Hi All, was looking at the sticky "Remington 1903A3 (displaying original configuration and finish)"... and some photos had really dark wood... almost like old forest Honduran Mahogany, the others were more "orange-y"...
I'm used to thinking of walnut as being the darker of those two... does walnut really vary that much, or were some A3's simply stocked with something else?
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These stocks were only produced in walnut. I suspect the color variations exist from several factors or combination of all.
Different walnut absorbs oil finish according to age of tree, grain figure, sapwood VS corewood. Different BLO batches, and temps during initial dip
Arsenal refinishing methods
Time and exposure to UV etc.
Probably more I havent thought of.
This vid shows the difference I'm thinking of pretty well... He's got two A3's. One is dark. One is lighter, similar to the one I'm waiting to get out of the Ca. waiting period and bring home.
Personally, I think the darker looks better and seems more "period correct".
linseed oil is hygroscopic.
A fancy word that means it absorbs water.
If you look at wood treated with linseed oil,
the dark areas are where hands have held the stock.
There are many ways to prevent the absorbtion of
water, wax is one, but the military wasn't wanting
shiny stocks on the rifles, they just wanted something
to protect the wood without being expensive or shiny.
I like to use tung oil on my stocks. I don't mind if they
are shiny!
linseed oil is hygroscopic.
A fancy word that means it absorbs water.
If you look at wood treated with linseed oil,
the dark areas are where hands have held the stock.
There are many ways to prevent the absorbtion of
water, wax is one, but the military wasn't wanting
shiny stocks on the rifles, they just wanted something
to protect the wood without being expensive or shiny.
I like to use tung oil on my stocks. I don't mind if they
are shiny!
I have to admit, if it's done right, I don't mind shiny.
Thick shiny... like a layer of glass over the wood, I like, on the right gun. I like shiny on milsurps to, as long as isn't that bar top 50-Mil urethane look... I guess I'm saying it needs to be thin enough the wood looks shiny.
Here's the thing. I'm not 100% certain what a new coat of linseed oil on a stock really looks like.
I was thinking it looks this way... which is little thinner than I'd like. I want a finish to actually protect the wood. I.e. the finish should be the sacrificial element in my opinion... and the actual wood should never take any wear... that way the wood, is forever. Just refinish every so often... and ideally, the finish should keep crap out of the wood. The stock should not be a sponge. I finishes I can "scrub", LOL!
That said, I can really appreciate this kind thing too... but it strikes me as not historically correct by any means... This one's a Mosin.. but see the gloss on the buttstock? I like that.
Yes, that is very nice finish on the butt stock, but,
I don't understand a 'finish you can "scrub"' tho.
The shiny butt stock is what you get with many years of care.
You can get that with linseed oil, but you need to apply it every day,
Rub it in for about an hour by hand and let it dry overnight.
If you are married, your wife might get jealous, if she does, you
are doing it right!
The same goes for tung oil, but it is less hygroscopic than linseed oil.
Use the oil, not the varnish. Tung oil applies like linseed oil, but tung
oil varnish builds up as layers and gives depth to the finish. Tung oil
gives you the 'shiny wood' look, and protects better as well.
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Originally Posted by Crashyoung
