Just curious if anybodies ever used this mix? He has a website under his name, with some pictures. You can buy it in Ebay not to expensive. I know I can make it on my own,but if I can buy it already prepared it would sure be easy.
the bottle says foul weather performance varnish. The title says hand rubbed oil finish. Are they different or is it just semantics?
He has several different products on his website. Are they different mixes of stuff or all the same thing with different labels I have know idea.
And so the mystery continues????
I went to the British Shooting Show Friday, stopped to talk a few vendors promoting their oils , one told me he made his using a recipe off this website from a guy called 'Salopian' ! I asked was Salopian an American ? "I don't know , but I would think he is dead by now , it's an old recipe."
Ahhh! The perennial gun stock finishing Oil magic in a bottle sold at a very reasonable £/$ price.
Well let me see? I have a recipe handed to me by an old London gunsmith the week before he shuffled off his mortal coil but I had to promise that I would only use it my self and not tell another earthly soul.
That is the introduction not to bad so far I think, now to give this secret mix a name but it must be a substantial name looking back to past times and Victorian thoroughness and reliability. Yesss! Let’s call “OXFORD Vintage Gunstock oil” a sound British name evoking mellow yellow stone dreamy spiers and above all knowledge, and all that!! How am I doing so far?
Now the easy part the formula. Well I think I will use the tried and tested 1 : 1 : 1 mix, well it has been around for some hundred and fifty years and works well also practically idiot proof!
Now off to my local boat chandlers for the most important ingredient a 5 Liter Tin of synthetic “Spar Varnish” it seems a lot but as the way of all purchasing. the more you purchase the lower the cost per Liter.
Now for the next ingredient but we do have a cost break here. So for our “Finest” Version of our Oxford potion a 5 Liter tin of “Tung Oil”, and for the economy version 5 liter’s of “Linseed Oil”.
Now for the final ingredient 5 Liter tin of Low odour “White Spirit” or “Turpentine Substitute” and for our “Finest” version a 1 Liter of real Turpentine.
So let’s get down to business we need a large enough container to contain 15 Liter’s and a little more. Empty all of the ingredients EXEPT the real Turpentine we will use that later, now we will need a big stick to stir that lot and the fumes will make you a little light headed but just think of the money.
Now you can fill your small bottles all neatly labelled OXFORD VINTAGE GUNSTOCK OIL. For your finest version just add a few drops of real Turpentine to each bottle for that authentic smell selling at the much higher cost.
Then you can sit back and count the profits from your endeavours as the cash register rings away.
Smile if you want to but that is the unvarnished truth pun intended, could do it but I have far better things to do in life, but there is no reason if you have the will and want you can do it and good luck to you.
Conversion 2.2 English pints to the Liter but it is not that critical
Damascus
PS. I do have a little black book with all my mixtures and potions written down in understandable hand writing with all intentions to hand to my sons. And may be some time in the distant future a family member may open my book, and following the instructions there may be be a range of Vintage gun stock finishes on the market.
You gents bring a smile to my face.
salopian, I believe it was Mark Twain that said reports of my death, are greatly exaggerated ! Nice to be remembered though isn't it? :-)
John P,
You have emails in your message box.
only $117.00 I think I will order several. Bobby
Just out of interest can you guys still get Purdey's Warthog finishing kit over there? The oil was first class but sadly I believe the guy who actually made it for Purdey had an expensive divorce , so he retired . I believe he was a Gunsmith named Sargent from Stoke on Trent , anyone know a source or formula for Warthog oil?
