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Tung Oil


Ramblin Gambler

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I've mentioned here before that I was disappointed with the stock on my M1 Garand.  I got it from the CMP and it was a "CMP special" grade.  That means they basically assembled it from parts and it had brand stinking new wood.  The stock was light colored and had no character.  After a few years of suffering though this, I finally took some advice from the wire and bought some tung oil.  First picture isn't great but it shows how faded the wood looked.  Second picture is after 2 coats.  I'm pretty happy with it right now, we'll see what it looks like after some time passes. 

 

Next thing I need to do is get some actual character into the stock.  Maybe if I bash it on a nazi helmet a few times. 

 

 

19319462_M1G-2cropped.thumb.jpg.7a151de8a0fabc39f7a1de7db2715fd6.jpg1294284248_M1gTung-5cropped.thumb.jpg.da4488922f21afaff67be958da8493c6.jpg

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IMHO, 2 coats isn't very much. I like to go 3-4 at least, more if I want it shiny at all.

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I only stopped because there was a sticky residue.  When it wears off I might do more.  I'm wondering if I should lightly sand between coats or anything like that.  I don't know much about woodworking, the little I do know comes from building a CVA kentucky rifle kit as a teenager. 

 

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17 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

There are different grades/types of Tung Oil.  Some of those NEVER actually dry.  Sticky and smelly FOREVER.

Pure T'oil dries-Blended may not.

This is what I use-

https://www.amazon.com/Formbys-30064-Gloss-Finish-16-Ounce/dp/B000BZZ4ZU

 

OLG

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11 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

There are different grades/types of Tung Oil.  Some of those NEVER actually dry.  Sticky and smelly FOREVER.

Garands were initially finished with raw linseed (flax) oil. This takes a very long time to dry thoroughly and they switched to boiled linseed oil which contains drying agents. After the war they switched to tung oil which has superior water repellent properties.

The reddish color of old stocks indicates they were finished with raw linseed oil.Hand rubbing works best as the oil and wood are warmed by your hand. I have been working for several weeks now on refinishing the stocks on the Garands and '03s at our VFW post, steaming dents out., filling gouges and drawing out the 70+ years of oil and grease to ensure the new finish will take and cure properly.

It's a laborious process.

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Here are the instructions for Formby’s Tung Oil.

https://www.formbys.com/products/tung_oil/directions/

 

Here are the instructions for Minwax Tung Oil. Go to where it says “OVERVIEW” and select “Directions”.

This is my favorite Tung Oil. It soaks in better than Formby’s.

https://www.minwax.com/wood-products/specialty-finishes/minwax-tung-oil-finish

 

After I have prepped the wood and it is ready for the Tung Oil I brush it on and leave it soak in for a few minutes then I wipe it down with a cotton rag. Once I have the excess off I rub it a bit with a fresh rag and leave it set for 24 hours. I hang stocks with a coat hanger. Laying it down on anything will allow the Tung Oil to act as glue. After 24 hours I repeat the process. I do not use steel wool at all, as mentioned in the Formby’s instructions. I usually do 3 coats on hardwood. 4 on softer woods.

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A long time back I finished the stock for an M-1 using the "French Polish" method.  This is a 50-50 mixture of orange shellac and boiled linseed oil.  Slather it on, wipe off the excess with a soft cloth (dispose of where it won't spontaneously combust...until the trash pickup), then hand rub.  Let it dry for several day. Reduce with 0000 steel wool. Repeat until you are satisfied with the appearance.  Seemed to work nicely.  Don't have any photos, though.... :(

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Tung Oil...

 

Once an hour for a day...

Once a day for a week...

Once a week for a month....

Once a year forever...

 

Rubbing with a rough cloth between coats or 0000 steel wool. No wax or anything else on top of the Tung Oil

 

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Looks nice, Gambler.

 

Someone did a bad refinish job on mine with an original stock, so I had no reluctance to do it again. After research and as stated by UB, they originally used boiled linseed oil, which is the main ingredient to Birchwood Casey's finish. Here are pics of mine with three coats. I let it dry several days between coats, hand rubbing with 0000 steel wool in between coats. The final coat was rubbed with steel wool to tone down the sheen and hand rubbed with an old cotton t-shirt.

ewMcssi.jpg

yoMcdwV.jpgQYWcjtf.jpgGEyRNvS.jpg

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16 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Garands were initially finished with raw linseed (flax) oil. This takes a very long time to dry thoroughly and they switched to boiled linseed oil which contains drying agents. After the war they switched to tung oil which has superior water repellent properties.

The reddish color of old stocks indicates they were finished with raw linseed oil.Hand rubbing works best as the oil and wood are warmed by your hand. I have been working for several weeks now on refinishing the stocks on the Garands and '03s at our VFW post, steaming dents out., filling gouges and drawing out the 70+ years of oil and grease to ensure the new finish will take and cure properly.

It's a laborious process.

 

Are you using tung oil, raw linseed, or boiled linseed? 

 

 

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28 minutes ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

 

Are you using tung oil, raw linseed, or boiled linseed? 

 

 

I'm using boiled linseed. I like the finish a little better than tung oil.

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20 hours ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

I've mentioned here before that I was disappointed with the stock on my M1 Garand.  I got it from the CMP and it was a "CMP special" grade.  That means they basically assembled it from parts and it had brand stinking new wood.  The stock was light colored and had no character.  After a few years of suffering though this, I finally took some advice from the wire and bought some tung oil.  First picture isn't great but it shows how faded the wood looked.  Second picture is after 2 coats.  I'm pretty happy with it right now, we'll see what it looks like after some time passes. 

 

Next thing I need to do is get some actual character into the stock.  Maybe if I bash it on a nazi helmet a few times. 

 

 

19319462_M1G-2cropped.thumb.jpg.7a151de8a0fabc39f7a1de7db2715fd6.jpg1294284248_M1gTung-5cropped.thumb.jpg.da4488922f21afaff67be958da8493c6.jpg

My stock came with a lot of “character”. Didn’t bash any Nazis though. It’s an HRA. ;)

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Don't know about bashing any Nazis or Japanese, but mine probably sat in a British store room.  It has British proof marks on the barrel (pull the operating rod back).  These were required when they were returned from GB to the U.S. Manufactured in 1941.  Due to being chambered in .30-06, the Brits probably stored them as a weapon of last resort, although I read that British troops did use M-1's in .30-06 in the CBI theater and their rate of fire was the only thing that kept one unit from being overrun by Japanese troops!  :o :)

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