Gunmaker

Seems like I remember that you worked for Company X at one time in the past.

What was their preferred method of finishing their stocks?

The reason I ask is I'm guessing that they have evolved into a method that is of reasonable quality but requires a minimum of time invested.

Are your methods differant from theirs? If so, can you share them with us?

They used a bunch of different cans of finish on each stock. Started with a coat of Flecto, then a coat of General finish sealer, then a bunch of coats of a different General finish to fill the pores. Cut it back dry sanding and a different can of General finish. They used three different color labels of General finish all together. Red, blue and green. Wet sanded with Flecto through 600. The checkering was finished with Dembart checkering oil and the rest of the stock given a coat of CCL and rubbed off.

I use Truoil for most projects. I cut it with thinner and soak a first and second coat. Let it dry a week between first few coats. Then I wet sand daily with thinned truoil to fill the pores from 320 through 600. I usually keep with 320 until the pores are filled. A few coats wipe on & wipe off with thinned truoil. and I've got some CCL that I use as a final top coat. This recipe minus the CCL is from Bill Knechtel & Pete Grisel. Pete took Bill's checkering class and Bill got Pete to try this method of finishing. I don't think Pete ever used latest greatest finish after trying the Knechtel method of truoil. I took Bill's checkering class at Pete's shop in Sturgis and now use truoil as well.

If you're looking for something really fast the Permalyn finish really dries fast. The problem with a polyurethane finish is that if you don't exactly follow the recommended interval between coats the finish won't stick well to the previous coat. Letting it dry too long is NOT recommended. This makes refinishing and touch up more work than with truoil. You absolutely can't put Permalyn over a soaker coat of any kind of oil based finish. The poly will peel off like a scab.

Mind if I ask what CCL is?

Gunmaker

Thanks for the info. It sounds like those guys at Company X were'nt sure what they really wanted to use.

I am surprised, your methods are near identical to mine. Including the wipe on wipe off at the very last stages. I have tried a lot of differant brands of finish but have gone full circle back to Truoil.

One exception being when I want a little more depth and color, I still use a good tung oil. Sometimes adding a little Truoil to it to make it dry a little better. One other exception being when I want to duplicate a factory finish like Remington, Permalyn works pretty good. You are right that stuff dries really fast.

I took a stock making class with Pete Grisel 2 years ago. Steve Nelson was there and he told me he had gone back to Truoil as well.

I'm not sure what CCL is.

Here's a link with info on CCL
http://www.targetsports.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2573

I use the conditioning oil. I think it's a little like Slacum.

And to think I was convinced I was committing a sacrelidge using Tru-Oil on my flintlock Jaeger stock...........

I have two jobs in progress one with tung oil and for some reason went to true oil on the lattest. Havent used it for years and just picked some up and started...have to say i still like working with it.