All,
I have been reading through the stock making/sealing/finishing threads and would like to ask some of you to elaborate on the types of finishes and methods.

I am putting a nice piece of wood on a Rem long action. I plan on making this my "heavy hunting gun" I would want to take this gun to "Elk Country" and maybe one day to Alaska. Every other gun I own is a synthetic stocked something or other and I am tired of the "soul-less" look. I want a hunting rig that will start a conversation. This being said. I have done 2 stocks so far for my cousins and uncles as gifts. All have an incresed improvement in the quality of finish and workmanship. I guess you really do get better with practice.

Anyhoo, I have read about the Acraglass finish for stocks and that is intriguing along with several of your "home brews" I guess what it comes down to is....Which sealing and finishing materials/methods would give me the best looking/most durable finish possible?

Presently, I have been using a modified Tung Oil product. Both generic Tung Oil cut with Mineral Spirits and a Minwax product that has a hardner in it and dries quicker. The Minwax product is the easiest to work with and just never seems to build up. I don't know what all is in it but I like it better than cutting the Tung Oil myself.

I plan on bedding this gun and tend to do full length bedding jobs but floating the barrel. I use the bedding to help seal up the insides of the stock (of course I use the Oil Finish in there as well).

I will thank everyone in advance and I look forward to the repsonses.

Thanks,
Jason

Jason, I use spar varnish to seal the wood then apply the oil. What you do is apply two coats of spar varnish as a sealer. Once the varnish has dried I sand the stock surface back down to the point that the wood surface is once again exposed. The spar varnish has sealed the pores of the wood; therefore, "weatherproofing" the stock. I now apply minwax tung oil or linseed oil to the wood to give it that oiled finish look. The inletting is sealed with 3-4 coats of spar varnish. Again the advantage to this method is that the spar varnish works into the pores of the wood itself and seals the wood. The oil is merely superficial and cosmetic. Basically, the best of both worlds!

Do not forget to seal the butt end of the stock as well. I apply spar varnish to the butt until it no longer soaks in plus one additional coat.

Straight oil finishes can we washed out rather easily exposing the pores of the wood to water. Remember wood's pores are designed by nature to transfer water through the wood. Once exposed they are very efficient at getting the water well distributed through your stock, A BAD THING!

Axel

Jason,

There are many stock finishing techniques and most are good. Anytime you work with wood, you get the best results from the best prep work. Before you seal or apply any finish, you should have spent a good time sanding.

Here is a link to a site with one method to finish:

http://riflestocks.tripod.com/

It is a good start and look for threads on this board and also here:

http://pub86.ezboard.com/fmilitaryfirearmrestorationcornerfrm1?page=1

You tend to spend a good deal of time working slowly with fine wood. Shaping, feathering, finish sanding, sealing, filling the grain, and then reworking areas and then applying oil or varnish or whatever coats you like.

FWIW - I have personally never seen a properly done tung oil finish "wash" off a gun stock or other piece of wood [used on boats mostly] in the past 20+ years, but have read online a couple of instances of it happening.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time.

Good Luck

I have used every finish known to man and I decided the best finish is the one that works for you....

One person seems to get along great with one finish and another can't make it work..What I am saying is that it is in the application not so much the finish within reason

I like Trueoil, and a number of finishes offered by Brownells..

My favorite is 1/3 Flecto oil; 1/3 mineral Spirits; and 1/3 Danish Oil to heat it up...This is a tough water resistant finish and good for a hunting rifle without a lot of shine...the drawback is Flecto contains tulenal and that is supposed to be a cancer causing something or other, but it only seems to effect the meadow muffin California stock makers!!

Whatever finish I use I always rottenstone it down at the last using a scotch pad and oil with rottenstone and top it off with a few coats of Pilkingtons Red Oil to get a London Oil finish look...