I have read that it is good to use a lubrication oil when finishing/grinding a recoil pad. Please tell me what kind of oil should I use. Thanks, Brian

The information below is from the instruction sheet for installing Pachmayr recoil pads.
I have personally never used lubricant when grinding and finishing recoil pads and usually grind them using the big old slower turning grindstones then finished off with fine wet and dry paper.

Exert from Pachmayr pad installation instructions:

12. Grind the pad using 80-100 grit aluminum oxide on a 12" - 15" disc grinder to shape the pad. It is
important that you not force the grinding process. Let the wheel remove the material at a reasonable
rate. Decelerator pads may require a little more time. Side core pads can be damaged by
improper grinding. Always use a grinding disc in good condition. We recommend you use a quality
pad grinding fixture. These are available through Brownell's in Montezuma, IA,
www.brownells.com, or B-Square in Ft.Worth, TX, www.b-square.com.
13. Final finish of the pad.We recommend you use the following guidelines: A wood sanding block 1"
x 1" with wet/dry paper 180-240/320 grit. Use a few drops of furniture polish with lemon oil for
lubricant and polish evenly around the base of the pad. If you attempt to remove too much material
you will find that the base will be undersized to the pad. Clean the pad by wiping with Armor
All®.

eagle27
That is perfect! Thanks very much, Brian

I have ground and fitted quite a few (hundreds) and have never used any sort of oil or polish. I have also never used a fixture or jig. Pachmayr pads have always ground well (Decelerators not quite as easy as the regular rubber). Pads like Kickeez and Limbsaver grind like shit, regardless. The bases are plastic and tend to melt rather than cut. I hate them. Regards Bill

Agree with Bill re Kick Eze...Then to make matters worst,. they sometimes BREAK off a chunk. Quit fooling around with them years ago.

Double gun wizard, Bruce Stevens (CA) used and recommended Coleman fuel for rouding off and smoothing out a traditional pad. I found kerosene works pretty well using the shpoe shine technique

I can see why a gunsmith would hate the Kick-Eez pads. A pain to grind, will chunk off and don't last very long.
BUT as a competition shooter, if a person is shooting 100 to 500 warm+ 12ga loads per day, nothing compares to Kick-Eez. So in my eyes, they're well worth the extra trouble.

I can't even imagine using oil on a recoil pad; what happens when it gets on the wood?
Kick ease pads? Never saw one and don't want to now.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I can't even imagine using oil on a recoil pad; what happens when it gets on the wood?
Kick ease pads? Never saw one and don't want to now.

If the wood is finished I'd wipe it off. I think I would wipe it off if it was unfinished as well.

Oil will soak into unfinished wood....

In my experience, most people fit pads off the gun and don't remove the finish. When I do my own that is the method I use. If building a stock, I do it in place, but I remove the pad to finish the stock and smooth the pad while off. I wouldn't think there would be a necessity to use the lubricant oil while it could get in contact with the stock.

I found that dollar bills are absolutely the best lubricant for sanding rubber recoil pads. I put the recoil pad and a few bills along with the stock in a box and set it outside.

After a few weeks, the recoil pad has attached itself to the stock and nicely shaped at that.

I put recoil pads in the freezer before grinding them. Seems to make them grind better.

Yes sir I freeze them and then grind them on the kick eze etc, don't like them much but Pachmayers has that damn metal plate inside them so that can be a minor problem..but I don't care for recoil pads, Im told all they do is give the stock a running start for the shoulder..a big bore on some of my old English rifles have those nice slighty curved steel butt plates with the widows peek that suit me if held properly, they teach you to snug up to your gun not hang on to them limp wristed..

More great suggestions, Thanks.

Freeze them first - Good.
Dollars bills - excellent.

Thank, Brian