Can a laminated stock be refinished with linseed or tung oil? I didn't know if the wood would take oil or not with the glue in the stock.

Thanks, Al

Just use automotive clear acrylic(spelling?) enamel. If you want a satin finish use about 4-5 coats, let it dry a week, and use 0000 steel wool to dull the shine.
There is a problem sometimes with the glue and the oil finishes, chemical reaction slows the drying time of the oils or at least that is what I have been told.

[This message has been edited by DuaneinND (edited 04-24-2002).]

Why would you want to?? Linseed is not suitable for finishing gunstocks or much of anything else.

I used a catalized urea formaldehyde clear finish, on my laminated Garand stock, and the last fourty or so jobs I did for hire. Same like the big boys, and it works great. As you get older, wiser and more experienced the BS goes out the window and results become importnat. For non Californians ( it is illegal here) use Fullerplast from Fuller O'brian paints. Conversion varnish is also very good. These catalized finishes do not form a skin and stay wet under. They dry very fast. They also come in various degrees of gloss. Wet sanding and rubbing-out is a joy. Build comes fast. This class of finish is far and away better than anything else available. Big company researchers spent time an money to develop superior finishing products. You can benifit form their work. The look is controlled by the operator. It can be made to look like a glossy Weatherby. Or you can apply the satin kind in thin coats and rub it out well to make a low build, low gloss "in the wood finish".

Did you know that linseed oil soaked rags can spontaniously burst into flames?? It would be a bummer to burn your house down!
Linseed oil is the "urban myth" and folklore of gunstock finihsing.

Bit of trivia, sugar was used in the ancient world as a wood finish. It could be made to produce a glossy coating. Just because someone once did something a particular way it doesn't mean it is a good idea today. Same goes for linseed oil.

Linseed oil mixed with Hoppies solvent will blue screw heads. Just heat them with a propane torch and drop them in a mix of Hoppies and linseed. They will come out with an attractive and durable blue. This is one good use for linseed in the gunshop.

[This message has been edited by scot (edited 04-24-2002).]

[This message has been edited by scot (edited 04-24-2002).]

I've finished a number of laminated stocks. My method is the same as I use with Walnut stocks that I have carved from a blank.

Once sanding is complete to a 220 grit, I raise the grain 3-4 times sanding with 220 paper between each raise. Next, for a sealing coat, I thin Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane 50/50 with paint thinner and brush the mix onto the stock, keeping at it until the wood won't absorb any more. Let it dry for a couple of days.

I then wet sand with pure Tung oil using 220 paper. This creates a muck of wood dust and oil that is used to fill the pores in the wood. When sanding is complete, spread the muck as evenly as possible over the wood and let the mess dry for a couple days at least.

Wet sand again with the Tung oil and 220 grit to cut the dried oil from the previous step but this time wipe off the oil/dust mixture with paper towell. Don't scrub the mix off-leave a little behind. You're still filling pores and if you rub too hard, the wet mix will be pulled from the pores. let this coat dry.

Repeat the previous step using 320, 400 and 600 grit wet sand paper. Once you've sanded with the 600, the wood is very smooth but there is probably some dried oil/wood mix that you can feel. After drying, wet sand again with 600 paper but this time rub it down hard with paper towell. There, you're done. The finish will be a matte because pure Tung oil will not dry to a high shine. If you want a bit more shine, hand rub on coats of Tung oil in tiny amounts with lots of rubbing.

After completion, I like to polish the stock with Rottenstone. I use a wet piece of felt from an old hat. I dab the wet felt in the Rottonstone and rub down the stock.

If you want a really high shine, add as many coat of Tru-oil as you want.

I use a oil modified Urathane from Brownells called Chem Pak, I use the spray can on laminate. Any good poly urathane is also good on laminated stock wood...

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

A lot of good advice here. Much to learn, thats for sure.
I finished a laminated stock with a Tru-Oil kit. The results were good enough for my tastes. I wanted to re-shape a Boyd's JRS stock, to make it simular to a Dakota stock. I am quite pleased with it. ~~~Suluuq