A Beautifully Figured Stock But What Finish?

[TheAlpineWolf]

Hi All,
I have just received a custom made SMLE stock cut from a piece of furniture grade walnut I selected and I can say for certain that Jesse and his crew over a Prestigious Wood Stocks did a wonderful job! Its to go on a smle Aldis sniper that I'm building up. Now therein lies the question, how to finish the stock? I have done one in the past but had very mixed results with sanding to a too fine grit and using poor quality linseed oil. My main concern is what grit is the best to sand a smle stock to and what is the best BLO to finish it with (and should I use something else like tung oil). Im open to any suggestions and would love to hear what you think!
Best Regards,
Sam.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[CINDERS]

That tiger striping will look awesome I use a 70/30 mix RLO/Mineral Turps rubbed in 24 hours drying between coats until it cannot take anymore then buff with a clean cotton rag I was also at one stage rubbing in bee's wax on top of the finished product but have since stopped that.
Do not scrunch up your rags and leave them as linseed oil is known to spontaneously combust.

Your asking has prompted me now is the time to redo my all 303's and spare stocks I have no excuses now I am retired.

[browningautorifle]

I would do a very fine finish on those. Then an oil as suggested.

[Singer B]

I would stay with the tried and true RLO. Some of those other finishes may hide or dilute that beautiful tiger strip grain. Doesn'took like it needs any real sanding. If you want a super-smooth and super shiny finish that is somewhat "hardened," then you will need to go with a varnish or shellac.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Do not use varnish. Do not use shellac. Do not use anything except first-class linseed oil with, for the first coats, a touch of pure, natural turpentine. And polish the surface with the method known as "boning" (effectively using a scraper with a trailing action to smooth down the wood fibers).

I described how to do this in detail in a multi-part thread on restoring an Argentino Rolling Block. Which seems to have gone AWOL. As it took me weeks* the first time, I do not feel inclined to do it all again. Please search for "boning" or "treacle rifle", and you should find a couple of before/after photos

Patrick


*correction: months!

[Patrick Chadwick]

THE SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND

- I had forgotten how to use the search function.

IT'S ALL STILL THERE

- And I am relieved that it was just my personal incompetence!

Actually, this link to a contribution on the Victorian Rifleman forum should give you a better idea of what boning can do:

India Pattern Brown Bess - Advice needed! - Page 2 - British Militaria Forums

- The wood ends up looking polished before you have applied any oil at all.

[tatou]

I second what Patrick Chadwick said about boning.
A method that was used in the days and explained to me by Englishman_CA
I used it myself on many of my stock finishing.
Instead of using a scraper he was using and actual bone that was rounded and curved.
But different tools can be used, a metal spoon for example works fine.
Putting it simply you are knocking down wood fibers and you rub oil into it with the tool.
My opinion on reproduction stocks however, is you can use what ever you wish on it... it's not like you are destroying any historical value to it.
You either want a very fine and ''perfect'' finish, a ''military'' finish or a ''good enough for me'' finish.
It all depends what is your end goal, the technique you use and how much effort you want to put into it.... there is really no wrong way, just personal preferences.

On a side note (i can't say for sure about those stocks since i've never used one) but any repro is usually not a drop it and fit is needed to the inside AND outside.
So some level of filing and sanding is needed before any final finishing is started.
To my eyes and personal taste, i see from pictures, that some minor work should be done to make them look better.... but like i said that is my own personal preference.

[Singer B]

THE SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND

- I had forgotten how to use the search function.

IT'S ALL STILL THERE

- And I am relieved that it was just my personal incompetence!

Actually, this link to a contribution on the Victorian Rifleman forum should give you a better idea of what boning can do:

India Pattern Brown Bess - Advice needed! - Page 2 - British Militaria Forums

- The wood ends up looking polished before you have applied any oil at all.

Thanks!

[TheAlpineWolf]

Hi Cinders,
Im hoping it will really pop when I finish it!
Thanks for the helpful info, is there any specific raw linseed oil you recommend and what's the benefit of using raw over boiled?
Best Regards,
Sam.

---------- Post added at 11:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 PM ----------

Thanks for the replies browningautorifle, Singer B, Patrick Chadwick and tatou!
I will definitely look into the boning, it would be nice to get that semi shiny finish you see on an old millsurp (I know it can never be truly replicated but hey, can always make it look close enough!)
Im going for a military sort of look, don't want it to look presentation rifle finished. Was their any recommendation on what is a good grit to sand to?
As always, love this forum and thank you all for sharing the knowledge that as a younger collector im yet to acquire!
Best Regards,
Sam.

[Alan de Enfield]

Thanks for the helpful info, is there any specific raw linseed oil you recommend

Look very closely at the data sheet for the brand of linseed oil you are planning to buy.
In some countries (USA being one) carcinogenic chemicals are added and health warnings about skin contact are issued.
To be sure that you are getting PURE Linseed oil go to an artist/paint supply shop, they do small jars for 'watering down' oil based paints. this is 100% Linseed oil.

You only need a small bottle as it 'goes along way'.

When you are finished do not screw up your linseed oil soaked clothes and throw them in the garbage - Linseed oil impregnated cloths can spontaneously combust and have led to folks having their house burn down.
Open up the cloth, put it outside and let 'dry-out' in the air, then put it back in your cleaning kit.



https://abcnews.go.com/US/officials-...ry?id=40788665

To demonstrate how easily this can happen, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue in Maryland teamed up with “GMA” on the Lookout to conduct an experiment. We put linseed oil on some rags and put them into a box and we waited.

Donnie Boyd, a Montgomery County fire inspector, explained just how combustion occurs when linseed oil is left on a cotton rag.

“It actually heats up as it dries. It's a chemical reaction,” he said. “So it spontaneously combusts once it reaches its ignition temperature.”

Two hours into the experiment, a probe recorded a temperature of 204 degrees inside the box, and after four and a half hours, smoke appeared. Nearly six hours into the experiment, the box was burning.