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Gun Stock Oil


John Kloehr

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So as not to step on another thread... Though it may also help that OP.

 

I am looking for a good source for true Tung Oil or recommendations for an oil finish for the walnut stock on my Miroku '73.

 

Goals are:

  • Fill the wood pores even if it takes a dozen or more thin coats
  • No stain/color/pigment/mica or other fillers
  • Build the finish depth
  • Provide a base for repairability as I will ding and scuff it up competing
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https://www.milkpaint.com/product/hopes-tung-oil <- you can get it at Amazon too.

 

 

Fill with pores with egg whites.

  • Rub it on with your fingers, let it dry.
  • Lightly sand it  with 320 or 400 grit sand paper, follow with cheesecloth to remove any dust.
  • Repeat 1-2 times

Apply tung oil

  1. Hand rub on liberally(you can use latex if desired).
  2. Wait fifteen minutes and wipe off excess with a rag; make sure there are no drip like spots or pools.
  3. Hang it up and let dry for at least 2 weeks(4 weeks is better).
  4. Lightly sand it with 320-400 grit sandpaper, follow with cheesecloth to remove any dust.
  5. Hand rub on liberally(you can use latex if desired).
  6. Wait fifteen minutes and wipe off excess with a rag; make sure there are no drip like spots or pools.
  7. Hang it up and let dry for at least a week.
  8. Lightly sand it with 320-400 grit sandpaper, follow with cheesecloth to remove any dust.
  9. Hand rub on liberally(you can use latex if desired).
  10. Wait fifteen minutes and wipe off excess with a rag; make sure there are no drip like spots or pools.
  11. Hang it up and let dry for 1-2 days.
  12. Lightly sand it with 320-400 grit sandpaper, follow with cheesecloth to remove any dust.
  13. Repeat 9-12 until you're happy.

Finish by lightly sanding with a blue scotchbrite pad, follow with cheesecloth to remove any dust(not likely). Apply Johnson's Paste Wax for additional protection.

 

You probably know this but be careful with oily rags(spontaneous combustion).

 

 

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Doing all the steps, I applied 15 coats of tung/boiled linseed oils on a Remington M12 resulting with a finish that looked like glass.  Am a fan also using burnt umber to darken the wood

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My Miroku Shot Show Special has the factory finish, and the pores are still visible. From what I understand, it is an oil finish (not a poly urethane).

 

While I am willing to strip it, I would like to simply add to the factory finish and then maintain it as I ding it up.

 

Taking a look at the Milk Paint link above, other than fear of a gummy mess I think Tung Oil is the safest bet. If kept thin, it should dry in less than a day.

 

My experience some years ago when Watco was Tung Oil (it no longer is), trying to build the finish too fast (thick) resulted in slow cures. It was actually faster to apply three thin coats over three days than to apply one double-thick coat every five.

 

On edit: Thin back then meant soak the wood, wait 15 minutes (or less if any signs of dry spots start to show), and then remove as much of the wet finish as possible with cheese cloth. And buy the cheese cloth in bulk at a fabric store, those little packs at the grocery or hardware store are expensive!. Thin means thin!

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I’ve seen tung oil for sale at the major hardware stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ace, and at lumber yards.  I bet you can find locally.

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You cannot fill pores with OIL......

If there are a lot of open pores in the wood then CLEAR WAX FREE shellac and cut it at least 30% with denatured alcohol. The alcohol will dry quickly and the shellac will fill the pores after multiple coats. 

Tung oil takes too long to dry. Use boiled linseed oil, shellac, denatured alcohol (1/3 - 1/3 - 1/3) as a final finish or just buy Tru Oil off the shelf already made up.

 

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Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil.Fast drying fills well,gives a very high gloss finish.If you happen to scratch  it, it's easy to repair.Boughtmy last bottle at Sportsmans Warehouse.Not expensive.

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I use TruOil or LinSpeed variants of boiled linseed oil with fast-drying additives.   TruOil seems to dry in one day for each coat.   LinSpeed about 2 days.  Your humidity may vary.

 

Good luck, GJ

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I’m a fan of Birchwood Casey’s True Oil as well.

Have done two shotgun refinishings recently from stripping to raw wood and applying one coat per day for 12-14 days. Both turned out very well.

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I know it will sound odd as all hell, but original Armor All works as a catalyst with Tru-Oil, such that you can do multiple coats each day.  Didn’t quite believe it when I read it, but tried it to refinish a Browning 92 several years ago.  It worked really well and the finish seems to be aging like you would expect from numerous coats of Tru-Oil.  Can’t quite picture how anyone discovered this in the first place...

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I prefer the grain and semi-gloss like on this Garand, which has 3 coats of Tru-Oil. You can add more for more gloss and "glass-like" finish which I'm not fond of for some guns, but that's purely personal taste. Tru-Oil is boiled linseed oil with driers in it. Plain boiled linseed oil takes days/weeks to dry, depending on your climate. Hardware store variety tung oil (Minwax etc.) works well for most applications, but if you want a true gunstock finish, most recommend pure tung oil without the driers. YMMV.

 

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I once did a National Match Garand with about 10 coats of LinSpeed using 0000 steel wool between coats. I thought it was gorgeous.

Sorry - no pics - I sold it  :(:unsure::(

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Since your stock already has an oil finish, apply a thick coat of marine spar varnish, let it dry and sand down to wood with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper.  This will fill the pores.  Then apply a coat or two of your favorite oil finish.  

 

Duffield

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On 11/25/2020 at 9:54 PM, Crisco said:

I know it will sound odd as all hell, but original Armor All works as a catalyst with Tru-Oil, such that you can do multiple coats each day.  Didn’t quite believe it when I read it, but tried it to refinish a Browning 92 several years ago.  It worked really well and the finish seems to be aging like you would expect from numerous coats of Tru-Oil.  Can’t quite picture how anyone discovered this in the first place...

Yup--- Works like a champ. Did 30 coats on my Stoeger in a couple days. To fill the pores in the walnut I thinned tru-oil with mineral spirits and applied thick and let dry overnight, 3 coats I think it was. Then a little light sanding with 400 and then the Armor-All trick. Looks great! Found the info on the "Rimfire" forum. Just sprayed the Armor-All on the stock and wiped around with my fingers and then applied the Tru-Oil with my fingers, dries real quick. If ya mess up somewhere, just lightly sand it out and continue.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 11/27/2020 at 11:53 AM, Eyesa Horg said:

... If ya mess up somewhere, just lightly sand it out and continue.

Setting aside Armor All, just a comment on an oil finish versus poly.

 

Mess up application, ding it, bump it, scuff it, scratch it, does not matter. Sand out just that area just as much as needed and apply more oil.

 

With poly, getting rid of a scuff requires sanding the entire piece evenly and applying an even re-coat to the entire piece.

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I like boiled linseed oil mixed 50-50 with turpentine.  If you want a nice stain, soak tobacco in turpentine.

 

The old adage about an oil finish is:  One coat a day for a week; one coat a week for a month; one coat a month for a year; one coat a year for 10 years; then rub it forever!

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