Wood stock care

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I use Linspeed. It can be built up to a glossy finish or rubbed down to matte. The downside to oil glossy finish is it's soft and scratches easy. But also easy to touch up. I rubbed in the dozen coats of Linspeed on my 404 build till grain was filled.
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@Ontario Hunter
LINSPEED is great stuff, easy to use but takes a while. Gives a beautiful finish that's easy to touch up.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ballistol has been around since 1904, its good stuff, better than most of the boutique crap that’s pushed as the new "wunderkin" product
gumpy

@Grumpy gumpy
But where do you get it in Australia. Been looking for years but when I ask for it all I get is strange looks and asked what is it
Bob

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@Ontario Hunter
LINSPEED is great stuff, easy to use but takes a while. Gives a beautiful finish that's easy to touch up.
Bob

Bob, I just finished putting a different used stock on that rifle. I stripped the old finish and did it up with Linspeed.

Formerly, I would wait a day for each coat to dry before taking it down to wood with steel wool. However, I have discovered a shortcut. After the coat of Linspeed is applied with finger, let the stock stand for about forty minutes (warm weather). Then rub that coat off with sheets of paper towel. Apply next coat and repeat until grain is filled. I can complete a stock in one day. Skip checkering until last coat on flat areas. Then apply Linspeed sparingly over checkering with artists hair bristle paintbrush. Just one coat over checkering to maintain pointed profiles. Don't want to fill up the cuts.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, I just finished putting a different used stock on that rifle. I stripped the old finish and did it up with Linspeed.
View attachment 600682
Formerly, I would wait a day for each coat to dry before taking it down to wood with steel wool. However, I have discovered a shortcut. After the coat of Linspeed is applied with finger, let the stock stand for about forty minutes (warm weather). Then rub that coat off with sheets of paper towel. Apply next coat and repeat until grain is filled. I can complete a stock in one day. Skip checkering until last coat on flat areas. Then apply Linspeed sparingly over checkering with artists hair bristle paintbrush. Just one coat over checkering to maintain pointed profiles. Don't want to fill up the cuts.

@Ontario Hunter
LINSPEED is good stuff and does a great job.
A fifteen buck a bottle than can do upto six rifles is a bargain for such a great product.
Gilley's gun wax really brings the finish up and gives good protection.
Bob

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

@Grumpy gumpy
But where do you get it in Australia. Been looking for years but when I ask for it all I get is strange looks and asked what is it
Bob

Hi Bob, any decent gun shop "should" stock it, at least three I know of in Adelaide do. I bought two 1litre bottles from the SARA store a year or so ago, I put it down the bores of my BP rifles after use to store them
gumpy

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi Bob, any decent gun shop "should" stock it, at least three I know of in Adelaide do. I bought two 1litre bottles from the SARA store a year or so ago, I put it down the bores of my BP rifles after use to store them
gumpy

@Grumpy gumpy
My local doesn't stock it. I've been to big shops like Cleavers and Horsley park and inbetwixt size shops and no go. Can't even get it at a hardware shop.
May have to pick some up later this year when we come thru SA in the way home.
Bob

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Try Sydney tools, they sell it, may need to ring first to make sure it’s in stock, or if coming through Adelaide, the South Australian Rifle Association shop at Dry Creek, or let me know when you are coming through and I’ll get you some.
gumpy

 

[ajamils]

Thank you for your recommendation. Since ai always have a big can of Linseed oil, I'll look at getting Gilley's gun wax.

Edit: Looks like it Australian product and not available in the USA. Will have to either find an alternative or ask my cousin (who likes in Melbourne) to bring it when he visits me in June.

 

[AustinM]

Personally, I utilize Tung oil and get a beautiful finish with it. You have to apply it a few times, but the major thing to keep in mind is that polymerization will take place over time, but if you have a small kiln that can run at 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit. Then one can place the wood with the applied oil into this device and cause the reaction to take place in 12-24 hours. Making additional applications much faster and efficient, than having to wait. This makes a hard surface that is relatively easy to touch up as well.

 

[JINKLE]

This has helped tremendously on my Grandpa's guns and my furniture around the house

 

[Hififile324]

Ballistol has been around since 1904, its good stuff, better than most of the boutique crap that’s pushed as the new "wunderkin" product
gumpy

 

[Swamptrudger]

My favorite is BLO with a bit of Japan dry added. Gotta go on thin as possible and many many applications. I can remember one particularly nice BSA-Martini I did up back in the 80's. Every night the thinnest of possible applications. Did that for about 5 weeks, and it was really nice. Never should have parted with that classic. I've got a movie prop .44 1892 Rossi that has a nice oil finish too, and an plain jane 870 with walnut as well. BLO just "does it" for me, but......

