No. 4 stock finishing

[ShaveTail]

So I'm at the stage where I'm staring at a stripped stock and wondering what to do with it. Anyone have an opinion? What works well for an Enfield? I'm thinking of just using lindseed oil ala a Garand, but I'm not sure. Heresy?

Had no choice in stripping it, there was nothing I could do to that stock that would hurt its value, it was pretty damned ugly. But the markings came through just fine, including the (English?) arrow in a circle, an L43 in a circle (Longbranch 1943? That's the maker and year of the rifle...), a stamp reading L. (or I) S. 7, 528, PTC, an E arrow up 9 in a circle, and a 296 (which is very, very odd as the last three numbers at the mag, receiver, and bolt are 295).

Appears to be walnut.

[Alan de Enfield]

So I'm at the stage where I'm staring at a stripped stock and wondering what to do with it. Anyone have an opinion? What works well for an Enfield? I'm thinking of just using lindseed oil ala a Garand, but I'm not sure. Heresy?

Had no choice in stripping it, there was nothing I could do to that stock that would hurt its value, it was pretty damned ugly. But the markings came through just fine, including the (English?) arrow in a circle, an L43 in a circle (Longbranch 1943? That's the maker and year of the rifle...), a stamp reading L. (or I) S. 7, 528, PTC, an E arrow up 9 in a circle, and a 296 (which is very, very odd as the last three numbers at the mag, receiver, and bolt are 295).

Appears to be walnut.

A BLO job is what is needed.

Boiled Linseed Oil once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and then yearly for the rest of your life.

[Edward Horton]

RLO – raw linseed oil was applied during the war.

A water or alcohol base stain works the best, an oil base stain will seal the wood and prevent the linseed oil from sinking deeply into the wood.

Warning, todays BLO is fake and is toxic, read the MSDS sheets for the product you buy.

[ShaveTail]

Holy crap, I've been using the stuff for YEARS unprotected:

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infpai/inflin.html

"Then, there are those dang additives. Let me quote the warning label from a typical hardware-store can of boiled linseed oil I read the other day...

'Use of this product will expose you to arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cadmium and nickel, which are known to cause cancer; and lead which is known to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm.'"

Damn. Damn. Damn.

[MXL]

Fairtrimmers.

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

I've been using BLO for years and problem not haven't it with had.

[Infanteer]

[QUOTE=ShaveTail;100667
But the markings came through just fine, including the (English?) arrow in a circle, an L43 in a circle (Longbranch 1943? That's the maker and year of the rifle...), a stamp reading L. (or I) S. 7, 528, PTC, an E arrow up 9 in a circle, and a 296 (which is very, very odd as the last three numbers at the mag, receiver, and bolt are 295).

Appears to be walnut.[/QUOTE]

The arrow is most likely in a large C, commonly referred to as a C broad arrow stamp (see my avatar) which means that the item was accepted by a military inspector and that the item is Canadian military property. The Long Branch (two words) mark looks like a large letter L with a superimposed capital B.

[Edward Horton]

Read the MSDS Sheets

Real boiled linseed oil gives much better durability and water protection, fake non-boiled linseed oil does NOT plus it is TOXIC.

Toxic Linseed oil
1. Hazardous Ingredients, Cobalt Neodecanoate, Cobalt 2-Ethylhexanoate, Mineral Spirits, Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether, Manganese Neodecanoate, Manganese 2 Ethylhexanoate
2. Potential Chronic Health Effects:
Signs and Symptoms: Effects of overexposure include irritation of the nose and throat,
irritation of the digestive tract and signs of nervous system depression (e.g., headache,
drowsiness, dizziness, loss of coordination and fatigue).

3. Skin Protection: Prevent skin contact. Wear chemical-resistant flexible-type gloves
(neoprene, PVC, butyl, nitrile or similar). Depending on conditions of use additional protective equipment may be necessary such as face-shield, apron or coveralls.

http://www.newparks.com/PDF/MSDS/SOLVENTS/BoiledLinseedOil.pdf



Nontoxic Linseed oil

1. Linseed oil, CAS # 8001-26-1, % by Weight 100 (100% pure linseed oil)
2. Toxicological Data on Ingredients: Linseed oil LD50: Not available. LC50: Not available. (no toxic additives)
3. DOT Classification: Not a DOT controlled material (United States).

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Linseed_oil-9924500

[Peter Laidler]

Me andthousands of other Armourers the world over have been using linseed oil since the year dot. We used it cold, warm and hot. Tanks full of it, up to our elbows fishing out hundreds of No1, 4, 5, 8 and L42 fore-ends, Bren and L1A1woodwork. The smell was a positive feature about Armourers overalls and dust coats. The thing I have noticed is a greater sex drive and ability to go off at a tangent occasionally.

What were we talking about now............?

[Beerhunter]

I use BLO bought in our local hardware shop in Alresford.

It appears to be made of Linseed Oil - nought else - and so, I suppose, is safe to use.

(BTW, I put the name of the town in because it is one of the place names that we pronounce idiosyncratically just to fool tourists. Actually it is more accurately New Alresford [12th/13th Century] as opposed the the neighboring village of Old Alresford which is, of course, much older.)