I am refinishing the stock and forend on my Browning B-78 and I have a couple of questions. The first of which is, stock finish, I am doing a oil finish and was wondering what you guys would use Watco (sp?) danish oil or Birchwood Casey True-oil?

The second question is on grip caps. I picked up a grip cap from Brownell's and I have that all fitted. My problem is the screw. It is oversized big time. When installed it bottoms out and sticks up by approximately 3/16". What do I do about that?

Any help on either question would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jay

Deputy450--

I use a mixture of 1 part Watco Marine Sealer, 1 part mineral spirits and one part Spar varnish.

You could substitute Tru-Oil for the Spar if you like.

The screws are fitted until the slots are north and south then filed and polished flush with the cap.

Brent--

Look for the "phenolic resins" or "phenol" components. That's what makes it "spar" varnish. It was the best stuff a sailing ship had to protect the spars from sun and rain.

Check the model builders and furniture maker sites.

I've had good luck with Helmsman Spar Poly (by Minwax, I think). It seems to be really tough and it does thin with MS even though they say not to. I tried it on a piece of driftwood (literally) and laid it on the deck several years ago.

I'm impressed. I just used it on a refinish job and it worked very well, but I haven't used this piece of cheap Turkish for crutch or a canoe paddle or a plow yet, or fought off charging grizzlys with it like these Plastique Mystique shooters say they absolutely must have........

Deiputy450, I use a product called Daleys BenMatte. It is a polymer modified Tung oil. It has a flat finish and seals very well. After some soaking coats I use a Marine Varnish to fill the pores, removing the excess back to the wood surface with furniture finishing scrapers (not the kind you use to remove paint). Then I finish by wet sanding coats of BenMatte, lots of them.

I just finished a stock using JBelk's mixture.
It looks really good.I surprised myself.
Jeff

hey guys I have made four stocks of walnut up to this point and I did them in Forby's tounge oil. It was messy for sure, but it fills the voids in the wood nice and looks great. Are some of the products listed as good, and or are easier to use?....thanks Bob

I tried Tung oil.JBelks mixture looks alot better.
I just added oil based stain for color.
Jeff

Mr. Belk,
Do you brush the mixture on or rub it in? If brushing what type do you recommend. What stripper wiould you recommend to prep an old stock.
Thanks,
Ralph

Mr. Belk, can one substitute Tung oil for the Spar?

I'll try to answer the questions in order--

222blr-- The last time I looked all the Formby stuff was for furniture. That means it has nothing to guard against water or UV light.
Tung oil has been used for several thousand years as a very tough varnish in China, but it has to be rated as "Exterior" to be usable for stocks, IMO.

Jeff P--- I use different colors of colored Watco Danish to add character. Dark Cherry for the red Winchester look and dark walnut for everything else.

Ralph--- I brush on the first coat ALL DAY long, making sure the wood never gets a dull look without another coat on top of it....inside, outside and under the furniture. Slop on the finish and let the excess run off. Pay close attention to all the inletting, front of the comb, rear of the cheek piece, front of the grip and under the cap and butt plate. The thinned finish will soak a LONG way into end grain. Once the stock has drank all it'll hold I let it dry a week then scrape off the excess with my pocket knife and wet sand with 400 Wet or Dry back down to the wood and let it dry another week.

It should now be sealed and most of the pores filled and the finish is hard and dry.

For a custom finish, hand rub more finish on it with more wet sanding.

For a quick and easy finish spray it with an exterior Polyurethane and lightly rub it out with brown ScotchBrite and wax it.

I use Jasco Pro paint stripper for all old finishes.

Larrys--- You can substitute any varnish, tung oil, or poly U for spar varnish, but as said above, if it's not listed for exterior use it will yellow with age and won't be water proof. Spar varnish has both.

The Ben Matte finish that Chic uses is GOOD stuff. I just haven't found it on the shelf yet.

Thanks for the help guys. I have had an intresting time since I posted my question. I started finishing with True-oil and on the third coat dropped it and dinged it. Fortunately I was able to steam the dent out.

On the grip cap, I filed that smooth and shaped it with a file. I then used my palm sander with, 100,180,220,400,600,800 and 1200 grit paper and sanded it into fine shape.

So thanks again guys for your help. I am well on my way to having a fine rifle when I am done.

Jay