Stock finishes

[Bolts Rock]

US military stock finishes/refinishes. These two photos show an M1-A with Springfield's standard BLO finish (matte brown), a CMP Service Grade with original finish (likely BLO, all cartouches were sanded off in service so this is whatever the military did to it over it's lifetime), James River 03A3 (the nasty James River BLO and pigment stain removed then redone with brown dye and pure tung oil, many coats then waxed) and a CMP Special Grade with new production stock (nasty CMP BLO and pigment stain removed, red brown dye to replicate the WWII era red oxidized look and a furniture grade modified oil finish). MDS standard issue boot toe in grungy black Kiwi finish.

 

[Bolts Rock]

Detail views of the CMP Special Grade finish. Not to everyone's taste but my rifle, my choice.

 

[Bolts Rock]

How far you have to overdye to get the red look.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Good color and character.

And a big shout out to: Your Rifle-Your Choice.

 

[Bolts Rock]

Good color and character.

And a big shout out to: Your Rifle-Your Choice.

If it had been a collector's orgasm stock I'd have sold it for $$$ and replaced it. The new production stocks all use steamed walnut and that renders it kind of gray and lifeless, they do it because a good portion of the sapwood will darken to match the now de-intensified heartwood. The figure in the wood deserved a better finish and BLO is a very inferior finish to start with (one of the least desirable and least protective finishes for fine wood working in fact). They used BLO on the originals because it was cheap, available and easy, also easy to repair by just rubbing more on. Any monkey can rub BLO on, rub off the excess and let it cure. Tung oil is almost as easy but at the time it came from China only and the supply lines were not secure and it was more expensive.

 

[Armadillofz1]

Subscribed

 

[Lou45]

Detail views of the CMP Special Grade finish. Not to everyone's taste but my rifle, my choice.

Actually that wood grain really looks nice due to it's enhancement by the red dye.

 

[rdc]

Here's a few more for reference.
M1A several coats of BLO
SG Garand GI stock that cleaned the dirt off of and oiled a little w/BLO
Special grade Garand. No stain. 2 coats of BLO(only 2 weeks old)
SG Garand w/new Birch stock. Several coats BLO over several years. This has darkened a lot over time.

 

[rdc]

Just for grins here is a view of the differences in metal
Finish. Pic doesn't show well. All four different from each other.

 

[Vile Shadow]

This wood in this thread is givin' me wood.

 

[Bolts Rock]

Actually that wood grain really looks nice due to it's enhancement by the red dye.

It looks better than the photos show, the flash glare hides a bit. One sunny day I'll take it outside and snap a few more pics.

SG Garand w/new Birch stock. Several coats BLO over several years. This has darkened a lot over time.

Cherry, birch and maple will do that under oil based finishes without UV blockers. It's a photochromic reaction. Cherry gets darker and redder. Maple usually gets golden. Birch tends to golden brown, sometimes reddish brown.

 

[rdc]

It looks better than the photos show, the flash glare hides a bit. One sunny day I'll take it outside and snap a few more pics.



Cherry, birch and maple will do that under oil based finishes without UV blockers. It's a photochromic reaction. Cherry gets darker and redder. Maple usually gets golden. Birch tends to golden brown, sometimes reddish brown.

That's what I've read. I'm not complaining. It was bright pumpkin orange when I got it. I'm really starting to like it now.

 

[rbird7282]

Well done Sir.

 

[Yingpin]

This is not the best picture but it is a picture of how I received the stocks from CMP. I need to oil them but I have done nothing to them yet.



Now I have a ton of USGI M14 stocks and most of them are in need of refinishing but have great wood.

Here is one that I recently finished and is listed for sale. This is done with many coats of teak oil and a couple of applications of wax. Different look but pretty.



not refinished


not refinished

 

[Orlando]

I mix my own alcohol stains and are my choice especially on new commercial wood and any birch wood new or old

 

[Threeband]

I've used Fiebings Leather Dye. It's alcohol based.

I've heard of people using RIT dye with an alcohol base, too.

 

[Orlando]

I have used Fiebings in the past but on some woods it will give a purple tint. I now use TransTint dyes and custom mixed them with alcohol
Heres the last stocks I did but anyone can make a figured stock like this look good

 

[rdc]

was GI wood dyed? I was under the impression the GI wood color came from oxidation of the oils. Are people dying the wood for aesthetics? To match/approximate a "look"?

 

[Threeband]

was GI wood dyed? I was under the impression the GI wood color came from oxidation of the oils. Are people dying the wood for aesthetics? To match/approximate a "look"?

I've done it for aesthetics on a couple of guns. I think the US just dipped them in a big vat of raw linseed or tung oil.

I have used Fiebings in the past but on some woods it will give a purple tint...

Yes, I stained a birch CMP stock with a mix of medium brown and mahogany Fiebings. It definitely had a bit of a purple cast to it, especially in strong sunlight.

But now several years later it has completely lost the purple and is a very nice brown walnut color. Walnut colored flame birch. (Probably wrong, I know.)

I need to get some new pictures of it. Here are a couple from 2011: The first is of the stripped stock, the second is where I stopped messing with it, alongside a Correct Grade. The harsh light doesn't help.

Like I said, it has lost the red tint now. I need to get new pictures. The flame is really striking.

 

[rdc]

I've done it for aesthetics on a couple of guns. I think the US just dipped them in a big vat of raw linseed or tung g.

Ok. Kinda what I thought. Not crapping on anyone for doing it. Believe me I've spent tons of time trying to make new parts match the patina of others on things.