scattergun6
Active Member
I've been pleasantly surprised at how well Ballistol will "perk up" wood stocks, leather, rubber, etc. I like Tung oil for refinishing but use Ballistol when all I intend to do is clean up and spruce up a gun.
That is gorgeous.I have used tung oil in the past, but I restocked a Springfield SOCOM from the composite to a USGI Big Red walnut stock. As it was the original finish, I didn’t want to do much to alter its looks. I left all the dents and dings in place (it earned them), and simply cleaned the dirt and oils off with mineral spirits and applied over 10 coats of linseed oil thinned with mineral spirits. I applied it with a cotton rag and buffed it with old T-shirts.
This is what it looked when I got it:
This is what it looked like when it was done:
Thanks. I really took my time between coats. I wasn’t sure what the quality of a 60s-era military stock would be, but it surprised me. And the fit was perfect. I only had to do minor inletting to install the non-functional selector switch kit.That is gorgeous.
A rifle I have long wanted but can't justify.
This fills the open pores in the grain and enables a smoother surface thus allowing for a higer sheen or a deeper looking finish no matter the product. I use 320 grit to due this. You can also collet all sanding dust from your project and mix that in the oil itself. Kinda weird to work with and sand but works great.Try this tip for oil finishes: On your first coat, put it on and then sand the surface (with the grain) with VERY fine sandpaper (800 grit or finer), then wipe it off. Proceed with any further coats as normal. It's kind of a variation on French polishing, where they wet the wood with water and polish with something fine like rotten stone.
Justify? What is this justify crap?A rifle I have long wanted but can't justify.
I use steel wool.Try this tip for oil finishes: On your first coat, put it on and then sand the surface (with the grain) with VERY fine sandpaper (800 grit or finer), then wipe it off. Proceed with any further coats as normal. It's kind of a variation on French polishing, where they wet the wood with water and polish with something fine like rotten stone.
I do something similar. I cut tung oil with mineral spirits 50/50 so it gets drawn into the wood. When I do the sanding/wiping, I use a plastic art eraser as a sanding block and 320 grit and up sandpaper to make the sludge, then I use the eraser like a squeegee to fill the grain. I'll transition to a soft cloth after the first couple coats. Takes me about three coats of this til I can go to polishing.Try this tip for oil finishes: On your first coat, put it on and then sand the surface (with the grain) with VERY fine sandpaper (800 grit or finer), then wipe it off. Proceed with any further coats as normal. It's kind of a variation on French polishing, where they wet the wood with water and polish with something fine like rotten stone.
Linspeed is good if you want it done faster. Concept is still the same, just cures faster. The issue with pure linseed oil, is that it never really dries, and tung oil takes days. Linspeed or other linseed base rubbing oils with solids in them make up for that. Teak oil is good too.One that hasn’t been mentioned is Lin-Speed.
It takes time as does tung oil, linseed oil(as this is substantly), etc.
Beautiful results and durable.
Birchwood Casey always surprised me. I have firearms that I refinished 52 years ago and the finish is still standing up.
That tooSo the short version is: Rub your wood with your bare fingers until it's sticky and it helps it get harder faster.