doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com "Refreshing" an Oil Finished Stock

Hello Everyone, my first post here!

I did post this earlier but in the wrong forum, so I hope that you don't mind that I am reposting it here.

So, I recently purchased a 100 year old English Sidelock.

I have decided to keep the gun in its original condition but I am wondering if there is anything that I can do to refresh the wood without removing it from the metal.

The oil finish is a bit cloudy and dull, so I am wondering if I can say, rub the wood down with a rag wet with a light degreaser, and then once dry, apply something like True Oil lightly with my fingertips and build up the finish

Again nothing drastic, just something that might freshen up the wood and show off the grain better. If not, I will leave it alone

I would appreciate your comments and advice!

Thank You!

I would not use true-oil, it is not an oil finish. Try raw linseed oil, a tooth brush and maybe some 0000 steel wool. Be gentle. You might read this thread first:

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=351571&page=3

Oh, and some pics of the gun? We all like seeing 100 year old English sidelocks.

Great thanks!! I'll post as soon as I get it...it's on the way

Timberluxe

Interesting stuff, Timberluxe.

At $26 per 0.5 oz, that's what, $1,664 per quart. But they claim it is waterproof, which I have never seen claimed by a maker of an oil finish. Is it really? Even Permalyn, which has some polyurethane, is not waterproof.

There are some great threads to be found on here about this.

I would probably follow Diggory Hadoke's process, which is to rub the stock down with ethanol and steel wool, raise any dents, lightly paper the whole thing (steering clear of steel parts), and then apply an oil finish until satisfied.

There are lots of opinions on the best finish. Mine is this: a 100 year old English gun will be most pleasing with a period and locale appropriate finish, which would be a 'slacum', the British gun trade word for an oil finish.



If you're feeling less ambitious, here is a good thread about cleaning up a grimey stock. I would start with traditional cleaner (linseed, vinegar, turps) then a coat or two of slacum (store bought or homemade).

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=503591&page=1

Friends don't let friends use Timberluxe. It is a very high priced (per ounce) wood finish consisting of very inexpensive ingredients. We have discussed it several times before, but some will still choose to use it.

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=562821&page=2

I can do 2 full refinishes with 1 bottle or several freshen ups. It saves MANY hours over other methods. The time savings more than pays for the cost.

Its the only hand rubbed finish I have used that does not spot in the rain.

On that recommendation, I'll have to give it a try.

Have you tried Velvit oil? Not saying it is better but it is my current favorite for refinishing.

I'll tag on to the OP question:

I just received this 1896 EM Reilly 16 gauge, imported from Holt's with the service of SKB (Thanks Steve). I bought it for my son as his first gun and as a project for him to learn some of the craft of gunwork (and I along with him). I will probably start a separate project thread once we've taken stock of the whole thing, but for this thread, the question would be how you all would address this stock and forend.

The stock is surely a replacement and the wood is not of particularly high grade, but it is structurally good so far as I can tell. I was thinking a simple refinish with red oil and slacum.



The forend appears to be original. The finish is extremely dark and the checkering is well worn. For this I was thinking a good scrub down to remove the gras-du, maybe a light freshen up of the checkering, and an oil finish. I suspect it has a decent amount of oil in it, and might need to be addressed as well.




So, how would you all tackle the wood of this gun? Would you completely refinish or just "refresh"?

I would refresh make sure if there is any oil soaked wood to address that but wood will shrink a lot if you soak the wood to remove oil I have used timberlux and it works as advertised good luck

I use a variety of stock finishes depending on what I am doing and Timberlux is one I use often. I have several clients who love the results and ask for it when I refinish guns for them. I really like the luster it gives. As Mark said, you can finish a couple of stocks with one small bottle.

Does anyone know what Timberlux is comprised of? It wouldn't happen to be 50/50, solvent based spar varnish and pure tung oil, would it?

That's what Pilkington's finish is, and it renders a lovely glow as well, or can be taken on to a high gloss if desired.

