Refinishing early Stevens 87a

goodolsavage · June 25, 2014, 10:31 PM

I kinda messed up and cleaned my gun with a bore solvent and i guess it also desolves some finishes.. So now i went and got some citristrip and this gun has some good looking wood grain on it. What finish would you suggest to make it pop out and look good? I'm thinking English chestnut would look good but i also think a dark, slightly Amber colour would be AWSOME. What do you guys suggest? Please as photos of it if you can!

goodolsavage · June 25, 2014, 10:50 PM

thats bare wood with that epic wood grain, pretty sure its walnut as this is probly a pre ww2 rifle.

Buzzard Bait · July 25, 2014, 07:46 PM

birch-wood Casey true oil and armer-all hand applied

Bill DeShivs · July 25, 2014, 08:00 PM

I wouldn't call the grain "epic."
You can spend a lot of tiime appling linseed oil finishes like Tru Oil.
Or, you can just spray it with clear acrylic. I would vote acrylic.

kilimanjaro · July 26, 2014, 11:31 PM

It's still pretty nice graining for a Stevens. Chestnut would look pretty good, maybe a rich cherry tone. Dark amber is good. Finish with a light poly coat if you want.

June 25, 2014, 10:31 PM	#1
goodolsavage Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Posts: 33	Refinishing early Stevens 87a I kinda messed up and cleaned my gun with a bore solvent and i guess it also desolves some finishes.. So now i went and got some citristrip and this gun has some good looking wood grain on it. What finish would you suggest to make it pop out and look good? I'm thinking English chestnut would look good but i also think a dark, slightly Amber colour would be AWSOME. What do you guys suggest? Please as photos of it if you can!

July 25, 2014, 07:46 PM	#3
Buzzard Bait Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 502	true oil birch-wood Casey true oil and armer-all hand applied

July 25, 2014, 08:00 PM	#4
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	I wouldn't call the grain "epic." You can spend a lot of tiime appling linseed oil finishes like Tru Oil. Or, you can just spray it with clear acrylic. I would vote acrylic. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

June 25, 2014, 10:50 PM	#2
goodolsavage Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Posts: 33	thats bare wood with that epic wood grain, pretty sure its walnut as this is probly a pre ww2 rifle.

July 26, 2014, 11:31 PM	#5
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	It's still pretty nice graining for a Stevens. Chestnut would look pretty good, maybe a rich cherry tone. Dark amber is good. Finish with a light poly coat if you want.