Stock finish ideas - walnut

[Four22]

Finally have the project down to finishing and want to do an oil finish. Stock is quilted walnut. I don’t want it to get too dark so boiled linseed oil may be out.

Looking for suggestions of oil finishes that may be lighter.

 

[Dsnow9]

@p_ham

 

[ismith]

Pure tung oil. I like this stuff. https://www.realmilkpaint.com/blog/tips/beginners-guide-pure-tung-oil/

 

[tarheel]

Pure tung oil. I like this stuff. https://www.realmilkpaint.com/blog/tips/beginners-guide-pure-tung-oil/

Fully agree with the use of tung oil. I've used it for years when building entertainment centers, furniture of all types, and non-food prep walnut countertops, always without any stain.

 

[Raisin Bran]

I would recommend Tung Oil and an occasional wipe down with Howards-Feed-And-Wax.

 

[David658]

I like to build muzzleloaders (or I did, it has been a while). I like the tone I get from combining walnut stain with red mahogany stain, red first then walnut over that. I carefully steel wool until I start to see the reddish hue, then stop and finish. On muzzle loaders I use DemBart checkering oil, but on a modern rifle I would recommend Tung Oil due to the hard finish. I would still build up slowly, using 400-600 grit to wet sand between coats.

David
NM

 

[BrentD]

This is my current favorite

VELVIT OIL-#200 NATURAL CLEAR-FINISH-16OZ

Velvit Oil can be applied with a soft cloth or a brush. Wait 20-30 minutes then wipe off. For best results you should wait 24 hours between coats. First we sand extremely well to 240 grit. If you do not sand well any finish you use will leave dark spots. Don't skip grits and make sure you get...

woodchuckers.com

Watco's Teak Oil is pretty good as well. Many other possibilities. Things like Laurel Mountain Forge's Permalyn is a nice oil finish that has polyurethane in it. A good bit more durable, so I use it on my target rifles. It is not quite as nice as a 100% oil finish, so I save those for hunting guns.

 

[LuketheDog]

I'd go for the tung oil as well.

 

[David658]

I think that Tung Oil and Teak Oil are very similar. The Permalyn is popular because it is an easy-to-apply poly, made for guns.

Pictures will be required.

David
NM

 

[Four22]

Looks like the local woodworking shop has tung oil in stock. Hopefully get coat 1 on tomorrow.

 

[Tikka06]

Minwax antique oil stain. I did a TC Renegade stock with it last year and it turned out great. I think I did 8 coats over the coarse of a week, letting it dry in between.

 

[ismith]

Looks like the local woodworking shop has tung oil in stock. Hopefully get coat 1 on tomorrow.

If you get "Pure" tung oil it is non-toxic, all natural and vegan safe.

 

[BrentD]

I do not like stains, per se, on gunstocks (or much else). I think they cloud the wood and make the finish look shallow and dull.

BUT, I do frequently use a red dye, especially on Black Walnut. Winchester guns were almost always finished with a red dye in their varnish. Some color often warms up a pretty bland piece of walnut. Winchester used alkanet root dye - and you can too. You can buy good quality alkanet root from Mountain Rose Herbs (I think they are in Oregon). But I'm too lazy so I use a red dye from Laurel Mt. Forge and sold by Track of the Wolf. They call it a "cherry stain" but realistically, it's just a red dye of just the right tone for gunstocks. Add a few drops to a thimble's worth aliquot of your favorite finish (I mentioned Velvit Oil above and I can help anyone find it if they want to try it). It's really hard to add too much. Typically, I do this for several coats AFTER the first coat that I really soak into the wood.

You can also make your own really good oil finish with a good quality spar varnish, mineral spirits, and boiled linseed oil - all in equal proportions.

Another suggestion: if you can put your stock in a window or outdoors, in direct sunlight, the UV light will cause the hydrocarbons in the varnish/oils to crosslink and cure faster and harder. A smart guy might even build a UV light box for curing gunstock finishes. Never heard of anyone doing this, but it would work great. Someday, I may take my own advice on that, but see comments about being lazy

 

[p_ham]

I've been using an equal mix of Spar, BLO, and mineral spirits. An alternative is to sub out the BLO for tung oil.

Teak oil also does really well but it tends to really darken up walnut.

I'm not really a fan of straight tung oil, it takes forever to cure and it's got a strong smell.

A lot of people really like "arrow wood oil" but I haven't used it.

With all the different grades of scotch Brite pads available these days, there's really no need to use steel wool on wood finishes anymore. Grey pads work great for lightly scuffing the surface for adhesion, the white pads are good for lightly buffing. Use rottenstone on a clean cloth to even everything out.

 

[BrentD]

I didn't know Arrow Oil was still around. I used it years ago, and it was good stuff!

 

[Four22]

I've been using an equal mix of Spar, BLO, and mineral spirits. An alternative is to sub out the BLO for tung oil.

Teak oil also does really well but it tends to really darken up walnut.

I'm not really a fan of straight tung oil, it takes forever to cure and it's got a strong smell.

A lot of people really like "arrow wood oil" but I haven't used it.

With all the different grades of scotch Brite pads available these days, there's really no need to use steel wool on wood finishes anymore. Grey pads work great for lightly scuffing the surface for adhesion, the white pads are good for lightly buffing. Use rottenstone on a clean cloth to even everything out.

Spar??

 

[p_ham]

Spar??

Spar urethane. It's a urethane that's been modified with alkyd oils, expands and contracts with the wood, has high UV and moisture resistance.

 

[Four22]

Spar urethane. It's a urethane that's been modified with alkyd oils, expands and contracts with the wood, has high UV and moisture resistance.

Got it

I have a little more sanding to do to clean up the bedding overflow and hopefully get it started this week.

Pictures to follow!!

 

[ismith]

I do not like stains, per se, on gunstocks (or much else). I think they cloud the wood and make the finish look shallow and dull.

BUT, I do frequently use a red dye, especially on Black Walnut. Winchester guns were almost always finished with a red dye in their varnish. Some color often warms up a pretty bland piece of walnut. Winchester used alkanet root dye - and you can too. You can buy good quality alkanet root from Mountain Rose Herbs (I think they are in Oregon). But I'm too lazy so I use a red dye from Laurel Mt. Forge and sold by Track of the Wolf. They call it a "cherry stain" but realistically, it's just a red dye of just the right tone for gunstocks. Add a few drops to a thimble's worth aliquot of your favorite finish (I mentioned Velvit Oil above and I can help anyone find it if they want to try it). It's really hard to add too much. Typically, I do this for several coats AFTER the first coat that I really soak into the wood.

You can also make your own really good oil finish with a good quality spar varnish, mineral spirits, and boiled linseed oil - all in equal proportions.

Another suggestion: if you can put your stock in a window or outdoors, in direct sunlight, the UV light will cause the hydrocarbons in the varnish/oils to crosslink and cure faster and harder. A smart guy might even build a UV light box for curing gunstock finishes. Never heard of anyone doing this, but it would work great. Someday, I may take my own advice on that, but see comments about being lazy

Logwood trap dye can be used as well. It was used on US military rifles from around the 1920's and earlier.