No4 Mk1 Enfield stock refinishing

[xa-coupe]

After trying out citristrip and BLO on a test stock I went ahead and disassembled my new to me No4 Mk1 which had been varnished.

Before, all varnished up:


After, stripped and 2 coats of BLO.



It looks much more the part I think !

Information

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[louthepou]

Looks better indeed. Funny how many will associate "shining" with "better looking". Not always the case isn't it.

Good job!

After a few days or a few weeks, you may want to apply another coat on it, and do this once or twice after that, over the next few months.

Lou

[xa-coupe]

Thanks Lou! Thanks for the hint, It's lost it's oily feel so now might be the time for another coat.

[Bear43]

Looks much better now. I find part of the pleasure I derive from owning these ol' gals is the yearly ritual of disassembly, inspection, and stock oiling. It's all part of the fun.

[Peter Laidler]

After oiling, especially during our apprenticeships, we'd 'bone' the woodwork. That is use a 1" or so diameter hardwood dowel pressing down hard into the woodwork as you rub it back and forth, rubbing the linseed into the grain. Doing so would close up the grain leaving you with a super smooth sheen. After seeing a few rifles finished like that ensured that you were never tempted to use varnish again. Maybe a wipe with french polish or button polish but nothing else.

And if Mr 'paddy' Reilly, the woodworking instructor ever caught you sanding a stock without a woodblock backer for the finest sandpaper, you were for the high jump. It ensured that all of the edges remained sharp and correct and didn't 'feather away' as he used to call it!

[xa-coupe]

thanks Peter, more useful information. The care and feeding of a Milsurp is almost a digest of it's own.