Winchester 94 Walnut UV Faded Help

Rixhobbies · September 9, 2013, 02:08 PM

Greetings! My first post here!

I have a Winchester 94 that appears to have suffered UV light fading of the walnut on one side (see pics). I'd like to re-finish the stock as the varnish Winchester used is starting to craze as well.

Looking at the pictures, you can see the difference in the darkness of the grain on each side (one side is nearly blonde and is much more obviously so in person). Since it's the same effect on both the forearm and the stock, I have to assume it's due to light fade since that's what walnut does under UV (the previous owner displayed the rifle on a wall).

Has anyone ever dealt with UV faded walnut before? I'm hoping the faded wood is very shallow and the usual light sanding associated with refinishing will expose the grain again.

My plan is to re-finish it using Tru-Oil but as it's walnut, I'm hoping I won't need to use dyes or stains as it could prove to be a pain to get something to match properly for blending the two sides. I'd rather see the wood's natural color.

Regards,

Rick

Rifleman1776 · September 9, 2013, 02:31 PM

I do not see a serious issue.
If you do not want to bother with stains to (try to) match up the sides, just strip and Tru Oil.
Personally, I would do nothing except use the rifle.

jmr40 · September 9, 2013, 03:46 PM

You'll do more harm than good. Leave it alone.

I don't see any fading. Wood is often slightly different shades of color. Sometimes you get a pretty fancy piece of wood, other times a plain piece. This is just a plain piece of walnut with not a lot of features to it.

Rixhobbies · September 9, 2013, 03:48 PM

If you open each picture in different browser tabs, then alternate between them, you start to see the contrasting colors. I wasn't sure if I wanted to refinish it either, until I noticed the crazing in the varnish on the light side (I assume this is UV damage too as the other side isn't crazing). Everything else about the rifle is like new, so it's just a matter of my wanting to get the stock back up the standards of the rest of the rifle. I also enjoy re-finishing stocks, so the project should be fun. I've gotten a lot of compliments from my past projects, so the re-finishing process doesn't scare me.

I figured I would see if anyone around had dealt with this sort of thing before and could give me an idea of what to expect from the UV lightening (sand/don't sand/dye/stain/etc). I'm hoping that the damage is easily sanded away, but if not, I'd love to hear tips on how to blend things a bit with dye or stain.

Regards,

Rick

Pahoo · September 9, 2013, 04:05 PM

I guess I'm not seeing it. There are a number of things you can do to a stock but none apply to what I'm seeing. At this point, it's really a personal call.

You can strip it, beach it, stain it, condition is and then apply your Tru-Oil. I know it's hard to accept, but often times, Walnut is bleached and stained in order to try and blend the colors more evenly. Then conditioning it prepares the wood to absorb the same amount of finish. As you know, some woods really sucks up the finish. ...

I once refinished a brand new Marlin-36a whose finish looked bad. It came out great but years later, realized it really wasn't worth the effort.

Be Safe !!!

dahermit · September 9, 2013, 05:01 PM

If that is a pre-64 Winchester 94, I would not refinish it. When you are old and ready to pass it on to someone or sell it, the refinishing almost always lowers the value/selling price.

Rixhobbies · September 9, 2013, 05:10 PM

It's actually a post 64. It's the 1966 Centennial model. The previous owner lost the box and paperwork and with the cosmetic issues, it lost its collector's value so I bought it as a shooter with the stock re-finish project in mind.

Jdomin · September 10, 2013, 07:05 AM

galco has the original winchester red stain for sale on their website.

Dixie Gunsmithing · September 10, 2013, 10:44 AM

Try some Johnson Wax and use a power wool buffer. You'll be surprised how much it will help.

jmr40 · September 10, 2013, 11:18 AM

Better grades of walnut have better looking wood. A lot of cheaper grades of walnut will have light and dark streaks in the wood. That is what you have here. It is just the way the piece of wood was cut. The lighter areas of the piece of wood are on 1 side while the darker area is on the other. Had the wood been cut differently it would have shown up as light and dark streaks in the wood.

