Oil Finish?

[lv2hunt]

I am looking for someone to sand and finish a Richard' Microfit laminated stock with a hand rubbed satin oil finish, any reccomendations or references would be helpful.

Thanks,
lv2hunt

 

[Waltech Jim]

lv2hunt,

If you have a certain "outcome" in mind, a way that you want the stock finish to look, I would really try to examine someones work before deciding on them.

A "hand rubbed oil finish" can mean a lot of things. To some it means they rubbed something on the stock at some point in the process.

To me the finish you are requesting requires a "mud" be created with sandpaper and oil and then used to fill the grain. The stock will often require several (or more) treatments. Drying time for each of these coats can vary from a week to a month. If the stock is rushed through this process, the mud that is used to fill the grain will eventually shrink and some of the grain will be showing after a year or so. The key to a good finish is to go AS SLOW as possible. This means your stock may be off the gun for at least 6 months.

There are other alternatives for filling the grain that many stock makers use. Others do not fill the grain at all. In both cases they can call their products "hand rubbed".

I have no problems with what ever they want to call it. I just don't want you to be disappointed by not having some background information. And if I am "preaching to the choir" please forgive me.

Jim

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Luv2hunt:

A hand rubbed finish can be lots of things, the real linseed oil finish takes time, as many as 32 coats can be applied over a month or so. When working with a laminated stock this process can be shorter as the Maple in the laminate is a very tight grain and don't need much filling. Any Walnut in the laminate is where the time will be spent getting it filled. If you want to tackle the job its not all that hard, just takes time and patience.
Get all parts fitted, glassbedded or whatever is needed.
Sand the stock with 80 grit paper to remove any mill or file marks.
Drop to 220 wet or dry paper next, sand untill all visible marks are gone.
Goto a 320 or 400 paper and do the same.
Now your ready to hand sand the stock with oil on the paper. Use 600 grit wet or dry paper, sand with a circular motion creating a slurry of oil and wood, do this all over the entire stock. Let set for approx 30 mins, wipe off the excess going across the grain. Let set for 24 hours. It should be dry to the touch. Repeat the process untill all pores in the wood are filled.
Then you can start to hand sand in between coats with 600 or 800 grit paper, no oil on paper. Then clean off the stock with a tac rag and put oil on a soft cloth or your fingers and rub the oil into the wood. Wipe off excess oil after 5 mins and let dry, you do this each day until you have the most beautiful stock or your arms are ready to fall off. You can substitute with Tung oil as well, there are several different types, matte finish and gloss. With Linseed Oil you can get a real nice sheen by polishing it with a good wood wax after it has cured. It just takes time and dont try to rush the project. Tru-Oil will give a very high gloss finish, also can rub this product or use it in a spray can. The good thing about a oil finish is if you scratch it, just lightly sand it and rub a coat on and its gone. Poly finishes are just a Quick way to go. Oil finishes will change color with time, Maple wood will turn a very pretty yellow hue, any poly finish will stay the original color.

Back in the day of wood stocks that is pretty much all i did, refinish high grade Brownings, Parkers, LC Smith shotguns.

A project you do yourself is worth showing off.

Have fun with it.

Dave

 

[lv2hunt]

Black Diamond,

Thank you for the advice, I will let you all know how it turns out.

Lv2hunt