Stan, in that Timberluxe thread I posted a link to earlier, Mike Hunter of Hunter Restorations posted the ingredients in Timberluxe from the MSDS. It is apparently nothing but Linseed oil/Sunflower oil, Naptha, and a Metallic dryer:


Those of us who are not silly enough to be fooled by advertising hype and magical claims understand that this is noting special, and that the price per ounce is ridiculous. If some some reason I really wanted to use these ingredients, I'd mix them myself for a tiny fraction of the cost.

I do find it entertaining that SKB Stevie is now claiming to use Timberluxe often, yet didn't even mention it until Mark recommended it and I advised against it. Here's what he/she said about NOT using Timberluxe in that prior thread:


Of course, we know that Mark and SKB Stevie are pals, and SKB Stevie will say anything to prove me wrong. So he/she would back up Mark's opinion even if Mark told us that rubbing dog turds on a stock would provide a nice finish.

It is nice though, to see that SKB Stevie's continuous advertising of his/her gun importation business here on Dave's forum is paying off.


I'm quite sure that Dave will be getting paid his $12.00 for the sale that was made as a result of all that free advertising done here... unless it is claimed that the sale occurred on another forum...

A total mystery and thankfully Kojack is on the case, thanks Keith!

Let me help you get to the bottom of things. Mark was kind enough to send me a bottle of timberluxe and I liked the results. I now use it in the shop regularly. Oddly, you do not play into my decision making process when selecting a stock finish for a particular project.

Jim bought his gun from Holt's not from me. Unless the rules have changed, I only owe Dave 12$ for a gun I sell. On the rare occasion that a board member buys a gun from me that I advertise here I pay Dave 25$.

Timberluxe is good stuff in my opinion.

actually Timberluxe is $15 per 1/2oz Still expensive if you extrapolate to bulk, but so are others like Pilkington's, which is $37 for a 2oz bottle. When we are talking about well under
$50 per gun refinish, the cost seems irrelevant if the product works as desired.

I've not used either product. I'm more interested in trying to make my own concoction, chiefly because I enjoy mixing and experimenting with old recipes. To each his own in my opinion.

Caravaggio, don't forget to upload some pictures. You'll get better/more specific advice that way and we'll all enjoy seeing the gun.

Thanks, Keith. I did not remember that link, and discussion by Hunter.

Here is Terry Weiland's take on Timberluxe:

"I have TimberLuxe finishes on several pieces.... Brian [creator of Timberluxe] lists endorsements from venerable companies like Griffin & Howe and Perugini-Visini. As a further affirmation, I asked gunmaker Lee Shaver for his opinion, which was quite simple: “It’s the best hand-rubbed oil finish I’ve ever used,” he told me. From a gunmaker of Lee’s standing and experience, it hardly gets much better."


I am still inclined to believe that a committed potion conjurer can get make his own oil finish, and that it is more satisfying to apply a finish that was made at the finishing bench. But surely creating a finish is not as simple as reading an MSDS and thinking that A+B+C= X. And surely $15 has been spent on far dumber things than a simple, premixed and predictable gun finish, especially if the results are pleasing.

[Update: Timberluxe now has a 2 oz jar for $35, so $2 cheaper than Pilkington's Wood Finish.]

I can't prove that SKB Stevie does not now regularly use Timberluxe. It just seems odd that he didn't recommend it to the OP if it is so wonderful and instead advised him to use plain old linseed oil. I also didn't say that Woodreaux bought his gun from SKB Stevie. What I was referring to is the repeat business that results from his/her continuous free advertising and self promotion of firearms importation and gunsmithing in his/her tagline.

As I understand it, sales that are the result of advertising done on Doublegunshop forum should mean that site Administrator Dave Weber gets paid $12.00. And that includes a lot of things sold besides guns. I wonder how making money from selling a service is any different from selling a gun? When I bought some gun books sold here recently, the seller paid Dave. And he didn't say they were sold on another forum.

But it is becoming apparent that their are a fair number of firearms import jobs that are generating real income for SKB Stevie, yet he/she feels exempt from the $12.00 fee. We'll also never see Dave getting his cut for gunsmithing jobs that result from the same free advertising. And Dave has made his feelings known concerning those who feel entitled to use his site for self-promotion.

