https://forum.accurateshooter....k-finishing.4109043/ I spotted and read this write-up and thought some here may find it an interesting read.

Very detailed and interesting thread. The time and effort he put in this process really makes for a beautiful finish.

I stopped reading after it said FOURTY TO FIFTY applications of LINSEED oil!
Sheer Nonsense; you will just waste your time and have a finish that will not repel moisture.
We have come a long way past this method.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I stopped reading after it said FOURTY TO FIFTY applications of LINSEED oil!
Sheer Nonsense; you will just waste your time and have a finish that will not repel moisture.
We have come a long way past this method.

Yeah, those Purdy guys are known for their shitty work. You should have kept on reading, you might have learned something.

Only thing I learned is that I misspelled Forty.
Nothing else. We no longer use those ancient techniques and products any more. They didn't know any better; they did the best they could with the technology and chemistry they had.
As with anything else, everyone is free to do whatever they want, no matter how misguided.

Funny thing about many Brit gunsmith/gunmakers; when they talk with US gunsmiths they tout how many trade secrets and old methods allow them to do processes so much faster and more efficiently.

When they talk to US customers and clients it is all about how trade secrets and old methods take so much more time and are so much slower and better than modern methods.

I used to use BLO or Tung oil, or Tru-Oil on my stocks many years ago, but now I use them only on my milsurp rifles. Also used to use a satin polyurethane top coat, but have been using satin Spar Varnish as I think it provides a more durable top coat. I’m no expert, so take that with a grain of salt!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I stopped reading after it said FOURTY TO FIFTY applications of LINSEED oil!
Sheer Nonsense; you will just waste your time and have a finish that will not repel moisture.
We have come a long way past this method.

NOPE

i did ONE stock with a bajillion coats of linseed oil -- ONE - it was inane and never dried -

i like velvit oil, to be honest

That stock finishing information was interesing. Would pay to be careful about the exposure to some of that stuff...antimony,. cobalt for instance.

Realistically, I do not believe there is ANY completely safe fnish, with the possible exception of linseed oil.

Just no use "double dipping" if there no need to do so.

quote:

antimony

Man, you'd KNOW if you absorbed THAT through your skin.. can you say vulanic purges?

The label on this can of Pro Custom Oil says; Contains Hydrotreated Light Petroleum Distillate, Xylene, Hydrotreated Light Process Distillate, Ethyl Benzene, and Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime. WARNING Cancer and Reproductive Harm. I can't seem to find any ingredient list on the jar of GB Lin-Speed. I found MSDS for both Lin-Speed and Velvit just by Googling. None sound very healthy for the human body. All have "warnings"

Ask a professional painter which is better for exterior wood, poly coats or BLO.
Once a poly coat starts to go south they look horrible, time for total refinish down to bare wood. With Linseed you just add another coat, and the more you add as time goes by the better it gets. But gunsmiths like poly coats because they are far less labor intensive and time consuming.

quote:

Originally posted by slivers:
The label on this can of Pro Custom Oil says; Contains Hydrotreated Light Petroleum Distillate, Xylene, Hydrotreated Light Process Distillate, Ethyl Benzene, and Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime. WARNING Cancer and Reproductive Harm. I can't seem to find any ingredient list on the jar of GB Lin-Speed. I found MSDS for both Lin-Speed and Velvit just by Googling. None sound very healthy for the human body. All have "warnings"

That is the problem with the oil is that by the time you have applied 50 or so coats your dick will have fallen off and cancer will have got you before you get a chance to shoot the gun

That is funny!
TWIMC: I am sure that no painter uses linseed oil to protect houses; at least not here in the midwest. Your house would soak up water like a sponge and turn gray in 3 years.
Those old stocks from 100 years ago are "water resistant". NOT water repellant. So any stock that actually gets used in the field in adverse conditions, needs to have a real finish on it. They don't use poly either; we have better products than that now, due to modern chemistry.
Please give me the name of current gun makers who apply 50 coats of linseed oil to their stocks. Exorbitant cost in time and $, for zero gain.
So I can avoid them like the plague.
I like old ways of doing things too, but there is a limit and a point at which new things are better.
Not talking about poly; not sure where that entered this thread.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:

quote:

antimony

Man, you'd KNOW if you absorbed THAT through your skin.. can you say vulanic purges?

Just go to your computer and you'll see the possible effects from medical authority

Ive done well at 89 drenched in all those finishes, before I knew better..I see some old big bore Mauser in Africa, USA, gun shows and Safari club with Linseed and alkanet dye that sure look good and apparently been dry for eons!!

Most finishes work the same if applied properly, an oil modified Urethane is probably as good as any..

If one fears finish go to plastic maybe.

They told me the same thing about white bread, coffee, iodine, biscuits and gravy and on and on. I suppose this stuff will contribute to my death, probably die a week sooner!

My best protection on my main shooter (worn-through factory finished Merkel) is that at least with fresh TruOil, rub the first coat in by hand until it won't take anymore. I believe I got this idea from Mr. Wiebe right here on AR. Just rub rub rub with the palm of your hand for about 20-25 minutes and it will warm up and begin to dry up. After that dries completely, only a few following coats are neccesary to completely fill the grain. I tried a post prep (of course) spray coat of ProCustom Oil first and it wore off after just two rainy sessions in the field.

Everyone should realize that Tru oil is composed of polymerized linseed oil; it is not pure oil. That is the only reason it works well.

Tru-Oil is composed of 7-13% linseed oil, 15-40% proprietary modified oil, and 40-70% Stoddard solvent.

It's the "proprietary" part that is the varnish that makes it dry and makes it far better than just plain linseed oil.
That is why it works so well.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Everyone should realize that Tru oil is composed of polymerized linseed oil; it is not pure oil. That is the only reason it works well.

Exactly. That's why it's so much better than BLO.

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
Ask a professional painter which is better for exterior wood, poly coats or BLO.

As a Professional Painter for 35 years I have only used linseed oil on 1 job and that was interior woodwork, never once on an exterior. Now a heads up that many states are starting to ban solvent based finishes and thinners. I live in Michigan and you can hardly find mineral spirits. Varnish, Lacquer, etc. no longer available. Zylene, Acetone,Lacquer thinner if it was on the shelves it can be sold, but no more after it's gone.

quote:

you can hardly find mineral spirits. Varnish, Lacquer, etc. no longer available. Zylene, Acetone,Lacquer thinner if it was on the shelves it can be sold, but no more after it's gone

Also turpentine. Very hard to find original turpentine. Read the label it's a bunch of synthetic chemicals now. I like to thin my finishes with turpentine instead of mineral spirits.

Damn,you guys will be using 30 wt drain from your car before ya know it...

quote:

I like to thin my finishes with turpentine instead of mineral spirits.

My favorite also, was always able to find it but not sure now how easy it will be.

Or finger nail polish remover. Shhhhhhh.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Damn,you guys will be using 30 wt drain from your car before ya know it...