Needing to refinish a savage clikity clack gill gun and was curious about stain.

[beachdog77]

I was given the stock to a 1930's sears 101 ranger as asked to refinish it by a buddy of mine. It's a family heirloom of his and he asked me make it look good. The problem is it has already been has been sanded and horribly refinished by a bubba. its one of the worse ones I've seen. The finish is smudged, crackled and crazed and even some maroon fingernail polish. That and the wood beneath this finish is very light in tone.
I was wondering if the sear/savage gill gun had a stain applied to the wood or was it just the tone of the varnish they sprayed on it?
It is hard to tell by internet pictures if it was stained prior to being varnished. I plan on spraying it with a can of Mohawk stain guitar varnish and figure that is about as good as anything i can get here in California.
any tips or info welcome.

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[browningautorifle]

If you show us what you're dealing with maybe we can help...

[beachdog77]

Here it is. I havent down anything to it yet. But from what i can tell the wood looks light in color and the finish applied to it has a tint. I dont know much about these, if they were stained or just varnished originally. its a Sears Ranger 101.16 if that helps.
The finish on it is a bubba job.

[browningautorifle]

They may have a beech stock and those are hard to get the finish to sink in. Some of us have discussed this and used a thinner to help the darker stain into the wood. I use a Watco danish oil and it comes in about every shade you want. That one doesn't really look like it though, looks like walnut. Looks to have been varnished badly.

That wood needs to be liquid stripped first to open the grain. You shouldn't need any sanding. After a scrub using perhaps green scotchbright pads to feather the wood and settle the stain...and it should work. Once the wood is cleaned off don't be surprised if it's actually walnut under there...and just use an oil to darken it up.

[beachdog77]

Thanks BAR. I'll use a liquid stripper on it and then Danish oil and see how it turns out. I tend to avoid sand paper unless really necessary. Ill update when able.

[browningautorifle]

I use Circa 1850 stripper I think it is...there are others. Spread on, steel wool to lift varnish and then wash off. Let dry and oil...the early guns seemed to be walnut even though sometimes you'd get outside/inside wood and there would be a lighter shade there. Doesn't look like beech to me...

Here's some info on types and dates... Savage Model 6A? - RimfireCentral.com Forums

[can14&]

I use a combination of 1/3 mineral spirits or turpentine 2/3 BLO
Let it soak in wipe off and dry then do it again
Takes time to get it right