It might be possible to strip the wood and stain 1 side darker than the other, but even then you will never completely match them. There is no reason to do this. It is just the natural color of the wood on your gun. It is not faded. Leave it alone.

Even with the box it has no collector value. In fact most of the special runs of 94's sell for less than standard models. It'd make a nice truck gun as is.

September 9, 2013, 04:05 PM	#5
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Sorry, I don't see the problem. I guess I'm not seeing it. There are a number of things you can do to a stock but none apply to what I'm seeing. At this point, it's really a personal call. You can strip it, beach it, stain it, condition is and then apply your Tru-Oil. I know it's hard to accept, but often times, Walnut is bleached and stained in order to try and blend the colors more evenly. Then conditioning it prepares the wood to absorb the same amount of finish. As you know, some woods really sucks up the finish. ... I once refinished a brand new Marlin-36a whose finish looked bad. It came out great but years later, realized it really wasn't worth the effort. Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

September 10, 2013, 07:05 AM	#8
Jdomin Member Join Date: July 29, 2005 Location: Lancaster, Pa Posts: 93	stain galco has the original winchester red stain for sale on their website.

September 9, 2013, 02:31 PM	#2
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	I do not see a serious issue. If you do not want to bother with stains to (try to) match up the sides, just strip and Tru Oil. Personally, I would do nothing except use the rifle.

September 9, 2013, 03:46 PM	#3
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	You'll do more harm than good. Leave it alone. I don't see any fading. Wood is often slightly different shades of color. Sometimes you get a pretty fancy piece of wood, other times a plain piece. This is just a plain piece of walnut with not a lot of features to it.

September 9, 2013, 03:48 PM	#4
Rixhobbies Junior Member Join Date: September 8, 2013 Posts: 3	If you open each picture in different browser tabs, then alternate between them, you start to see the contrasting colors. I wasn't sure if I wanted to refinish it either, until I noticed the crazing in the varnish on the light side (I assume this is UV damage too as the other side isn't crazing). Everything else about the rifle is like new, so it's just a matter of my wanting to get the stock back up the standards of the rest of the rifle. I also enjoy re-finishing stocks, so the project should be fun. I've gotten a lot of compliments from my past projects, so the re-finishing process doesn't scare me. I figured I would see if anyone around had dealt with this sort of thing before and could give me an idea of what to expect from the UV lightening (sand/don't sand/dye/stain/etc). I'm hoping that the damage is easily sanded away, but if not, I'd love to hear tips on how to blend things a bit with dye or stain. Regards, Rick

September 9, 2013, 05:01 PM	#6
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	If that is a pre-64 Winchester 94, I would not refinish it. When you are old and ready to pass it on to someone or sell it, the refinishing almost always lowers the value/selling price.

September 9, 2013, 05:10 PM	#7
Rixhobbies Junior Member Join Date: September 8, 2013 Posts: 3	It's actually a post 64. It's the 1966 Centennial model. The previous owner lost the box and paperwork and with the cosmetic issues, it lost its collector's value so I bought it as a shooter with the stock re-finish project in mind.

September 10, 2013, 10:44 AM	#9
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	Try some Johnson Wax and use a power wool buffer. You'll be surprised how much it will help.

September 10, 2013, 11:18 AM	#10
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	Better grades of walnut have better looking wood. A lot of cheaper grades of walnut will have light and dark streaks in the wood. That is what you have here. It is just the way the piece of wood was cut. The lighter areas of the piece of wood are on 1 side while the darker area is on the other. Had the wood been cut differently it would have shown up as light and dark streaks in the wood. It might be possible to strip the wood and stain 1 side darker than the other, but even then you will never completely match them. There is no reason to do this. It is just the natural color of the wood on your gun. It is not faded. Leave it alone. Even with the box it has no collector value. In fact most of the special runs of 94's sell for less than standard models. It'd make a nice truck gun as is.