I've tried to search previous threads for a product but gone dizy trying to find it.
Please help!
I've already stripped, ironed out dings, sanded to 400grt and stained so it looks awesome, but I can't find the product that gives it the light gloss and water protection needed. It's an older Marlin 336 lever that had seen plenty of hunting. I would like to make it look like the original light gloss, for look and water repellant.
It had been refinished by previous owner but looked like hell. I'm one step away from where I want it to be.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Swordfish

Boy! Your question is like asking blondes, brunettes or redheads! You will surely get several answers. Good luck!

My favorite is Pro-Custom Oil. It gives a great finish that is tough and easy to apply. After sanding to 400 grit, raising the grain and sanding one more time with 400 grit I apply the first coat with 50-50 Pro-Custom oil and mineral spirits. This will suck in pretty fast. After a day or so I will do another coat or two until you start seeing a little on the wood surface. I then begin thin coats of straight from the can applied with the finger and thouroughly rubbed in. Sanding between each coat with a little 50-50 diluted finsh and wiped off with a lint free T-Shirt. Repeat until you like what you see. Final coats are one drop for the entire stock rubbed until it is warm from friction. I have done as few as 6 and as many as 30 coats (not recommended!). Have fun, but don't rush it. Drying time sdepends on humidity and temp. I know it says reapply after 4 hours, I always wait overnight at least.

Holy crap, are you serious? That could take 30 days!

I did sand it very well with 400grt several times to perfection.

Jim, most of all thanks for your help. I'm willing to put the time into it, but it will also be hunted, not a wall hanger.

Yep, it could, but it depends on the finish and porosity of the wood. 6 coats of unthinned will probably satisfy your needs.

Some folks buy the spray and rush it. I don't recommend it, but Pro-Custom Oil does come in spray form also.

Gun-sav-r, Hunter Satin, follow directions closely.

Seeing how you stained it you should be real carefull if you choose to wet sand thinned finish. You'll cut through the stain.

quote:

wet sand thinned finish. You'll cut through the stain

Darn right been there done that.

a good oil finish will take some time. you can shorten it up a little if you use tung oil because it dries faster, or if you're in a hurry try deft danish oil. its a combination of tung oil and polyurethane. it dries quickly and you can get a pretty nice finish in a couple days

If you put the time in you can get a "Guild nice" finish using Gun-sav-r. You can also use it to fill the pores, but it can take a couple weeks to do that. You spray it on thick, let it dry for a few days, sand it flat and do it again until the pores are filled. Let your final coat dry for at least a week and then polish using parfin oil and either rotten stone or 4F pumice, depending on the sheen you're after. Gun-sav-r is a modified oil finish, is very durable, and easily touched up.

Did I mention you must follow the directions closely? Read the pamphlet that comes with the can all the way through then follow them closely and you'll have a great finish.

Reading through the gun-sav-r instructions I found on-line, I see that I will need to purchase a spray gun to apply the satin product. If so, without going overboard, what spray gun would you recommend.

Also, did I do the wrong thing by staining the stock. Should I have left it bare?

TC1- that stock looks incredible!

Staining is not a right or wrong thing. I have stained many and left some au natural. The difference is the need to sand very, very carefully between coats. Properly refinishing a stock is an investment in time and a little technique. Personally, I enjoy refinish work. The one lesson I have learned over the years is don't rush it! You should have time before hunting season to do a first class job. If I can assist please feel free to PM me.

Hunter satin comes in spray cans, too. Midway or Brownell's.

As far as sanding between coats to fill the pores, I started wet sanding with water. Can't remember which book had that trick, maybe SDH's. Using finish or diluted finish washes out some of the previously applied fill. In essence, you go back a half foot for every foot you try to go forward. It looks like crap when it's dried but works exactly the same when you over-coat the sanded finish. Only it takes fewer coats to get to the particular end you want to achieve.

If you want a "guild" type finish, why not use what a "guild" member uses. Do a search on here for Daly's (sp) products, which is what Mr. Wiebe uses. If I recall correctly, he has posted his finishing methods using Daly's (sp) products here on AR many times.

As another fast option, Birchwood Casey Tru Oil makes for a fair express finish. You can put about 4 or 5 coats on and be done in a couple of days. Not the best finish, but it works.

On my website, I recently posted my own way of stock finishing. You'll probably develop your own method. My instructions are mostly geared to the use of Sea Fin and Alkenet root. Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
As another fast option, Birchwood Casey Tru Oil makes for a fair express finish. You can put about 4 or 5 coats on and be done in a couple of days. Not the best finish, but it works.

Agreed. I have probably used at least a half dozen or more finishes and methods over the years. Tru Oil will give a nice finish in a short time without a lot of effort.

Thanks again for all the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I plan on putting the time nessasary to make it turn out right. I'm not in any hurry.

You guys rock!

Ok, I'm on coat #7 now and the Gun-sav-er is giving it the look I want. Should only have a few more coats to go. The wood is looking as good or better than the new original finish I have on some of my new Marlins. Very impressed with the progress so far. The product is working great.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Swordfish

Show us a picture or two when you're done.

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Show us a picture or two when you're done.

Here are a couple of shots. Keep in mind that the wood was all beat up with many dings and scrapes. I stripped it down to the bare wood, applied boiling water bath, ironed out the dings, stained several times to get the coloring I wanted then applied 11 coats of gun-sav-er satin with wet sanding and 0000 steel wool between coats. This is the final result.

Nice job!

These are a couple I've done using boiled linseed oil and a little of Duanes Alkent Root for a little red tint. I added a little sealer each time and rubbed the shit out of the wood.