Need advice on dry Garand stock.

LivewireBlanco · October 5, 2012, 12:56 PM

I have a wood stock on my Garand that seems a bit on the dry side. I don't want to do a full on refinish of it but would like to just recoat it with something like tung oil or linseed oil. Is that even possible and what kind of results should I expect?

griff383 · October 5, 2012, 02:13 PM

I used a tung oil on mine after I stripped off the cosmoline. Take your time and let it soak in between coats. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is be patient and pay attention to the small details.

There is alot of information on the CMP forum and other similar forums

LivewireBlanco · October 5, 2012, 02:51 PM

There doesn't seem to be any cosmoline on the stock. I don't think this is an original stock since there are no markings on it anywhere, although it could be and someone may have sanded them off. The color is nice on it but it just needs a bit more oil.

Larryect · October 5, 2012, 03:05 PM

Seems to me I found the information on the CMP forums. If I remember correctly there is a difference between straight linseed oil and boiled linseed oil. I don't remember the finer points. I think boiled is cut with solvents.

I was able to get linseed oil at Michaels (craft store) in their art (oil painting) department.

Be careful with any rags that end up soak in oil as it can become a fire hazard and even spontaneously combust.

LivewireBlanco · October 5, 2012, 03:32 PM

Thanks guys! I didn't think of looking at a crafts store for the oil. I'll have a look next time the fiance wants to look at craftsy stuff!

dahermit · October 5, 2012, 03:37 PM

Quote:

If I remember correctly there is a difference between straight linseed oil and boiled linseed oil. I don't remember the finer points. I think boiled is cut with solvents.

Non-boiled linseed oil is edible and often added to horse feed to give them a shinny coat. "Boiled" linseed oil has had an acid added to it (it "boils" when that is done, thus the name), and is no longer edible. The boiled linseed oil is used as a finish for wood that will harden. Some claim that raw linseed oil never really dries, but is used to preserve/finish wood (mostly gun stocks), also.

603Country · October 5, 2012, 06:00 PM

Use boiled linseed oil, and you can mix in a small amount of mineral spirits or turpentine. It'll penetrate better. Soak the wood till it won't accept any more oil. After that, wipe off any excess oil. Soak again at least one more time and wipe off the excess.

It'll penetrate even better if the oil is heated, but do not heat over open flame. And then soak all rags in water and leave them wet, so they won't combust.

sam colt · October 5, 2012, 06:28 PM

Back in the day, before round wheels, when I was a young worthless "boot" at Parris Island we were issued MANLY guns, M-14s, made of wood and steel and not some girly firearms made of plastic and aluminum. The first thing the DIs did was make us rub the stocks with linseed oil. And all was well in the Corps.

Scorch · October 6, 2012, 12:45 AM

The best finish for military wood gunstocks is paste wax. Good old Johnson's Paste Wax, in the yellow can. My customers ask me how I get that finish, I just smile and tell them it takes time to learn how to do that. And it's true! For the first 10 years I was a gunsmith, I would rub military stocks with boiled linseed oil. Then I learned.

Amsdorf · October 6, 2012, 08:22 AM

Best advice seems to be this, and this worked for me:

Use BLO and be VERY patient. Let it thoroughly soak in and dry between coats.

I let my stocks sit four days between reapplications.

dahermit · October 6, 2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

The best finish for military wood gunstocks is paste wax. Good old Johnson's Paste Wax, in the yellow can. My customers ask me how I get that finish, I just smile and tell them it takes time to learn how to do that. And it's true! For the first 10 years I was a gunsmith, I would rub military stocks with boiled linseed oil. Then I learned.

Scorch, Do you use it on bare wood, or as a re-finish? I have used Johnson's on finished gun stocks for years as a protectant, never though of, or heard of it used as a finish.

603Country · October 7, 2012, 05:40 PM

I'd use the Boiled Linseed Oil and then use the paste wax. Paste wax will not penetrate the stock at all, wears off very fast, and offers little if any weather protection.

Sand the stock to 220 grit, if it needs sanding. Then soak the stock with BLO with a bit of turpentine in it. Wait a day or two and then soak it again, but this time with unthinned BLO. Just keep on putting oil on the stock with a sponge until you can see that it isn't taking any more oil. Then wipe off and wait a few days for it to dry, which varies with your temp and humidity (you could add a bit of Japan Drier to the BLO to speed drying). Then rub on the paste wax. You could follow the same approach but use pure Tung Oil or even Walnut Oil. I find the the Walnut Oil seems to dry harder and gives a better looking finish and I've read that it holds up better against water, though I haven't used it yet on a gunstock. You can buy Walnut Oil online from Woodcraft or other vendors. The Walnut Oil darkens wood a bit more than BLO does, so I should mention that.

Scorch · October 7, 2012, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Scorch, Do you use it on bare wood, or as a re-finish?

I use it as a finish restorer. I use Scott's Liquid Gold to take the grunge off of the stock, then when it is sufficiently clean, I use paste wax. That way it still has the original finish and the proper marks, and is sealed and attractive.

603Country · October 7, 2012, 09:03 PM

I think that I need to retract my advice on the finish. I was talking about more of a replacement of a finish, rather than cleaning up an existing finish. If a person didn't want to damage an original finish, with original markings, in order to maintain a historical value, then the approach that scorch recommended is preferable to what I suggested. However, if you did want a new finish, then my suggestions are unchanged.

