. None has ever split, walked, or moved in any way. There is no reason for one to if done even remotely properly, especially in making sure the tip is DRY!

I have a bunch of ebony and Brazilian Rosewood too. Used to have a bunch of Padauk.

Ever used Pink Ivory? The royal wood of the Zulus. Have a few nice chunks of that too.

Doe!

That is varnish.