Early Inland Value - Stock Restore

[shadycon]

That is some real precision work he is doing.

[ABPOS]

That is some real precision work he is doing.

Call me crazy, and maybe I am, but I think that second picture is actually a "She". It seems like there is possibly some long hair tucked up under that hat. And possibly I see a womanly figure underneath those work duds.

[INLAND44]

The early carbines had stocks of American Black Walnut, which has a reddish-brown hue. No staining was done because the stock was already dark, and got darker with the application of linseed oil. Later, when stocks began to be recycled at the depots/arsenals, they stained them with U.S. stock stain. This is a turpentine-based stain that is nearly black with a red/brown hue. It is wiped on with a cheesecloth in one or two applications and allowed to thoroughly dry before using linseed oil. Raw Linseed Oil was the stock oil issued until the end of the wooden stocks in general issue. The stock in question seems to have been bleached, and I don't think it will look right without being stained.
The carbine stock didn't have a hard finish, because the idea was that the RLO would be used on it throughout it's service, and RLO can't penetrate a hard finish.
The OP mentioned using 'several coats' of RLO. There is no such thing - it is wiped on in small amounts, and it soaks into the wood. We use turpentine with either RLO or BLO to speed penetration.
The stock in question definitely needs to be stained before starting the oil. I wish I could recommend a substitute for U.S. stock stain, but since I have no experience with the modern replacements, I can't say if any of them would be correct for the stock.