care of Stock on a wooden rifle

New Avon Arms
Simjim33 said:
Ever used tung oil and white spirit Olaf?
For the show we sanded some sapilei,beech,tulip,maple,walnut and cherry. Half of the side that was showing was given one coat of tung oil(neat). We did that just to show how the grain comes up. The result was almost instant. If we would have bad a constant temp in the hall it would have been even better. We also coated some unsanded zebrano and ropala lace wood. Just so people could see the potential of how the grain comes alive. It is fair to sa my order to the supplier has greatly increased for April. I just hope he gets the zebrano in 3" quarter sawn. We didn't even have to sell the zebrano to be honest, we just let people look at it. I would like to see the conditions were the ropala lacewood or zebrano would warp!
Click to expand...
Sounds really lovely. I've got some fiddle back Sycamore that would make such a stunning stock, there really are some superb woods out there, are there not. I do indeed sometimes use a mix of Tung Oil or thinned Danish Oil etc, I find the viscosity and its application it tends to depend on how open the grain is on any given species.
A really superb oil is one called Organoil, I believe that its made by a load of hippys who have happily turned into capitalists out near Byron bay in Australia. Its a burnishing oil that lots of wood turners use to friction polish food safe items, things like plates and platters etc. Its as its name suggests; organic oil, its made from the oils taken buy crushing and squeezing lemon and orange pips. I personally wouldn't put it anywhere near a gun stock though because it makes wood smell like a fruit bowl. Its brilliant on fruit bowls though !
If you want some then ping me a pm and I'll send you the details, its good stuff to have as a general purpose household wood oil. It leaves a satin finish.
Cheers, Olaf
 
Olaf said:
Sounds really lovely. I've got some fiddle back Sycamore that would make such a stunning stock, there really are some superb woods out there, are there not. I do indeed sometimes use a mix of Tung Oil or thinned Danish Oil etc, I find the viscosity and its application it tends to depend on how open the grain is on any given species. A really superb oil is one called Organoil, I believe that its made by a load of hippys who have happily turned into capitalists out near Byron bay in Australia. Its a burnishing oil that lots of wood turners use to friction polish food safe items, things like plates and platters etc. Its as its name suggests; organic oil, its made from the oils taken buy crushing and squeezing lemon and orange pips. I personally wouldn't put it anywhere near a gun stock though because it makes wood smell like a fruit bowl. Its brilliant on fruit bowls though ! If you want some then ping me a pm and I'll send you the details, its good stuff to have as a general purpose household wood oil. It leaves a satin finish. Cheers, Olaf
Click to expand...
​
Wow the Sycamore will be amazing! What with is it in? I like to work blanks that are at least 2.5" or 62mm minmum so I find orders have to made well in advance. Lathums are good for Americans,next day too!

The use of the kiln drying is becoming better but I still leave the blanks to season. Depending on demand. no troubls yet though.

I was skeptical about kiln dryed. But the results have been happily interesting. A good rest after machining seems to show the bad ones out.

We had lots of questions about oak at the show. Good job I have been air drying some for some time. Finding the right cut was interesting. I picked a mid section log and had it quater sawn straight through. I only tock one bit from it. The rest Whent off to the timber framers. They still got a 10 Meter lenght from it. That tree was striaght as a die on good ground too! The figuring has all but faded as it is gray now. 4.5 inches thick. It has cupped a little but I will get a 3inch blank from it. Five years in the making! All good things ehh!

We used it neat tung at the show. Still done the job. There is a slight yellow too the tung oil. I will send you the result when used neat on the zebrano. It just became so much deeper.

Funny how hippys become capitalists! I can see how the Organoil works well with all that acid. Do they neutralise it to some extent. Would like to try it on a target type stock I have brewing. It's a concept for a client. The prototype is in tulip wood. The client hasn't made up his mind yet what the finished stock will be. I keep hinting that tiger maple will work very well. But he is still deciding.

No rush.
 
Simjim33 said:
​
Wow the Sycamore will be amazing! What with is it in? I like to work blanks that are at least 2.5" or 62mm minmum so I find orders have to made well in advance. Lathums are good for Americans,next day too!