For the sake of information, the original finish on the stock would most likely have been BLO or possibly Tung Oil.

gdvan01 · October 8, 2012, 09:09 AM

Tom's 1/3 mix:

http://www.thegunstockdoctor.com/

This stuff is great, used it on my Garand stock and love it.

(sorry no pics as of yet)

October 5, 2012, 12:56 PM	#1
LivewireBlanco Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: West Texas Posts: 64	Need advice on dry Garand stock. I have a wood stock on my Garand that seems a bit on the dry side. I don't want to do a full on refinish of it but would like to just recoat it with something like tung oil or linseed oil. Is that even possible and what kind of results should I expect?

October 6, 2012, 12:45 AM	#9
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	The best finish for military wood gunstocks is paste wax. Good old Johnson's Paste Wax, in the yellow can. My customers ask me how I get that finish, I just smile and tell them it takes time to learn how to do that. And it's true! For the first 10 years I was a gunsmith, I would rub military stocks with boiled linseed oil. Then I learned. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 8, 2012, 09:09 AM	#15
gdvan01 Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2006 Location: Home of the first First Lady Posts: 463	Tom's 1/3 mix: http://www.thegunstockdoctor.com/ This stuff is great, used it on my Garand stock and love it. (sorry no pics as of yet) __________________ NRA Endowment Life Member Proud Son of a former Tomb Guard

October 5, 2012, 02:13 PM	#2
griff383 Member Join Date: August 1, 2011 Posts: 25	I used a tung oil on mine after I stripped off the cosmoline. Take your time and let it soak in between coats. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is be patient and pay attention to the small details. There is alot of information on the CMP forum and other similar forums

October 5, 2012, 02:51 PM	#3
LivewireBlanco Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: West Texas Posts: 64	There doesn't seem to be any cosmoline on the stock. I don't think this is an original stock since there are no markings on it anywhere, although it could be and someone may have sanded them off. The color is nice on it but it just needs a bit more oil.

October 5, 2012, 03:05 PM	#4
Larryect Junior Member Join Date: August 16, 2012 Posts: 7	Seems to me I found the information on the CMP forums. If I remember correctly there is a difference between straight linseed oil and boiled linseed oil. I don't remember the finer points. I think boiled is cut with solvents. I was able to get linseed oil at Michaels (craft store) in their art (oil painting) department. Be careful with any rags that end up soak in oil as it can become a fire hazard and even spontaneously combust.

October 5, 2012, 03:32 PM	#5
LivewireBlanco Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: West Texas Posts: 64	Thanks guys! I didn't think of looking at a crafts store for the oil. I'll have a look next time the fiance wants to look at craftsy stuff!

October 5, 2012, 06:00 PM	#7
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Use boiled linseed oil, and you can mix in a small amount of mineral spirits or turpentine. It'll penetrate better. Soak the wood till it won't accept any more oil. After that, wipe off any excess oil. Soak again at least one more time and wipe off the excess. It'll penetrate even better if the oil is heated, but do not heat over open flame. And then soak all rags in water and leave them wet, so they won't combust.

October 5, 2012, 06:28 PM	#8
sam colt Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: nc Posts: 93	Back in the day, before round wheels, when I was a young worthless "boot" at Parris Island we were issued MANLY guns, M-14s, made of wood and steel and not some girly firearms made of plastic and aluminum. The first thing the DIs did was make us rub the stocks with linseed oil. And all was well in the Corps.

October 6, 2012, 08:22 AM	#10
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	Best advice seems to be this, and this worked for me: Use BLO and be VERY patient. Let it thoroughly soak in and dry between coats. I let my stocks sit four days between reapplications.

October 7, 2012, 05:40 PM	#12
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	I'd use the Boiled Linseed Oil and then use the paste wax. Paste wax will not penetrate the stock at all, wears off very fast, and offers little if any weather protection. Sand the stock to 220 grit, if it needs sanding. Then soak the stock with BLO with a bit of turpentine in it. Wait a day or two and then soak it again, but this time with unthinned BLO. Just keep on putting oil on the stock with a sponge until you can see that it isn't taking any more oil. Then wipe off and wait a few days for it to dry, which varies with your temp and humidity (you could add a bit of Japan Drier to the BLO to speed drying). Then rub on the paste wax. You could follow the same approach but use pure Tung Oil or even Walnut Oil. I find the the Walnut Oil seems to dry harder and gives a better looking finish and I've read that it holds up better against water, though I haven't used it yet on a gunstock. You can buy Walnut Oil online from Woodcraft or other vendors. The Walnut Oil darkens wood a bit more than BLO does, so I should mention that.

October 7, 2012, 09:03 PM	#14
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	I think that I need to retract my advice on the finish. I was talking about more of a replacement of a finish, rather than cleaning up an existing finish. If a person didn't want to damage an original finish, with original markings, in order to maintain a historical value, then the approach that scorch recommended is preferable to what I suggested. However, if you did want a new finish, then my suggestions are unchanged. For the sake of information, the original finish on the stock would most likely have been BLO or possibly Tung Oil.