16ga.com ~ View topic

having read both "Cleaning old gun stocks-pics" and "Quesions about care and maintenance before and after rain"

here
http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2224
and here
http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2169

I have still more Q's

My Fulton ranger has been reworked at least on the wood (I can't tell is the blue/case has been worked but I suspect not) - there's a repair on the forend that has some poly or maybe some of whatever resin was used fo the repair but the rest of the wood has very little poly or varnish finsh - up by the action, you can see swirls where the old finish has been removed via scrubby thing of some description.

The wood is nicely colored and I have just finished washing it with Murphy's - I intend to get some old English and give it a good rubbing (just too many jokes sometimes...).

I know most here would say to simply wax over it but I'm not used to a simple wax finish - I'm used to the gloss shine of my remington 1100 or at the very least the remnants of whatever Browning used once upon a time...poly/varnish type finishes.

I'd prefer to do something that stands up to weather a little better than (I'm guessing) wax would - I had the gun out on the duck marsh today and the colors ran right out of it with the water/rain/snow (hence the cleaning and re-oiling).

Ideally, I'd like to get a satin or even flat finish on the wood - I realize I may be "polishing a turd" by putting so much attention into a gun that is less than collectable, etc. but I'd like it to last at least as long as I think I might be (another 30 years or so...).

So do I go to HD and check out the poly options - the usual thin the first coat 50%, multiple coats with 000 steel wool in between, yaddayaddayadda or are there other optins I could go with?

I don't mind waiting until spring to start working the wood either as I have another project slated and it would compliment nicely...

thanks All for the input.

Hey Sprocket:

I had an experience with Dad's Old Gun (16 ga Fox Model B) that you may wish to emulate.

While the receiver and barrels were off for cleaning and re-bluing two summers ago I took the following actions:

1 - I soaked the wood (sans metal) in spar varnish remover (got a gallon at Sears Hardware) covered (floated wood) for about 10 days (turning occasionally), after which I allowed it to dry in my garage (85+ in summer) for about the same length of time

2 - sanded with medium, then finer and finer grained sand paper (avoiding checkering) - in the finer coats using a wet cheeze cloth to wet wood

3 - got an Antique Wood Stain (walnut - for firearms, stain resistant 519-200-104)from Brownells, realized it was TOO DARK and cut it 25/75 with spar varnish, rubbed on 3-4 THIN coats with cheeze cloth (got color I wanted)

4 - went back to Sears Hardware and got MINWAX Wipe-On Poly (clear gloss - hand rubbed) (upc 27426 40900) and wiped on a coat per day with CHEEZE CLOTH for 2 weeks - NO sanding - basically I just kept putting on a very thin layer each day - almost drying it with cheeze cloth (lint free) each time

I was really pleased with the results. I don't have before pictures, but do have after pics. If I can get revdocdrew to set me up I will post em Very Happy

I've had good results with Watco Danish Oil Medium Walnut followed by Minwax Wipe-On Poly (Polyurethane) also.

And Dr 16g-if you'll e-mail a couple of pics I'll bribe my bride into posting them Rolling Eyes

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Sprocket,

After the wood prep, including stripping, sanding and de-whiskering:

Mix your own blend, 50/50 Tung oil and spar urethane varnish (not poly), first coat or 2 diluted with turp or mineral spirits. Hand rub in a few drops a day, avoid the checkering. Wait at least a day between applications, longer is better if the humidity is high or the air is cool.

After it builds up to a thick enough coat to show a rich gloss wet sand it lightly with 600 grit wet dry paper using fresh finish as a lube. Use a rubber eraser as a semi hard backing for the paper so you sand evenly with a flat surface.

Wipe it down with a lint free cloth. And after a day or so add another coat with just a few drops. Repeat till you have the gloss level you like and stop.

It will probably be fine at that point but you can keep building it up and cutting it back till the pores in the wood are all flush. That's just about personal preference.

The stocks on the left were done that way, the stock on the right is a NOS factory stock with a satin polyurethane.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jeffmulliken/photo/294928803359727762/15

Two more stocks done that way, the one on the bottom is mid way through the process of building the finish, I just could not wait to shoot it (it's a '23 16 ga)

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jeffmulliken/album/576460762327104138/photo/294928803359740613/5

The blend I use is handled like the commercial wipe on finishes but I like it a lot better, it builds more slowly giving you more control. Figure your gun will be out of service for two weeks or so.

Best regards,

Jeff

OK so I've been told to "avoid the checkering" several times - I understand it's so the cuts don't get fliied with finish but...

how do you protect the checkering when the rest of the wood is to spec?

As for the darkness/color - I'm happy with the colors as is -maybe it needs some Old English oil - for depth - will the finish be interfered/compatable with the old english?

My wood has a Decelerator pad on it - no visible screws - how would I go about removing it to cover the butt with finish?

Thanks again All - it looks as if spring will be the time to do this work

Oh hey Jeff - is the '23 "Droopy"? Sah-weet!

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

After the stock is done I hit the checkering with finish diluted with mineral spirits or turp. I rub it in with an old toothbrush, then blot out all the finish that is not absorbed with a lint free towel and hand rub the stock with any loose finish, this is the last step.

Regarding color, unless the wood is hideous dont use stain of any sort. If you really think youo need color let me know and I'll explain the issues and give you some options.

Your pad is held on with two screws. Look closely at the pad and you'll find 2 vertical razor blade cuts over the screw heads. Lube up your screw driver with vaseline or some such and work it through the slits and unscrew the screws. Leave the screw heads under the slits. No need to pull them through and the less you disturb the slits the less evident they will become.

Regarding the pics, note the soft glow. I avoid a hard shine.

The 1923 straight stocked A5 is a Grade 1 Standard Sixteen, that's the first year they imported 16's to Browning. It's got a rare barrel address "Browning Brothers Company". The gun above it is a 1928 Standard Twelve with great wood for a grade 1 gun..... I think it's French Walnut.

"Droopy" is a 1906 straight stocked Standard Twelve, I do not have finished pic's yet but the stock puts that 16 to shame. Droopy's stock is old English walnut, dark reds and brown with black smoky tendrils...neat.

Jeff

While we're on this subject: one of my guns has a refinished stock. Not a bad job, and I bought it to hunt with so I wasn't too concerned. The finish is a bit shiney but I can knock that down so no problem there. What is a problem is that they apparently used a spray finish of some sort (kinda looks like Deft, maybe) and sprayed the checkering too, so it's a little shiney. Any suggestions of how I could knock that down just a bit? Thanks...

Fin

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

If there is finish in the checkering you can either strip and refinish or have the checkering recut to remove the finish. Pros charge a chunk of change.

Unless you have some experience with checkering don't just order a tool and start cutting.

I've been doing my own checkering for years now and when I look back on the first couple of (my own) guns that I did I realize that it's a good thing I had some beaters to learn on....

Jeff

Not interested in checkering. Maybe I'll put it up for a refinish on my "Things To Do When EVERYTHING Else Has Been Done" list Laughing

!

Hey Jeff, the guns and stocks look real good. But because I ain't dead yet; Shocked

who is the good looking bubble bath babe??

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

The "babe" is my wife Anda. She still looks good in a bathtub.

Lord knows what she sees in me.

Jeff

Boy I am getting old, poorly focused and sqishy brained-all I saw in those pics were the gun stocks! Embarassed

Does that pic on the work bench make you work faster? Wink