Garand Stock Care

[ultraseven]

Hi All,

I have a Garand with what looks to be a replacement stock. The wood seems really dried out to me. Is there a treatment (or oil) I can use to revitalize the wood?

Thanks in advance.

Ultraseven.

Information

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[rich v]

a mixture of boiled linseed oil, gum turpentine hand rubbed into wood, let dry, wipe off excess and do it again; works for me.

[JBS]

Boiled linseed oil from an artist supply. It will be real boiled linseed oil with out the junk you do not want in your stock.

[Johnny Peppers]

Looks like that stock had a severe treatment with "Easy Off" and has turned green.

Boiled linseed oil and turpentine found at your local hardware store mixed 50/50 will do a good job of restoring some life to the wood, but unless the color in the photograph was off, I don't think it will help the color.

[DaveN]

You said boiled linseed and turpentine 50/50. I have both raw and boiled. Could raw linseed oil be used instead of boiled? What I'm asking is does it mater...BLO or RLO? And if so why is one better than the other ? I only use linseed oil on my Garand stocks , and wonder what difference I can expect with the 50/50 mix ?

[Terry N.]

The 'boiled' linseed oil found in the hardware store is, in reality, raw linseed oil with chemical driers added. Raw linseed oil, by itself, will take forever to 'dry.' BLO from the artist's supply house is real BLO ~ significantly more expensive, but you're not going to use it by the gallon.

So, to answer your specific question, yes, you can use raw linseed oil, but cut it with (real) turpentine first. Warming the mixture up will help it to penetrate the wood much better, as well.

I think you're going to need to stain that stock in order for it to look decent. I would do this: rub the stock down with a good furniture stripper - something like Formby's or Hope's, not paint stripper. Let dry for at least a day, then apply a coat of Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner (or equivalent). Let dry overnight. Stain to suit, remembering that the oil will darken the stock somewhat. Let the stain dry overnight, wipe down with #0000 steel wool and a tack rag. Apply heated oil mixture until the wood is saturated (about 15 minutes), then wipe off any excess. Wait about 30 minutes, then apply a second coat until saturated. Wipe off any excess, then allow to dry thoroughly (days, not hours). Wipe down with steel wool, tack rag, then apply a good wood wax.