I've been messing around refinishing stocks over the past few years and still can't seem to get them just right. I think for the most part I have everything down except the last coat/step of the whole process. I usually have very small streaks that can be seen when you hold it at the right angle under a light. I think this is from the final coat that I put on, almost like it smears or streaks a little.
So what do you do as your last step to buff out or get that even finish.
Thanks
It sounds to me like you're putting the final coat on and not doing anything afterward. After the final coat, you should cut it back with VERY FINE sandpaper (I stay away from steel wool because it will leave little pieces on the stock), at least 800 grit, and 1200 grit is probably better. You sand until everything is very smooth. Then you use a rubbing compound to bring out the final finish. Brownells has 3-4 different grades of stock rubbing compound that work very well. The rubbing compound works best for me with an old cotton t-shirt. When done, everything ought to be smooth as glass and the amount of "gloss" to the stock ought to be determined by how much you have polished the oil finish.
But to ever get there, you have to have properly sealed the grain first, then layer your oil good and thick until there are no dimples in the grain (which indicate you grain is not fully sealed). Often when you properly seal the grain, you will still find a few little spots that didn't seal right, and that can be sealed by just adding enough stock oil until it does seal.
I like to use an epoxy finish to seal the grain. I apply it with a foam applicator evenly on the stock and give it a couple of days to dry. Then I cut it all back to the grain with fine sandpaper. After the sealing, that's when the coats of oil start. I apply it very liberally with my hand (no cloth), and slather it good and thick, but not so thick that it's running in any area. Don't worry too much about streaks (but don't be reckless) until it's time to cut it all back and put the final polish on.