Lockdown Project

I spent a day in Ferlach a couple of years ago. And I spent an hour with one of Peter Hofer’s craftsmen who showed me a number of their guns. I have a very very long way to go to meet such standards.

 
And one of us tested +ve so we have the sacrificial lambs for the last ten days - most have had brilliant weather. Now on the home straight - I think. Been sorting out the final fixings for the trigger guard and escutcheons and getting all the screws timed correctly - timed is the old fashioned pedaticness of all the screw slots lining up as they reach their correct torque. Several ways of doing this - with the trigger guard - couple of strokes of the file on the inside and test. Then a question of blending stock wood and metal work all together. It is therapeutic, but takes time. Nearly there. Almost now at the point of starting to prepare for finishing.
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I really like the blind magazine . It's fallen out of favour lately , but I think it makes for really clean lines on a rifle , nice work .

AB
 
So I have now pretty much put the files away and now down to sanding for a final finish. I have had a couple of sessions on the range shooting from various positions, but its a question of just a little more hollow on the back the palm swell, and little more rounded ness ahead of the trigger.

But yesterday started with 120 grit red oxide paper - got it all beautifully smooth and then wetted it to raise the grain. Wetting really shows the colours and where further sanding is needed. So today attacked some bits with 120 and then moved onto the 240 grit.

just to give an example. Here is the back of the pistol grip after 120 and then wetting.

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It doesn’t look too bad, but can see and certainly feel the rough grain that needs knocking off. But 10 minutes later



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It’s looking really good but there is still a file - the whitish spot, and there is a dip in the base line. You could let it go, but it will irritate.
 
Following on from previous

Half an hour later with a little draw filing, followed by 120 then 240

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You think you are about done, but got carried away on base of pistol grip. Bugger its sqwonk when compared to other lines. Lost concentration - doesn’t take much to bring it back.

So spent last couple of hours going over the whole stock like this. Its now well sanded to 240. Raised the grain and will leave it over night.
 
And meanwhile I have had some very high quality linseed oil bought from a good art shop steeping in ground alkanut root for the last three months. It’s now the colour of a good red wine.
 

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And to test the finish I sanded one of the cut faces on the blank to 240 grit and deliberately left a couple of score marks.

Four applications of oil over the last three weeks - 8C5CA525-FCB4-4C11-868E-B5DCB5996950.jpeg

you get a good of the final finish and colour.

It also show how well the oil finish shows up any blemishes.
 
Wonderful stuff. Please do keep the updates coming. Currently in process of sorting out a rotten motorcycle exhaust. Not fine work like this, liberal use of heat gun, lump hammer and penetrating oil but can’t beat some time in the garage working on a project!

One day I’ll return to to this thread and give a stock a try. Thank you for the inspiration!
 
May I ask I what type of wood you are using? Walnut?
Yes it’s a walnut blank that a friend bought in an auction many years ago. It had sat and looked at him and irritated him for many years from the corner of his gunroom. I was talking with him about my ideas and a couple if weeks later I had a knock on the door from the postman - a nice surprise.
 
Yes it’s a walnut blank that a friend bought in an auction many years ago. It had sat and looked at him and irritated him for many years from the corner of his gunroom. I was talking with him about my ideas and a couple if weeks later I had a knock on the door from the postman - a nice surprise.
Lovely! What a nice surprise indeed!
 
Final sanding and polishing

so the thunder clouds built again. A mix of blues on the headphones - KK Hammond, Peter Green and Seasick Steve and 240 grit sandpaper, and just working slowly over every little bit. Lots of time spent on the cheek piece edge, and the back of the pistol grip. Nice sharp sandpaper to take the whiskers off and then polish with used paper. Finish of cross polishing with mutton cloth.

About 3 hours later and about ready for first coat of oil
 

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First Oiling

So I spent half an hour rubbing a few drops at a time of red oil into the stock yesterday evening. Checked it just now having left it overnight. The first really needs to harden / cure in the wood before doing any more. Just it a rub over with mutton cloth to knock any oil off the surface. Pores / grain still well open, so subsequent oilings will fill those. Will sand the next coats in.

Colour is really good, but will make a finishing oil using red oil diluted down with clear oil, with venice turpentine and if I can get hold off, some carnauba wax to give weather protection. Grain has raised a bit in places. This will knocked off and the sanding slurry will fill the pores.

Finish is probably already better than most factory wood finishes. To build the finish is not a huge amount of work. It’s just time.

But already its gone from being a piece of wood into a rifle stock.

I have have deliberately left the metal work in place. It’s now at one with the wood work. Once first couple of oilings have been done, I will take them out, finish them and blue them.
 

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A lovely job that the Op should be well proud of.

The following is not a criticism but I do feel more could have been done to bring out the contrast in the grain prior to applying the combined oil finish. Applying water based stains and cutting them back so the softer more absorbent areas retain the darker shade is the best alternative to scorching as is sometimes used on maple.

Just an observation and if interested in learning more there are many YouTube vids explaining this process in the context of guitar building/finishing. Here is one example:

K
 
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A lovely job that the Op should be well proud of.

The following is not a criticism but I do feel more could have been done to bring out the contrast in the grain prior to applying the combined oil finish. Applying water based stains and cutting them back so the softer more absorbent areas retain the darker shade is the best alternative to scorching as is sometimes used on maple.

Just an observation and if interested in learning more there are many YouTube vids explaining this process in the context of guitar building/finishing. Here is one example:

K

Thanks - I am sure plenty of contrast will develop as I start building up the finish and cutting it back. First oil needs time to harden and its just the start of the journey. I have refinished several stocks, and indeed have done a test piece on the blank itself and thanks showing a lot more contrast. Also quality of my photography is not that good either.
 
I can only admire people like the OP,

I used to be a professional model maker for Architects and Film, and can only marvel at the time, effort and skill required for such a wonderful project.

I actually have an Oak Ruger 10/22 stock blank which has been inlet by a friend and is still uncarved if anyone is interested in buying it?

I don't even have a 10/22 anymore, So I should let someone with higher skill levels and the correct tools finish this project


Brilliant work OP and to say I'm jealous is an understatement

👍
 
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