Any tips on finishing out a stock with rottenstone for a first timer?

I have felt pads, boiled linseed oil and rottenstone.

Get some "hard felt" (look in Brownells) and cut it in small blocks approx. 1" x 1 3/4". Cut it with a sharp chisel. Round one edge to use on curved areas like cheek piece scalloped edges. Dip the felt in your finish and then in the rottenstone so you get just a bit of rottenston and work a small area in a circular pattern. Do not press to hard. Wipe the rottenstone off as you go with paper towels doing with the grain. Wipe lightly as it will scratch when dry. You can get anywhere from a medium matte to a high polish with rottenstone. Pumice stone (3f or 4 f) will give you a flatter matte finish. Use the flat edges of the felt to get up against vertical edges like shadow lines.

Felt is probably best, but for those like me that must improvise, I like cotton tee-shirts wrapped reasonably tightly around a styrofoam block that can be shaped to whatever contour is needed.

Brent

Chic, if anyone would know what advice to give you are the man. Thanks for the info. One question though. Some of the literature I have read recommended only to rub with the grain. You said to polish in a circular motion?

Sniper,
You are trying to get a uniform looking surface and to do that you essentially need to "scratch the finish" so it looks the same. You can do that whether it is straight or circular. The marks from the rottenstone are very fine and virtually indistinguishable. If you can see the individual marks with the naked eye then something is wrong.

I just got some rotton stone awhile back and first time useing it. I thought it would be alittle more course. It wont knock off lint/dust , or light fingerprints that got on the finish . Just polishes them.

I know a lot of people do not like boiled linseed oil. I have never used it, it came with the rottenstone. I have been using Dalys Benmatte Tung Oil, can I use this with the rottenstone instead of linseed or it does not matter?

I know I'm just asking to have rocks thrown at me, but I've used plain old cooking oil when rubbing out with rottenstone with great success. Easy clean up.

I would think that you dont want to use anything that would get sticky and dry the rottenstone into your finish, like useing your Daleys or other finish. Id want to wipe the rotton stone residue completely off.

What about parafin oil. I used water.

Maybe im doing it wrong though.

Heck I don't know what I am doing half the time, more less trial and error. I like the finish I get with the hand rubbed tung oil. I have heard and read so much about final polishing with rottenstone I thought I would give it a try.

Im haveing troubles with Dalys Benn Matte that I just started useing . It goes on good and Ive built some coats up after the grain was already filled.
But when I wet sand it with 1500 and even 600 to knock off the shine and lint and dust then wipe off the the residue I get a splochy look to the Dalys. Matte with squigly not so matte uniformity. looks like crap. It wont rub out with a even, matte look. Only thing that hide the sguigly blotchynees is another wet coat of dalys. Or sand it all off down to the wood surface with 400.

Sniper,
You can use either one. The carrier for the rottenstone is wiped off.

I have had very good luck using my fingers and palm while rubbing them out...you can really feel the cut better and you will know if the finish is not ready yet as well. Lemon oil makes a good cutting oil and is easily removed. I start with the white pumice powder making a wet paste with oil and removing afterward with a VERY soft rag/mineral spirits...then its on to the rottenstone.... making a paste again.With your fingers you'll know exactly how much your cutting. It easy for me anyway to go too far with the felt

Ultraman,
Hate to disagree with you but the worst thing you can do when rubbing out a stock is to use your fingers or a soft cloth. You will end up seeing lines that correspond to your fingers in both cases. With stiff felt, it will bridge and give a path of the felt cutting the finish.