I will say, ya gotta think about what you put on top of existing finishes as a "conditioner" or refresher. Things like BLO or GB LinSpeed are a bare wood proposition.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My favorite is BLO with a bit of Japan dry added. Gotta go on thin as possible and many many applications. I can remember one particularly nice BSA-Martini I did up back in the 80's. Every night the thinnest of possible applications. Did that for about 5 weeks, and it was really nice. Never should have parted with that classic. I've got a movie prop .44 1892 Rossi that has a nice oil finish too, and an plain jane 870 with walnut as well. BLO just "does it" for me, but......

I will say, ya gotta think about what you put on top of existing finishes as a "conditioner" or refresher. Things like BLO or GB LinSpeed are a bare wood proposition.

@Swamptrudger
I love the GB Linspeed, takes a little bit of work but well worth the effort. Once finished I protect it with Gilley's gun wax.
Bob

 

[HankBuck]

@ajamils
I use LINSPEED OIL and Gilley's gun wax. Gives a beautiful finish that's better than satin but not fully gloss. The wax makes the stock impervious to water and dust just wipes off. Very easy to use.
Bob View attachment 600666View attachment 600667

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen does applying the wax have a negative effect the next time you apply linseed oil? I thought that the wax would need to be completely removed before applying a coat of linseed oil? I’ve got a new Caesar Guerini (oil finish stock) and just noticed some stains after shooting it in some rain yesterday - looks like “water streaks” on a car windshield??

 

[Swamptrudger]

The one thing I don't like about LinSpeed is its tendency to build up finish thickness very rapidly. While this may seem a plus, I've had to fit or rather refit stocks on various rifles that customers slathered with LinSpeed. It goes without saying that in wood finishes be there on rifles cabinetry or musical instruments less is more.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen does applying the wax have a negative effect the next time you apply linseed oil? I thought that the wax would need to be completely removed before applying a coat of linseed oil? I’ve got a new Caesar Guerini (oil finish stock) and just noticed some stains after shooting it in some rain yesterday - looks like “water streaks” on a car windshield??

@HankBuck
Since using the wax I haven't applied anymore oil but I would say you would have to remove it.
It will protect from water and dust tho.
Bob

 

[Puddle]

I carry a M1 Garand year-round on my daily 5-mile strolls in the hills around the shack. About every year and a half, or 2 years I take it apart, tape it up, and rub in 4 coats of boiled linseed oil.
Does a good job protecting the rifle from all the liquid sunshine we get in these parts.

 

[cajunchefray]

My favorite is BLO with a bit of Japan dry added. Gotta go on thin as possible and many many applications. I can remember one particularly nice BSA-Martini I did up back in the 80's. Every night the thinnest of possible applications. Did that for about 5 weeks, and it was really nice. Never should have parted with that classic. I've got a movie prop .44 1892 Rossi that has a nice oil finish too, and an plain jane 870 with walnut as well. BLO just "does it" for me, but......

I will say, ya gotta think about what you put on top of existing finishes as a "conditioner" or refresher. Things like BLO or GB LinSpeed are a bare wood proposition.

Is BLO, thinned a bit with Odorless Mineral Spirits, a good " refresher" on wood stocks? My Dad used this back in the day.

I have a Whitworth Mauser.458 from the early 1980's, the wood could use a little refreshing, as the finish is not damaged anywhere, but just looks dry and dull.
Not looking for a London Oil finish, just a few light rubbed in oil coatings for protection, and a nice look.

Suggestions appreciated.

 

[Swamptrudger]

It's very hard to say if the linseed oil should be cut. People, myself included, tend to keep that jug of linseed oil around for a long time. It does start to thicken a bit. It can be thinned a little if necessary. Some people like to send linseed oil 50/50 for the first coat to aid in penetration. Anyway you do it those coats should be as thin as possible. Rub it on, get it in the pores, literally wipe off the excess with a paper towel.
With tung oil, there is real tung oil, and Big Box store tung oil. Real tongue oil is actually edible. The stuff at The Big box store is full of petroleum chemicals. Polywhatchercallit. The same is true with linseed oil although not as common. As far as I'm concerned always use the real deal. And a few drops of Japan dry does wonders!

 

[Rare Breed]

100% Rennisance Wax for stock and all metal. If it’s good enough for the best museums in the world which it is it’s good enough for me