doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Herter's formula stock filler

I am working this summer on some projects and am about to start finishing a stock.
I would like some advice about sealing the pores.

Has anyone here any experience with this product?
Herter's formula stock filler

I think I may still have a partial can of that stuff on the shelf somewhere.
I used it back in the 60's or early 70's.
Best I remember it was like most of the fillers. Heavy bodied 'mud' suspended in some combination of oil & maybe some thinners. IIRC it smelled alot like Linseed.
The color I remember is a rust brown

You spend more time mixing it to get the mud which are likely the Earth Colors used in oil paints into an even suspension of liquid.
You spread it onto the wood . Let it dry for a time. Work it across grain to push it into the pores. Let it dry which takes a long time.
Then sand it off to the surface of the wood.
If the pores are not completely filled,,do it again.

The orig was gritty feeling when you rubbed it gently betw your fingers. I suspect that was from the Natural materials used for the colors.
Something has to fill those pores!
But that played Hell with checkering tools I do remember that.

I switched to sanding in the finish to fill pores a long time ago.

I've never used the 'New' Herter's formula Stock Filler

The next big step in my "gunmaking education" is to learn to do the sanded-in type finish, ala Phil Pilkington. I have a Parker that was refinished with that style, and with a homemade copy of his proprietary finish. I like the finish on that gun better than any other I own. In using his pore filling procedure the sawdust from the stock itself, mixed into a slurry with the finish, completely fills the pores.

I still have a partial can from the 60s of French Red. Bobby

Thanks Kutter and Stan, I have a follow up question. I've tried sanding in with boiled linseed oil and have been happy, but how do you achieve a reddish finish to the stock?

PhysDoc, You might like to try Laurel Mtn walnut stain. Rather than putting it on bare wood, wait until you have a finished finish sanded in. When it's well cured, wipe on a coat of stain and gently smooth it out with a paper towel. Let it cure for4-5 hours. Then do another top coat or two of your finish. It's a lot easier to stain a finish than to stain the wood because the sanding-in will make an uneven coat of the stain. You may want to try a practice run on scrap wood. Good luck.

Alkanet oil, made by steeping alkanet root in oil or turpentine/thinner or both. Apply after sanding until you get the color you want.

Pete Mazur uses Herters French Red to refinish stocks. If it’s good enough for a craftsman of Petes quality, it’s good enough for me. As Pete recommends, follow the instructions on the can to the “T”. The results are amazing.
SDH wrote an article in Shooting Sportsman years ago about Petes excellent refinishing techniques, it’s a great how to. Herters French red is highly praised in the article. I recommend reading the article. The results speak for themselves.

Fred, I have never used Herter's French Red, and am highly unlikely to do so for the same reason Kutter mentioned. Most wood fillers contain particles of finely ground minerals such as silica that are abrasive and very hard on cutting or checkering tools. I use a sanded in finish when I want pores filled. And perfectly filled pores are not always appropriate when trying to duplicate an aged factory finish.

If you want a reddish tone, it is easier and better in my opinion to stain before doing any sanded in pore filling because the finish will act as a sealer that prevents penetration of the stain. I like using Behlen's Blood Red stain thinned for control. It is a spirit stain rather than a pigment stain, so not as likely to obscure grain and figure. Behlen's is no longer available, and I have not used the products from their successor company. I may use a wood conditioner to control penetration or blotchiness if the walnut is very porous, or already quite dark.

I do not like stains on the surface, or even the so-called varnish stains because it is sometimes difficult to avoid cutting through during sanding, and exposing lighter areas on sharp edges such as along cheek pieces. This is especially true with finishes such as varnish or oil modified urethanes that tend to build on the surface. The same thing may happen from scratches during use or normal wear, so I'd prefer to have stain that penetrates evenly into the wood below the surface, if I use one. Always best to experiment on a scrap piece of the same walnut if it is possible.

Arts French Red Filler is the most amazing thing I have ever used with wood. On TS.com Song Dog posted not long ago that he used it on model 12 trap & skeet before he sent it to John Durkin @ Winchester custom shop for B carve patterns. In fact, John called him about the color, it was better than the stain he used @ Winchester. The thread was started about using Minwax wipe on oil and by coincidence I have moved to Minwax Antique Oil Finish.

In the 70's through the early 90's many including me used Tru-Oil. I blame Weatherby with the high gloss finish that many associated with "quality". Browning followed suit with the bowling pin finish. By the mid 90's many wanted to go back to oil finishes as did I. Eventually settled on Daly's Ben Matte tung oil and Waterlox Original Sealer Finish. Both done with a sand in finish. Much better it is an IN the wood finish instead of ON the wood finish. Up to a point. Never been a fan of fillers, stains or even dyes. Would rather fume cherry to get the look of aged wood. Fillers especially are muddy and obscure the grain often with silica (sand). No way was I ever going to use a filler on a wood project let alone a gunstock.

Then about 10 years ago discovered Art's French Red. Talk about a game changer...

I totally agree starting out with it you want to stick with the directions to a T. Especially the part about stirring for 15 minutes (IIRC). I have enough experience with it now I use a different method but always still stir for 15 minutes. With the exception of hitting the checkering.

1949 16 ga. Ithaca 37 Field Grade with 2 light coats of Art's and 5 hand rubbed coats of Minwax AOF





Kind of defines an in the wood finish to me. And has held up to rain, snow and a lot of carry and handling for a decade with no problems.



I have thought of trying Timberlux for a finish but really have a hard time justifing it. Spent half a century doing things the hard way already.

Last fall custom ordered a 16 ga. Iside though IFG. Came in 6 weeks ago and Italy messed up the order, they forgot the wood upgrade. So they sent me some wood options to pick from



I selected #2 because I know with Art's I can make that tiger stripe Fiddleback pop. And I mean really pop.

IFG took pity on me because FAIR messed up the order and let me have a really good discount on pick of the litter for an in stock 28" coin finish (custom order is 30" BT CC) and I selected this one



Because I KNOW that I can use Art's and make it look a lot nicer when I am done with it.

I have nothing bad to say about Art's French Red it all I use anymore. They also make a walnut filler but have never used it. French Red nails it for me.