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Shooting Forum - Firearms licencing information


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Refinishing stocks

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  • 10-01-2011 8:28pm
    #1
    seoirse1980
    Registered Users Posts: 186 ✭✭


    I'm thinking about refinishing my Laurona o/u at the end of the season. It could do with a bit of tlc and there's a couple of dents that need ironing out.
    I'm going to strip it back with a solvent, leave the checkering, iron the dents and sand/steel wool then oil the rest.

    Question is which oils have you found to be best?

    I have some boiled linseed oil in the shed that I was going to use. Once a day for a week and once a month for a year as per other projects.

    Any suggestions?

    Seoirse


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    #2
    blackstairsboy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 447 ✭✭blackstairsboy


    I refinished a stock on a baikal side by side. I stripped it back with nitromores. Scraped it off with the back of an old hacksaw blade. I then sanded it smooth. It took a few coats of stripper before the wood was clean. I the sanded it smooth and used an old stiff nail brush to clean out the chequering. I finished it with a varnish that I bought at an ordinary hardware store. It was weather proof and hard wearing. I brushed it in then wiped off the excess. It took about 4 or 5 coats with some light sanding before applying the final coat. It came up with a beautiful rich dark finish that was hard wearing. I have since sold the gun but the gunsmith was really impressed with the finish. The grain came up lovely in it which is surprising as wood would not really be great in baikals:D. Legend has it that they use old railway sleepers for some of the stock on the older guns:rolleyes:


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    #3
    FISMA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭FISMA


    If you were finishing a fine high end stock, there is no way that a solvent or other stripper be used.

    Using solvents makes life easier, but it damages the grain.

    Use some elbow grease, and then rub oil, again, and again.

    The checkering is a touchy area. I have always found that toothpicks can greatly help.


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    #4
    seoirse1980
    Registered Users Posts: 186 ✭✭seoirse1980


    I want to try the solvent to break down the oils so I will only take the bare amount of wood off with sanding. Also with the checkering it's the only way I can think of to clean up this area. I'll try the toothpick, cheers.

    Anyone got any before and after picks too?


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    #5
    blackstairsboy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 447 ✭✭blackstairsboy


    True, I would not even attempt to do a quality walnut stock or anything like that. I sought a gunsmiths advice and he said for varnished stocks paint stripper is the best thing for removing it. I know we should not believe everything we read but that is what the gunsmith in the sporting gun magazine also said. It worked for me but like I said if I had a nice piece of wood I would not try it.;)


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