Arisaka Stock Color Question

[bob q]

I have over 250 T-99 rifles and your color and finish looks very wrong to me .

[Aragorn243]

I don't want to really weigh in on the stock color until better photos are available but that stock has some really nice grain and coloration to it.

[MilsurpMM]

I don't want to really weigh in on the stock color until better photos are available but that stock has some really nice grain and coloration to it.

I know. I love the coloration and grain but if it's the wrong color for the rifle, I might have to just buy a new stock for it

---------- Post added at 06:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:23 PM ----------

I have over 250 T-99 rifles and your color and finish looks very wrong to me .

Can you send some pictures of your inventory?

[bob q]

Someone really worked some stain into the wood , that brought out the grain . That is one of the things that just looks wrong . Japanese stocks were a light wood with a heavy stain put on them that covered up the grain . I do not do photos , sorry .

[MilsurpMM]

Someone really worked some stain into the wood , that brought out the grain . That is one of the things that just looks wrong . Japanese stocks were a light wood with a heavy stain put on them that covered up the grain . I do not do photos , sorry .

I've seen stocks with old finishes on them with the grain being visible.

http://img02.deviantart.net/706f/i/2...us-d5m0eg5.jpg

I mean this one looks original

I've looked at loads of woods with Urushi finishes (like on the Arisaka) and they all have noticeable grain details.

[bob q]

The one you posted the photo of does not look anything like yours to me .

[MilsurpMM]

The one you posted the photo of does not look anything like yours to me .

no, I'm giving you a different example of a rifle with the grain being very noticeable.

https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.h...=131&t=1350630

I saw this one as well with a very nice grain which the owner claims to be an original finish stock

[Marines55]

As stated, the stock color is wrong for a mid production rifle. To tell you the correct color, post photos of the markings in front of and behind the serial number. I too own many Arisakas, have my own website on them, and have been published in many books about the subject. The stock color is wrong, but the grain has little to do with it

[bob q]

no, I'm giving you a different example of a rifle with the grain being very noticeable.

https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.h...=131&t=1350630

I saw this one as well with a very nice grain which the owner claims to be an original finish stock

As I said , the grain on YOUR rifle looks different to me than the grain on the OTHER rifles . The grain on your rifle has been artificially enhanced by rubbing / sanding stain into the wood . But if you want it to be original looking , then it is , why did you ask in the first place ?

[Aragorn243]

The thing about wood is it's very hard to cover up the grain. What makes Arisaka stocks so "plain" if you will is the lack of any grain in the wood. Now the color itself of the rifle is fine. Colors vary along the entire spectrum of light tan, through reddish shades to very dark, almost black. I have one of each although the very dark one is a Type 38, not a Type 99. What makes this one "odd" is the extreme grain. The wood is not what is typically used for these rifles. I do notice that the bolt is a late war bolt, plain handle and suspect that by this point they were using whatever wood they could get their hands on. I did run a quick search on Arisaka images on Bing which anyone can do and found two rifles with similar graining. One is significant because it is on the butt stock. Lower half is plain old no grain wood, upper half has the sharp crisp graining like on the fore end of your rifle.

Grain in wood can be emphasized by the direction and placement of the cuts. Some woods are more prominent than others but swirly grains are typical near and around branches, etc. So this is not a typical "cut" for an Arisaka stock but it doen't mean it's not an original stock. It probably is. The finish remains what is in question and I don't think it's possible to determine if it is original based on these few photos.

There is a strong possibility someone did notice the wood and worked to bring it out more than it had been. You should look at the overall condition of the wood, dings, scratches, sharpness of the edges, etc. Lack of dings or scratches and rounded edges are all signs of sanding. Is the metal recessed or is the wood still "large" and sticking out further. Are the barrel bands tight or loose?