Raw Lineseed Oil

[imarangemaster]

Well, wiped it down after an hour. Holy Smokes! My white dish rag is grey to black! I rubbed in a medium coat of 100% RLO and will let it set over night. I'll try a another clean rag tomorrow and see what comes off. Tomorrow I will detail strip the metal, and scrub with some Break-Free CLP and a tooth brush. I was going to use some acetone, but don't want to get rid of the green-grey look of the metal.

[imarangemaster]

UPDATE: I just wiped wiped it down this morning with with a couple of clean white shotgun patches. Other than the yellow of the RLO, there was only the slightest hint of grimes on the patch after finishing. I suspect that was from the channel in the stock, as it was clean before that. Wiped it down with a very light coat of 100% RLO and will let is dry. It is out in the 65 degree sun with a gentle breeze. That may not sound unusual, except for the fact it is December 28th in the high Sierra at 2500 ft! I'll post some pictures using my wife's good camera later today before I go to work.

[Bubba-7]

You really don't have to let it dry. And it does not "dry" at all like BLO, it soaks in. Well after a few months what touches the air will get hard. Just rub in down to get any excess off what has not soaked in. I have put RLO on, wait an hour, wiped it off with a hard rub and I put the metal back on and assemble the carbine. No more than two hours from first coat of 50-50 to reassembly after the second coat of 100% RLO.

[imarangemaster]

Yeah, I guess let it dry was a mis-statement. I just took a clean cloth and wiped of any excess about an hour ago. Going to take some pictures.

[imarangemaster]

Well, here are some pictures. The light is really terrible, as this time of year in the mountains, it barely goes over the tops of the trees, and because it is so indirect, the shadows are dark. It has original bolt, etc. mounted.

[USGI]

Looks good!

I've put BLO on some, and RLO on others. Most of them "ooze" out some oil when you take them out to shoot on a hot day - especially if they are in direct sunlight. Is that because most have had BLO on them at sometime, and that won't let the oil penetrate, or is it they just have too much oil soaked into the wood? The IBM from Israel oozes the most, and it smells a lot like fish oil. Oil never seems to stop coming out of it.

My older brother was in the NG in the late 50's and said they all used RLO on their rifles once, just a day before marching in the 4th of July parade. He said oil was almost dripping off the rifles after they got them out into the hot sun. Same problem I have with the IBM. What's the explanation of this, both types linseed oil used at some point?

I have an Inland that I stripped a shiny finish off of, restained, and probably put 3 or 4 coats of BLO on. The BLO seems to soak in as fast as you put more on. There's not really any shine to it - what's up with that? Of course, I didn't really want it to shine, but expected it with the BLO. - Bob

[imarangemaster]

I think BLO is a tougher finish, and I generally prefer it to RLO. That is what I had on my Standard Products mix-master (which already had a BLO or Tung oil finish on it when I got it). This is the first carbine that I am sure has only had the original finish, since it original and un-messed with, and was somewhat "dry" when I got it. That's why I decided to use RLO on this one.