Refinishing Gun Stock

[M&P Chris]

Hey I'm thinking about refinishing my stock on my old 30-30. anybody have any advice or suggestions?

[DCChris]

Birchwood Casey kit does a nice job if you follow the directions.

[Bama Man]

"whisker" the stock by rubbing it down with rubbing alcohol, which will raise the grain, like "whiskers".
Sand it back down after it dries, which will only take a few minutes, and then do it again until it stops raising the grain.
This prepares the wood for wet weather, in case you get caught out in the rain while hunting. It keeps it from doing this so bad if it gets rained on.
Sand the stock between "whiskers" with 400 wet or dry sand paper.
When done, coat the stock with Watco brand Danish oil, which can be found at Lowe's, or any good hardware store. It comes in quart cans, and it's a good idea to take an old glass (or new one) small Hoppes gun solvent bottle, and pour it full, and use this bottle each time instead of using the can, which has a large opening. Note: store the can and bottle upside down on it's top after each use to keep any hardening at the bottom of the can/bottle, instead of under the lid.
To coat the stock, start out with a very liberal coat, applied with your fingers, and let it dry for a day.(24 hours)
Next coat, and further coats, should be rubbed in by fingertip also, and, as the coats build up ( I use 15-20) rub the coating with the palm of your hand VIGOROUSLY and heat up the finish. let dry 24 hours between coats.
After about 5 coats, use 600 wet or dry sandpaper with the oil, and "wet" sand the stock, using either the danish oil or Hoppes bore solvent.
This takes longer than Tru-Oil or Birchwood Casey products, but, the finish is a very thin oil with dryers in it, and penetrates VERY deep, bringing the grain out with a deep almost Transparent looking grain.
The best reason for ANY oil finish over a vynl or synthetic finish for a field rifle, is that a field scratch can be steel wooled or fine sanded out and reoiled with no apparent repair being seen.
I have tried evrything from varnish, laquers, boiled linseed oils, tru-oil, birchwood Casey, and tongue oils, and this Watco brand oil is the best I ever found.
This even comes with a walnut colored oiled, although I have never tried that. I always use natural, and stain the wood first.
Although I do 15-20 coats, 5 are probably sufficient for field use, and make a good finish.
For the final coat, apply liberally, allow to dry or set up for a couple of hours, then rub down with some old panty hose or nylon stockings.

[mauser]

Bama Man I like the way you presented that advice. Concise and not filled with BS.
I've never tried rubbing alcohol to whisker the wood, I've always steamed it. I'll be trying alcohol on my next project. Thanks for the tips.

[LisaA]

"whisker" the stock by rubbing it down with rubbing alcohol, which will raise the grain, like "whiskers".
Sand it back down after it dries, which will only take a few minutes, and then do it again until it stops raising the grain.
This prepares the wood for wet weather, in case you get caught out in the rain while hunting. It keeps it from doing this so bad if it gets rained on.
Sand the stock between "whiskers" with 400 wet or dry sand paper.
When done, coat the stock with Watco brand Danish oil, which can be found at Lowe's, or any good hardware store. It comes in quart cans, and it's a good idea to take an old glass (or new one) small Hoppes gun solvent bottle, and pour it full, and use this bottle each time instead of using the can, which has a large opening. Note: store the can and bottle upside down on it's top after each use to keep any hardening at the bottom of the can/bottle, instead of under the lid.
To coat the stock, start out with a very liberal coat, applied with your fingers, and let it dry for a day.(24 hours)
Next coat, and further coats, should be rubbed in by fingertip also, and, as the coats build up ( I use 15-20) rub the coating with the palm of your hand VIGOROUSLY and heat up the finish. let dry 24 hours between coats.
After about 5 coats, use 600 wet or dry sandpaper with the oil, and "wet" sand the stock, using either the danish oil or Hoppes bore solvent.
This takes longer than Tru-Oil or Birchwood Casey products, but, the finish is a very thin oil with dryers in it, and penetrates VERY deep, bringing the grain out with a deep almost Transparent looking grain.
The best reason for ANY oil finish over a vynl or synthetic finish for a field rifle, is that a field scratch can be steel wooled or fine sanded out and reoiled with no apparent repair being seen.
I have tried evrything from varnish, laquers, boiled linseed oils, tru-oil, birchwood Casey, and tongue oils, and this Watco brand oil is the best I ever found.
This even comes with a walnut colored oiled, although I have never tried that. I always use natural, and stain the wood first.
Although I do 15-20 coats, 5 are probably sufficient for field use, and make a good finish.
For the final coat, apply liberally, allow to dry or set up for a couple of hours, then rub down with some old panty hose or nylon stockings.

Thanks for this detailed info, Bama Man! This is very helpful.