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refinishing a stock

MormonbMormonb Member Posts: 99 ✭✭
edited May 2008 in Ask the Experts
I bought an older target .22 Mossberg bolt action probably from the late 30's. Had it reblued and now looking for a professional to refinish the stock.

Can anyone recommend someone?

Thanks.



"...one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice...

Edited by - Forward on 07/09/2002 02:54:40

Edited by - Forward on 07/09/2002 03:00:42
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    MormonbMormonb Member Posts: 99 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have an older shotgun that I am refinishing the wood furnature on and would like to know what kind of oil I should use to treat the wood after I have applied the stain? I used Minwax dark walnut for the color and would like to accent it w/o a polyeurethane coating. I have some Danish Oil finish (natural color) but I am not sure if that is the right product for the job. I would be open to any other suggestions. Thanks.

    Mike

    "You cannot conquer America." -William Pitt, 1777
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    MormonbMormonb Member Posts: 99 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm refinishing a Rifle stock. I removed the butt pad but a white spacer would not come off, so I stripped the wood with it in place. The citrus strip dissolved it partially and it needs to be replaced. It seems glued onto the wood.

    So my question; Id like to grind it off with a belt sander but the end of the stock is not flat it is curved with a slight concave bow. Is it important to maintain that curve? Can I grind it flat? Is it just for looks or is it functional?
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    MormonbMormonb Member Posts: 99 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a savage 99e. The finish on the stock is worn and scratched like grandmas old chair.

    Whats the best way to refinish? Im thinking or usung 320 grit sandpaper and then wiping on watco danish oil.

    is there a better way?

    And while im here another question.

    I have a lot of 7mm 08 ammo. Does this correspond with any other size? I dont have a 7mm rifle.
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    MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,972 ******
    edited November -1
    "I have a lot of 7mm 08 ammo. Does this correspond with any other size? I dont have a 7mm rifle."... No, now you have a reason to buy one[}:)]... as to refinishing the stock, remove the remaining finish with stripper, sand and use a good GUN STOCK finish, (lin speed, true oil, ect.). check brownell's for many options for stain and finish (this ain't an end table).
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    walther86walther86 Member Posts: 263 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    just sent you an email with some tips
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    FatstratFatstrat Member Posts: 9,147
    edited November -1
    Which "Best way" depends largely on what type of finish you want to achieve. But I highly reccomend Birchwood Casey "Tru-Oil" gunstock finish.
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    FWAdditFWAddit Member Posts: 918 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't overdo the sanding, though, especially around the tang and other parts where wood meets metal. It's easy to take off too much and leave the metal sticking up.
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    CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Remove the old finish
    Sand
    Pull all the old oils out of the stock...mineral spirits
    Wipe down and leave it to dry for at least a week.
    I recommend the Birchwood Caseys kit....
    Stain it to your desired color
    Hand rub with Tru oil 6-7 coats. The more coats, the better the gloss. Lightly buff with 0000 Steel wool in between coats.

    To maintain, give it a coat or two of oil every year.
    Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.
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    hissinggoosehissinggoose Member Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Nice gun for a re-finish project! Love those old Savages.

    I've done furniture refinishing on several pieces before, and just finished my first gun stock refinish.
    I've had good luck using "Formby's furniture re-finisher". I just did my AK stocks with it as a first project, and they turned out great. Took a lot of rubbing with a scotch-brite pad, a very minor amount of sanding, then some stain and about 12 coats of tung oil. For an ugly old gun, it sure turned out purty!
    I'm on my second project right now for my dad's old 11-48 remington. I had to use acetone to get the oil out of the stock....it was almost black! Fella at woodcrafters store recommended it, and it did the trick. I just put some stain on it last night and it was dry this morning when I left the house.
    Got a bottle of the "tru-oil" to try since it is supposed to dry faster than tung oil, which takes at least 12 hrs to dry. Will see how it works out in a few days.


    1-Formby's, then dry
    2-use wet bathcloth and clothes iron to steam up dents in the stock
    3-sand ever so slightly with the grain
    4-clean stock with acetone/mineral spirits
    5-stain
    6-oooo steel wool with the grain
    7-wipe good
    8-lots of tung oil/tru-oil to gloss you like...let dry btw coats
    9-rub with oooo steel wool to knock down shine if wanted
    10-ding and scratch new finish putting back in gun safe.......

    Remember, if you screw it up, all you have to do is strip it down and start over again.

    Do be careful around checkering if you have any. Work the refinisher in with a toothbrush and blot it off with a rag/paper towel.....stay away from the brass brushes, and tape it off before you sand to avoid goofing up the checkering.

    Have fun!
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    gotstolefromgotstolefrom Member Posts: 1,479 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You've had good responses, but one thing was not mentioned.
    You need LOTS of patience....a good preparation is key.

    If you have used Watco, and have experience with it, go ahead.
    I use it a lot. I've never used stain in a full refinish, only mixed a bit in with the oil when matching the shade for another a piece.

    The linspeed, tru oil, Birchwood Casey, are good products, but go with one you know. Linseed oil..just plain of boiled Linseed oil, is OK for a milsurp piece, but not for a fine finish.

    After a great prep . . . . rub in/on Watco, 24hr wait, wool, wipe super-clean, watco, wait, wool, etc. until you get the luster you want. Some I will finish off with high carnuba wax for a bit more on the gloss side.

    ENJOY ! send pics..at least one for me !
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    vdms55vdms55 Member Posts: 297 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    just a FYI if you have a lot of little dents still in the wood after three or four coats of true oil ( i think they come from softer spots in the wood being dug out when you sand) lay the stock on its side and coat only the top side, alternating sides, and wa-zoo after a couple more coats, they disappear
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    drobsdrobs Member Posts: 22,531 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've been refinished 4 sets of AK stocks on my builds now.

    Easiest way I have found to refinish them is by stripping them with Citris strip overnight. Wipe off the old finish and goo left from the citris strip. Hand sand with 100 grit, then 200 grit sand paper. Choose a minwax stain. Lightly stain. Let dry overnight. Then fix the stain with a polyurethane gloss finish. You can sand any rough edges that come up between coats of polyurethane.

    Not the best pic but you can get the idea:
    gns2_015.jpg
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    GunBuffGunBuff Member Posts: 167 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you want a real hand rubed oil finish you must sand into the wood.
    An apropreate oil finish is in the wood not on the wood.The sheen comes from the sanding not the oil. You can raise dents by wetting the stock and lay a rag over the dent then place a hot iron on it, repeat until dent is raised. do after the stock is stripped.
    You start by stripping the stock with stripper then give it a bath of mineral spirits. Let dry.
    Put some oil in a small pan shaped container,start with 220 wet/dry sandpaper fold it about 2"x2" dip into oil and sand with the grain until you work up a pulp, take the palm of your hand (no paper) and rub across the grain working the pulp into the pours, this will start to fill the grain. let dry fully. "do not wipe off"
    Repeat the prosses with 320, 400,500,By then the pours should be full,take 600 paper dip in the oil and lightly sand with the grain wipe off excess with a rag, let it dry fully may take days, then put a little oil on the palm of your hand and rub with the grain your palm will get warm and start to dry the oil. let dry, do this about 5 times this will seal the pours and you will have a real hand rubed oil finish. You can buff it with some butchers wax for added protection. be carfull not to round edges when sanding leave butt plate on use block if nessesery. be shure you don't sand below the metal. Thats it.
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