But none of that matters, and I am the bad guy for pointing it out. Somehow, I will find a way to cope with that.

Of course SKB Stevie is not alone in this entitlement mentality. I'd bet Dave also does not get a cut from the guns that are sold to guys who respond to the link in Mark's free advertising tagline for Mark's Born-Again Birdguns. That certainly makes it easier to purchase expensive stock finish like Timberluxe.

I haven't forgotten that I was repeatedly criticized and accused by our Liberals of cheating Dave when I had a link for the NRA-ILA in my tagline... even though I obviously do not get any money from donations made to the NRA. Gotta love double-standards!

I have made so many concoctions over the last 45 years it really stinks when you put all this work in to a project then you get the news so and so has the best concoction for finishing wood it's a miracle so you try it it gums on a full stock Tennessee rifle so you strip it and start over oh boy the tapestry of sware words still floating around the universe.lee shaver did some great work for me so I tend to believe him

I just finished some spring cleaning. I just pitched a pile of stock finishes I have tried over the years. Tru Oil , Boiled linseed oil ,Permilin, Slacum, Watco, Arrow, Formbys, Wipe on Poly, General, Shalac, Lacquer, Spar varnish , Tung oil And many more who's names I can't recall. Not to mention the thinners, oils, and dryers. Good news is I have an empty cabinet in the shop that will hold roughly 10,000 1/2oz bottles of Timberlux.

Looks like Mike Hunter is now a believer!

Mark,,.,,Buy the 2 oz bottle you only need 1250

Mark save the lindseed oil for tempering springd

Linseed still has a place in my opinion, cleaning with raw really works well. I use boiled as a carrier for my alkenet root too.

I don't understand the problem with using what works for you if you don't like something for whatever reason like cost don't use it it's not like selling someone a corvair

The money side of my brain says buy the 2 ounce size for $36.00 to save money but the practical side of me knows from past histories I’ll never use it enough before it goes bad or I forget where I stored it. I’m getting famous for finding things I put away and forgot I even owned, then go out and buy another only to find the first right where I left it. I must be going Biden.

Well, I don't know how to help with the finding it. All my finishes hang out in the same cabinet, so I haven't had that particular problem.

As for it going bad, somewhere along the way, I acquired a bag of cheap glass beads. I just meticulously clean the cap threads or can and lid seal and then drop in enough beads to bring the level up to top to exclude almost all air before closing. Small bottles have lasted years that way.

Ok, I'm going to beat the horse.
After all the hoopla over the years, and in this thread, I broke down and bought a bottle of Timberluxe. Gotta say, I'm impressed. Over the years I've tried Pro Custom, Plinkton's classic, Tru oil, Lin speed, Permalyn and a couple of others. The Timberluxe has been the easiest to work with. The finish is ALMOST perfect as applied but I want to cut the gloss back slightly. Over the years I have found, cutting back the shine, very difficult to get just right. I have tried small spots with 3F pumice and 1500 wet dry, wet, but lose depth. Looking for that luster.

Suggestions.

Thanks,
Bill

Rotten stone +olive oil

Thank you MC!!

I cut with rotten stone/mineral oil to level the surface, then rub out with Mirror glaze from an auto paint supply provider.

Gunmaker,
Does the mirror glaze leave a gloss finish?
Bill

If TL is coming out with too much gloss it could be your not mixing well enough. The thick stuff in the bottom of the bottle is a flattening agent. Conversely if you want more shine don't mix it.

I bought a Fox with a refinish that left the wood with a high gloss. I thought it inappropriate and sought to tone it down. Considering rottenstone and oil I bought some of each, but before using it was recommended to try Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen and Conditioner. I will admit to having believed BC to be a "second rate" company, relative to it's gun care products. But, for the small cost, I tried it and it did exactly what I wanted, in a very easy to control manner. As it turns out I was just in the dark about that particular product and what it is capable of.

https://www.amazon.com/BW-Casey-Sto...;hvtargid=pla-4584207590765011&psc=1

Like a lot of things in gun work their are more than one way to skin a cat. What matters is the results.