Stock Refinishing, A Start

[Jaybm]

After reading ethang's post I decided to give my stock the damp paper towel test.
Surprise surprise ... even with a number of Minwax applications there was the
orange tint.


So removed the stock and started wiping it down.




Thought I'd repeat this step till no more orange came off before I move on. Besides I
need some time to "find" my "stuff". Did I mention old age sux ?

Thanks for asking about the injury RD. Lost a tug of war with Flash, who'd a thought
his 100+ lbs could overpower my 200 lbs. But he took off after ? from behind me and
caught me off guard. Next thing I knew I was on the concrete with him standing over
me.
Folks at the ER were great, put three hog rings in my scalp, x-rays and C-scan showed
nothing ( I could have told them that ). BP and BS were elevated. My doc heard a murmur
and we're going in for more tests in the next few weeks.

Poor ole Flash was beside himself till we got home and then he was all over me ! Man's
best friend.

Think there's some good potential in refinishing that stock. Have to work on that
forearm to get it off. Will update as I go forward.

Jim

[Ranch Dog]

Thanks for the report Jim. Sounds like you are taking care of things on all fronts!

[mr surveyor]

JIm

I know of a couple of folks in the "over 60 group" that suffered falls causing head impact that also showed no brain issues in that first diagnostic c-scan..... within a couple of months they were showing major symptoms of stroke. One of these was my Mom. The ER doc that did the second cat scan identified the issue immediately as a brain bleed and asked if she had suffered any impact trauma in the last few months. He told me that more often than not, light brain bleeds don't show up in that first few hours of head trauma. If our family ever goes through that type event again, we will insist of a follow-up c-scan after 2-4 weeks. Just something to ponder.

As for the john boener "orange man" Rossi finish, I should have washed mine off the 92/44 myself. Instead, the day I brought it home, I got out the 1000 and 1500 paper and started wiping it down with "Old English" dark walnut furniture polish. I probably did it for a couple of weeks, finishing with coffee filters instead of wet/dry paper. Even though I prefer Danish Oil and homebrew stains, the Old English was sitting there in a cabinet in my office and I had to try. Seems like it's doing the job after a couple of years of watching it.

Good thing you found out about the murmur issue, but danged sure watch the head thing.


jd

[akuser47]

Great start I look forward to seeing the endgame.

[Jaybm]

Thanks for the heads up RD ! Will bring that up with my doc Thursday when I go in for the
echo gram thing.

Lightly sanded the stock and put on a couple of coats of Tung Oil. Wasn't particularly
pleased. The grain is basically plain jane. Maybe after a dozen or more coats in between
drying ???

I'll take a couple photos tomorrow after it dries overnight.

Keep feeling like I missed a step ?

Jim

[P89DC]

...Wasn't particularly
pleased. The grain is basically plain jane. Maybe after a dozen or more coats in between
drying ???

I'll take a couple photos tomorrow after it dries overnight.

Keep feeling like I missed a step ?

Jim

Nah, that's as good as it gets with Brazilian mystery wood. When I'm ready for really nice, I'll buy a Boyds walnut stock and fore end. BTW, I wiped my stock/fore end down with acetone, it clears away any loose color.

I used Watco and just kept the wood wet for two hours so it wood really soak in. Multiple coats are meaningless, each new coat dissolves the "built up coats". I wanted the wood to soak up as much tung oil as it can.

[Jaybm]

P89DC ... pretty much what I thought about the grain. Acetone, hmm, had that on
the shelf.

Photo later in natural light, right now my tummy is growling and that takes precedent.

Thanks for your input ... Jim

[Jaybm]

Grain just has no character !

Fore stock in it's original finish and butt stock after several coats of Tung Oil.



The butt stock is a skooshie bit lighter. A heavier coat of Tung Oil this morning may add
some gloss. Considering a final coat of clear polyurethane ... thoughts ?

Jim

[ethang]

Glad you got something out of my post. I am going to start on mine later this week or first of next. Did you take the forend off?

Oh and my vote is no on the varnish. I like the way an oil finish feels. It's just not the same with varnish.

My plan is to use raw linseed oil for a good many coats. Then finish off with a beeswax/neetsfoot oil mixture I made up some years ago. I finished my TC Hawken stock just like this and it is well sealed and still looks good. Every year before deer season I would put another coat on.

[P89DC]

...A heavier coat of Tung Oil this morning may add
some gloss. Considering a final coat of clear polyurethane ... thoughts ?

Jim

I did poly varnish mine (satin minwax 50/50 with paint thinner), I wanted the wood to be sealed up so it will not swell/contract with use and with changing seasons.