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Old December 18, 2006, 12:44 PM   #8
PinnedAndRecessed
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Join Date: November 12, 2004
Posts: 449
Dfaris, thanx for the info. I'm getting ready to redo a Remington 700 BDL stock. I first have to strip the finish, then prep the checkering.

Then I'm going to remove the plastic forend tip and grip cap and replace with some figured Myrtle. Now to some questions about your procedure.

Quote:
Do all sanding, staining, and whiskering.

Buy a pint can of Minwax Antique Oil Finish:
http://www.minwax.com/products/speci...ntique-oil.cfm

Apply a thin coat.
(Question: with a natural bristle brush?)

Quote:
Allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes until it starts to get sticky, then buff off with a clean, lint-free cloth. (An old linen sheet works great.)
(Question: what's the room temperature where you did this?)

Quote:
Let dry 24 hours, then apply again.
Repeat twice for a total of three coats.
After three coats as a sealer, apply a thin coat and allow to dry BONE DRY on the surface.
This may take 24 hours or more, and in some cases of really open grain wood, the first may not dry at all.
Using finer steel wool, steel wool the finish off the wood. As you steel wool, the surface coat will turn "muddy" looking so you can see it.
(Question: "finer" than what? According to your instructions this is the first use of steel wool. What grit steel wool? And will only steel wool do?)

Quote:
Be careful around proof stamps and sharp edges to not round edges off or thin stamps.
After steel wooling the stock down to bare wood, clean the stock with brushes or compressed air, then apply another coat, allow to dry and steel wool off.
(Question: You say "clean with brushes." Paint brushes or stiff bristle brushes?)

Quote:
Continue this until the grain of the wood is 100% FULL, and you can see NO open grain.
When held up to a light and sighted along the grain, open grain will look like tiny scratches in the surface.
(Question: So there will be no visible tiny scratches, right?)

Quote:
Usually 4 coats will fill all but the most open grain.
After the last coat is steel wooled off, THOROUGHLY clean the wood.
(Question: clean the wood with what?)

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Then, apply a thin coat and allow to stand for several minutes until it starts to get sticky.
Using several clean cloth pads thoroughly buff the surface until all traces of finish are off.
(Question: you're just talking about cotton rags, right?)

Quote:
This is a "color coat" that will give the bare wood more of a color without any build up on the surface.
After buffing, allow the wood to age out and fully harden for 3 to 4 days.
After aging, buy some new burlap at a fabric store, and make a small pad from several layers.
Briskly buff the wood to burnish the surface and bring out the egg shell luster.
I don't mean to sound so anal about the whole thing, but I'm not the world's greatest wood finisher. I've found variables such as room temperature, types of bristles on the paint brush, grit of steel wool, etc., make a huge difference.

I remember working for days on a pistol presentation case. It wasn't working out. Finally, as per the instructions, I was using steel wool on the nearly dry finish, and was horrified to see I was leaving bits of steel wool in the varnish.

I finally fixed it with a hatchet and fireplace.
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