# How to refinish a Stock



## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

I recently purchased an older Glenfield rifle. It is not the best looking rifle I have ever had that's for sure. It has 30 or 40 surface scratches but no real dents or dings in the wood itself. I'm going to refinish the stock and wanted to get some help and advice if I could. At this point I have take off the receiver barrel and stock plate. I'm down to just the stock itself. I have sanded off most of the old finish, The wood is not the best looking and is all spotty looking with the old finish still left. My question is do I continue to sand the wood till the stain that is in the "grain" of the wood is gone. Do I go out and buy a chemical solvent that will do this for me? or do i just keep using the sand paper I have till it's gone and can I sand it down to much? Also does anyone have recommendations for finish? like I said it's really not looking like there will be a lot of grain to pop out of this wood to make it a nice piece of wood. Anything to make it look better. thanks for the help everyone.


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## C.Keith&Co (Aug 28, 2010)

put on some nitrile or playtex gloves and soak a clean rag with bleach, wipe down the entire stock and let it air dry for a couple of days , the bleach will turn the whole stock a whitish color, take a piece of scotch brite sanding pad ( don't use steel wool, the wool fibers can get caught in the pours of the wood and can rust later under the finish and look speckled ) I like to use a oil base stain with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil stock finish.


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

Bleach? I hadn't thought of that I was told to try Oven cleaner that it works also. I'll have to give it a try i guess i might buy some bleach this week.


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## rod bender bob (May 19, 2004)

C.Keith&Co said:


> put on some nitrile or playtex gloves and soak a clean rag with bleach, wipe down the entire stock and let it air dry for a couple of days , the bleach will turn the whole stock a whitish color, take a piece of scotch brite sanding pad ( don't use steel wool, the wool fibers can get caught in the pours of the wood and can rust later under the finish and look speckled ) I like to use a oil base stain with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil stock finish.


C. Keith have u ever finished a stock with Lin seed oil? Father in law use to clean as u described and then rubbed oil in 3 or 4 times??


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

I helped my dad redo his mod 12 in linseed oil,I know he would boil wtr soak towels in wtr and wrap towels around the stock to bring out the grain ?.Then we rubbed warm
linseed oil into the wood with bare hands till warm let set and repeat 3 4 times?.


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

wouldn't the stock grains pop out a little to much be using the water on the stock and then applying oil? I would think the water on the stock would soak in and would prevent the oil from doing it's job? or am I looking at what your doing wrong?


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

Im sure we sanded in between times I dont remember was abt 40 yrs ago
when we did it gun still shines like new


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## buzzing byrd (Feb 27, 2008)

The water will dry out over night, it is only superficial and does not soak into the wood completly. I would try a stripper to get the rest of the stain out, you can use citrus strip it is not as good as the old stuff but will work. The old stuff you could put on and wipe off in 15 minutes, the citrus strip can be left on overnight for best results. If the stripper dries, apply a fresh coat in the morning to rejuvinate then wipe off with a clean rag. After that you can go over the stock with lacquer thinner and 00 steel wool. If you use bleach go to a woodworking store or I think Ace hardware has it, but get a wood bleach. It is a two part bleach that you mix, just dont put the wrong cap back on the wrong bottle. One of the caps has a vent hole. The only thing the bleach will do is lighten the wood and if the stock is walnut it will lighten naturally with age. The boiled linseed oil is a good finish, and if it ever gets nicked or scratched all you have to do is lightly sand and apply another coat.


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## C.Keith&Co (Aug 28, 2010)

I have used Boiled Linseed oil but found this is better- mix equal amounts , first buy a chunk of bees way and melt it- pour into a measuring cup and see how much you have. lets say you have 1/2 cup. in another container ( I used a 5 lb coffee can - do this outside or your wife will kill you in your sleep ) pour in 1/2 cup turpentine, 1/2 cup boiled linseed oil re- heat the wax and melt it- go outside and pour it into the container with turpentine and linseed oil stir with a paint stir stick to mix thoroughly it looks lumpy- let sit overnight -kind of looks like liquid car wax the next day, take a soft rag and rub the finish into the stock dont use too much at once, wipe off excess and buff with another soft rag. let sit over night and give another coat- keep doing this until you get the look you want . I have done some M1 Garand stocks with this concoction and they looked real nice.


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## buzzing byrd (Feb 27, 2008)

C.Keith&Co said:


> I have used Boiled Linseed oil but found this is better- mix equal amounts , first buy a chunk of bees way and melt it- pour into a measuring cup and see how much you have. lets say you have 1/2 cup. in another container ( I used a 5 lb coffee can - do this outside or your wife will kill you in your sleep ) pour in 1/2 cup turpentine, 1/2 cup boiled linseed oil re- heat the wax and melt it- go outside and pour it into the container with turpentine and linseed oil stir with a paint stir stick to mix thoroughly it looks lumpy- let sit overnight -kind of looks like liquid car wax the next day, take a soft rag and rub the finish into the stock dont use too much at once, wipe off excess and buff with another soft rag. let sit over night and give another coat- keep doing this until you get the look you want . I have done some M1 Garand stocks with this concoction and they looked real nice.


This is an excellent finish, I have used this mixture for years on my workbench top and I am a beekeeper so I get the bee's wax as a bonus. Also works well for a lubricant. I keep some in a baby jar and use it on my woodworking tools to make them nice and slick.
Thanks C.Keith for posting this.


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## C.Keith&Co (Aug 28, 2010)

your welcome, I guess you figured out my typo of bees way was bees wax- Homer Formby's Furniture Refinisher works great on stripping stocks but it is very aromatic you have to do it outside with the wind at your back, and wear heavy rubber gloves , I took a rotisserie motor and fashioned it on each end of a 2x6 and use a dowel rod for the barrel and turn it on, the stock turns real slow ( like a cooking chicken ) and I apply Birchwood Caseys Tru-Oil cut with a little mineral spirits and spray it with a air brush- put on about 20 coats- wood looks like a bowling alley floor- if you dont want it that glossy wait a few days and rub it with some 0000 steel wool and then it looks satin.


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

I have refinished 35-40 USGI military stocks with Boiled Linseed Oil but for a modern firearm there are better products.
BLO doesnt provode as good as protection as other modern finishe, True Oil etc
JMO


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