Best place for AK wood?

[Skullz]

I just picked up a Yugo AK. Overall, the gun is in great shape (save for one ugly, rusted mag). The wood is OK. I'd like to replace it with some nicer furniture.

Does anyone have any recommendations for good places to find quality wood?

[Willie D]

What about just refinishing the wood yourself?

[Lycanthrope]

Does anyone have any recommendations for good places to find quality wood?

I think this thread could go downhill fast based on that comment.....

And....I second the refinish possibility. Sand it down with steel wool, stain and lay on some oil or clear coat.

[brian]

from what i've seen, it's either other yugo wood or find one of the few people making custom wood.
refinishing what you already have, normally works out pretty good with them.

[crlovel]

I think this thread could go downhill fast based on that comment.....

And....I second the refinish possibility. Sand it down with steel wool, stain and lay on some oil or clear coat.

Thanks, I totally came in here with something bad to say, and for some reason, you took the wind right out of my sails.

Skullz, what they said, refurbish what you have. Yugo AK stocks are not compatible with other non-Yugo stocks, I don't believe. It would be a lot easier to just work with what you have.

Post us a pic. Beat up old stocks have a nice charm, sometimes.

[nfafan]

<snip>

Skullz, what they said, refurbish what you have. Yugo AK stocks are not compatible with other non-Yugo stocks, I don't believe. It would be a lot easier to just work with what you have.

Post us a pic. Beat up old stocks have a nice charm, sometimes.

True on all counts.

That Yugo beater wood is the historical tie back to the days when those suckers were used to blast away at each other in their effing-brutal, nasty-ass civil war.

Some folks even like the stuff that's out there with the soldier carvings dug into them.

I got my original Yugo wood sets for my non-wood underfolders from Centerfire Systems ( http://www.centerfiresystems.com/ ) when they had them. Just cleaned them up real good with rubbing alcohol alcohol and furniture cleaner on a Scotchbrite pad.
(Also got some original and beaten-up Yugo pistol grips to replace the Century "repro Yugo grips" to add to the provenance.)

If you must have Browning-grade furniture on your Yugo, Ironwood makes the best of the Yugo-unique wood sets, see: http://www.ironwooddesigns.com/

But Ironwood isn't cheap. There are also a few other smaller operations than Ironwood out there that do/can do the Yugo wood. Just surf the 58-bajillion AK message boards for ads.

No Yugo wood source will be as cheap as keeping what you have and hitting it with Scotchbrite and Formbys Furniture Cleaner.

[nijwnfi]

A great cleaner for wood is LA Awesome cleaner. Available at Dollar General stores. Buddy of mine worked at one of their warehouses, and they had a punctured skid in the back of a trailer. When they wiped up the puddle, the dirty greasy floor underneath looked like freshly cut wood. I use it myself, this stuff is cheap, and it works. For really grimy surface, use undiluted and let it sit awhile.

[Skullz]

Thanks for all the advice (even Lycan's ). I guess I can go with refinishing... Although, maybe finding some old wood and refinishing it might be better. I may want to keep the beat up wood that came with it just like it is.

Skullz