The use of the kiln drying is becoming better but I still leave the blanks to season. Depending on demand. no troubls yet though.

I was skeptical about kiln dryed. But the results have been happily interesting. A good rest after machining seems to show the bad ones out.

We had lots of questions about oak at the show. Good job I have been air drying some for some time. Finding the right cut was interesting. I picked a mid section log and had it quater sawn straight through. I only tock one bit from it. The rest Whent off to the timber framers. They still got a 10 Meter lenght from it. That tree was striaght as a die on good ground too! The figuring has all but faded as it is gray now. 4.5 inches thick. It has cupped a little but I will get a 3inch blank from it. Five years in the making! All good things ehh!

We used it neat tung at the show. Still done the job. There is a slight yellow too the tung oil. I will send you the result when used neat on the zebrano. It just became so much deeper.

Funny how hippys become capitalists! I can see how the Organoil works well with all that acid. Do they neutralise it to some extent. Would like to try it on a target type stock I have brewing. It's a concept for a client. The prototype is in tulip wood. The client hasn't made up his mind yet what the finished stock will be. I keep hinting that tiger maple will work very well. But he is still deciding.

No rush.
Click to expand...

Hi, I can't remember how thick it is, only that it seemed suitable for such an application when I was looking at it last. I think its just an oversize 2" though, it would probably finish at 2". I'd most likely put it in the press and apply a rather choice cheek piece to it if I were to use it. If I do make myself one then I've got a nice lump of English Walnut that I'll most likely use instead though as its extra nice. Indeed, with enough work and a lick of Grey or black rubberised paint I could have it looking and performing just like Monkey Spankers plastic stock. Exciting !

Cheers, Olaf
 
Simjim33 said:
​
Wow the Sycamore will be amazing! What with is it in? I like to work blanks that are at least 2.5" or 62mm minmum so I find orders have to made well in advance. Lathums are good for Americans,next day too!

The use of the kiln drying is becoming better but I still leave the blanks to season. Depending on demand. no troubls yet though.

I was skeptical about kiln dryed. But the results have been happily interesting. A good rest after machining seems to show the bad ones out.

We had lots of questions about oak at the show. Good job I have been air drying some for some time. Finding the right cut was interesting. I picked a mid section log and had it quater sawn straight through. I only tock one bit from it. The rest Whent off to the timber framers. They still got a 10 Meter lenght from it. That tree was striaght as a die on good ground too! The figuring has all but faded as it is gray now. 4.5 inches thick. It has cupped a little but I will get a 3inch blank from it. Five years in the making! All good things ehh!

We used it neat tung at the show. Still done the job. There is a slight yellow too the tung oil. I will send you the result when used neat on the zebrano. It just became so much deeper.

Funny how hippys become capitalists! I can see how the Organoil works well with all that acid. Do they neutralise it to some extent. Would like to try it on a target type stock I have brewing. It's a concept for a client. The prototype is in tulip wood. The client hasn't made up his mind yet what the finished stock will be. I keep hinting that tiger maple will work very well. But he is still deciding.

No rush.
Click to expand...

Hi, I can't remember how thick it is, only that it seemed suitable for such an application when I was looking at it last. I think its just an oversize 2" though, it would probably finish at 2". I'd most likely put it in the press and apply a rather choice cheek piece to it if I were to use it. If I do make myself one then I've got a nice lump of English Walnut that I'll most likely use instead though as its extra nice. Indeed, with enough work and a lick of Grey or black rubberised paint I could have it looking and performing just like Monkey Spankers plastic stock. Exciting !

Cheers, Olaf
 
Olaf said:
Hi, I can't remember how thick it is, only that it seemed suitable for such an application when I was looking at it last. I think its just an oversize 2" though, it would probably finish at 2". I'd most likely put it in the press and apply a rather choice cheek piece to it if I were to use it. If I do make myself one then I've got a nice lump of English Walnut that I'll most likely use instead though as its extra nice. Indeed, with enough work and a lick of Grey or black rubberised paint I could have it looking and performing just like Monkey Spankers plastic stock. Exciting !

