doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gunstock waxing?

I need some help waxing up my new walnut stocked shotgun. Do I wax the checkered areas, too? How many coats? Any help you can give is appreciated. I have Johnson Paste Wax and Birchwood Gun Stock Wax. Which do I use? What say you? Thanks...

Neither. You use RENAISSANCE wax polish, distributed by Restorer Supplies, Inc., among others.

It's a little pricey but it's the best wax to use on ALL parts of your gun, if you wish, although I just use it on my wood.

I shy away from the checkering as it's just too doggone tricky to get an even distribution without filling up spots. I don't miss any shine/protection in those areas, however.

Others may chime in with tricks they use on checkering.

Wax is OK on the wood but on metal it is a bad joke compaired to the modern rust preventive oils. If you are going to use it wax the wood, oil the metal.

bill

I AM 60 YEARS OLD GREW UP IN A GUN STORE AND IN MY OPINION RENAISANCE WAX, [WHICH BTW IS USED BY THE CODY MUSEUM ON ITS' DISPLAY WEAPONS] IS HANDS DOWN, FARRRRRRRRRR SUPERIOR TO PROTECING BOTH WOOD,METAL AND LEATHER THAN ANY OIL! It is just a plain fact that since I changed to using it 17 YEARS AGO for protection, I have not had a single case of surface rust ON ANY GUN but have had several cases of bores getting a slight dusting of rust, even with a V.P.I. TYPE OIL IN THE BORE, V.P.I. CARTRIDGES AND A DEHUMIDIFIER SYSTEM IN MY GUNROOM. Just my experience, plus a gun with a wax coat on it, when bumped is much less likely to be scratched than one with just oil, believe ME I know! I use a toothbrush to put a light coating of wax in the checkering to seal it in case of rain and use a cheap medium bristle toothbrush to work it in good. Brush in the directions of the checkering cutters. The Renaissance ends up being a lot cheaper than the B.C. PRODUCT as a little goes a longgggggggggggggggggggggg way. HTH Jerry

Gary,

Renaissance wax may well be the cat's meow, I can't say, but I have used both ones you mentioned, and they work fine. I'm a duck hunter, and my guns get subjected to less than ideal conditions at times. Johnson's Paste Wax does a good job of protecting the gun from the elements.

I would tend to say I favor the BIrchwood Casey for luster, the Johnson's for protection.

SRH

Is the Renaisance Wax ok to use on oil finished stocks?

No problem...it puts moisture and darkens oil finished wood temporarily, the only thing I have noticed is on guns with polyurethane type finishes [700 BDL etc.] it takes very little or it tends to gum up or roll instead of polish out with a soft diaper type cloth. HTH Jerry

I used Johnson's for many years before I had RW. If I couldn't get RW, I'd revert to Johnson's.

DDA

Ditto!

12 years living on Kodiak Island, hunting in the salt water environment, I kept my rifle rust free by waxing wood (inside and out) and metal with Johnson's. RW is however an excellent wax that I use, with a tiny amount of lamp black, to coat and protect "french" greyed engraved scenes.