Cheers, Olaf
Click to expand...
What you need is a nice big chunk of Bakalite! Now that would be quite uniqe and positively 'Retro'!:cool:
MS:D
 
I would like to find a private sea loch. So I could set up a salt water timber pickling yard. The best timber I ever used was sea seasond. It cut lovely. Cost a few quid though!
 
Sunseeker or Riva,,Riva Please
Churches chelsea boots or Converse sneakers,,,churches please
Aqua Di Parma travel bag or £5 rucksack from Sportsdirect, Aqua Di Parma please
Leather stalking boots or wellies, leather stalking boots please
Quality Steel knife with antler handle or Mora Clipper, Quality steel please

...plastic stocks for hunting rifles,,,,,what do they think of next;)
 
Thread resurrection alert!
Inspired by Olaf’s detailed instructions on old-school oiling I’m going to gradually try to build up a decent finish on 2 x shotgun and 1 x air rifle stocks (I’m not going to confess what my rifle stock is composed of). Here is the ‘before’...see you in a few months


71610138-206E-4BB9-A3DE-1F79E97C39BA.webp
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@Olaf,

Great thread and thanks for sharing your expertise.

I've recently stripped the tru-oil finish on my rifle's walnut stock, and started applying your 20/80 turps and raw linseed mix. It's looking good thus far. I hated the plastic/delicate feeling tru-oil. The raw linseed soaks into the wood, as opposed to just sitting on the surface, and you can feel the texture of the pores/grain. Isn't that half the fun of wood in the first place?

Could you please give me (and anyone else who may be wondering) a step by step daily guide to applying the linseed/turps mix?

At the moment I'm:

1) Hand rubbing the oil into the stock every morning; using plenty of pressure to create heat friction. Most of the oil soaks into the wood, with little residue.
2) Then I'll massage a thin layer of oil over the entire stock, but I won't rub it in hard like before.
3) I'll put the stock away with the thin layer of oil covering it, and then let it sit for 12 hours +
4) I'll buff it vigorously with a cloth to get rid of any residue

(Repeat)


Could you please alter my daily oiling schedule (using the step by step format) according to what you'd do yourself? Remember that I'm just in the early stages. This is day 3. I'm expecting it to take 6+ months to get a really good finish.

Cheers,
AJ
 
Frodo said:
@Olaf,

Great thread and thanks for sharing your expertise.

I've recently stripped the tru-oil finish on my rifle's walnut stock, and started applying your 20/80 turps and raw linseed mix. It's looking good thus far. I hated the plastic/delicate feeling tru-oil. The raw linseed soaks into the wood, as opposed to just sitting on the surface, and you can feel the texture of the pores/grain. Isn't that half the fun of wood in the first place?

Could you please give me (and anyone else who may be wondering) a step by step daily guide to applying the linseed/turps mix?

At the moment I'm:

1) Hand rubbing the oil into the stock every morning; using plenty of pressure to create heat friction. Most of the oil soaks into the wood, with little residue.
2) Then I'll massage a thin layer of oil over the entire stock, but I won't rub it in hard like before.
3) I'll put the stock away with the thin layer of oil covering it, and then let it sit for 12 hours +
4) I'll buff it vigorously with a cloth to get rid of any residue

(Repeat)


Could you please alter my daily oiling schedule (using the step by step format) according to what you'd do yourself? Remember that I'm just in the early stages. This is day 3. I'm expecting it to take 6+ months to get a really good finish.

Cheers,
AJ
Click to expand...
Yes, it is as simple as just stated although once every hour for a day is normally a bit much unless the wood is drinking it up that fast. You can play that bit by eye.
You can carry on like you are until day 7 then just do it once a week for a month and once a month for a year and after that when or if it needs it.
Good on you for choosing a proper finish.
Kindest regards, Olaf
 
mark-joppa said:
A trick I was shown from an old french polisher.I had water marks on a mahogany sideboard a teacup ring.

Get some meths and put over the area.This is the tricky part,light it for a few seconds and extinguish by wiping with a cloth .Repeat process if required.
Click to expand...
Sure I saw once a guy rubbing the marks with a Brazil nut to remove
 
I've heard from some people that raw linseed should be avoided in favour of regular boiled linseed, because raw linseed has moisture in it which will increase the moisture content in the stock.
 
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