Wood Refinish

[Fox Creek Kid]

I finally decided to refinish the wood on my Spencer as it was just too bland for my taste. Personally, I love that old timey reddish hue and almost always refinish the wood on all my Italian guns. I can live with the chemical case colors on my Spencer as they look weather beaten, but I couldn't take another day of that awful blonde wood. It's sweet now!! For less than $35.00 and a few hours labor over five days and she looks authentic. 

[Two Flints]

Fox Creek Kid,

More info please and some photos would be nice to see    What stain? did you use  ?  C'mon why say how great it looks and not give us a chance to see the result

Two Flints

[Fox Creek Kid]

I don't have a digital cam, sorry. Two Flints, you have my address, just enclose a cashiers check for $500 and I'll e-mail my method.    Hahahahahahaha! OK, the best "stain" I've found is Behlen "Blood Red" dye. Do as many coats as suits your eye. I then am using Kramer's Antique Restorer for final finishes.

[Mick Archer]

  Howdy Pards!

   My old mentor, the late gunmaker Kit Ravenshearm turned me on to leather dye.
   I had tried all manner or gunmaker type stains for years.  But when I went to Fiebings Leather Dye such as medium or dark brown, or blends/mixes of the same, I was able to "tweak" the "Northern Italian Hardwood (AKA "European Walnut,"
sigh) to look more like the Pennyslvania grown American Black Walnut used during the Civil War.  (granted one cannot alter the grain texture...)

   Mick Archer
   Former builder of custom Civil War era US and CS rifles and rifle-muskets

[Will Ketchum]

I just re-did my Henry.  Just as I had my 73.  I have had good luck with "Maple Magic"  I bought it from the Log Cabin Shop this last time.  I use to buy it at Friendship when I attended.

Will Ketchum

[Two Flints]

SSS Members,

Gentlemen, it certainly would be nice to see a photo or two of your refinishing results with whatever liquid you prefer using   You could always Email them to me and I would be more than happy to post them for you.

Two Flints

[Fox Creek Kid]

I don't even own a camera. Sorry.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Two Flints, I have a buddy with a digital cam. Let me ask him as I have just completed refinishing and she looks like an original!! 

[Two Flints]

Fox Creek Kid,

That would be great!  I am a firm believer that a photo is worth a thousand words...but, in the meantime, would you please detail what you did to refinish your Spencer wood.  I'm always learning new methods and techniques  by just reading the posts of those SSS members who are willing to share what they do and know

Thanks, for any refinishing information you may be willing to share with us.

Two Flints

[Glenn]

OK, I'm giving away old secrets but.... A cheap and easy to use stain- Instant Tea.  Make a concentrated mix and use as many coats as needed.  If you over do it, it's water based so just wash it off.  Then a few coats of oil to seal it up.  It's real easy to match in an area with it too. 

[Mick Archer]

  Howdy Pards!

  For a finish, I want one that looks like a period oiled finished rather than the modern look of plastic polyurethane varnish.
 
  I had tried, for years, the traditional Tru-Oil type varnishes, but found that they "built up" too fast, creating a thick "turtle shell" "diped in clear" look.
 
  I had also tried the modern so-caleld "Boiled Linseed Oil" hand-rubbed route.  However, modern so-called "boiled linseed" is made in such a way that they take out the "resins" that polymerize to give BOTH the oiled look as well as water protection.  (So often times during the first rain, or the first cleaning, there are white spots and white runs marring the finish...)

  IMHO, i have had the best results with one of two alternative methods that recreate the "hard oil' varnish trype finishes of the Period by putting back the hardening agents that the modern boiled linseed oil process removes.  (modern boiled linseed oil is hygroscopic- water passes through it..)

  1. I use a 1/3 mix of Laurel Mountain Finish, 1/3 Boiled Linseed Oil, and 1/3 Turpentine with a dash of Japan Dryer to speed "drying."  4-5 hand-rubbed coats makes a period looking finish.

or

  2.  I use a 4/5 mix of Laurel Mountain Finish with 1/5 Japan Dryer.   3-4 hand-rubbed coats does it.

  The net result is a (nearly total) waterproof finish that looks period to the eye but does not build up and look like clear plastic sitting on the wood.

   Mick Archer

  Of course one can take cold-pressed raw linseed oil, boil it, and neutralize the excess acid with crushed limestone- but it is smelly and dangerous...    

 

[Fox Creek Kid]

Truoil is linseed oil & mineral spirits with dryers thrown in. The reason why you got the "layered" look is that you probably didn't lightly steel wool (#0000) after each coat dried. If you do this you can get a hand rubbed appearing finish in 2 3 coats. I've tried everything under the sun and keep coming back to Truoil. That's just my experiences however.

[Two Flints]

Hi,

Still trying to learn from my fellow SSS members .  I have a Spencer stock with three gouges.  Two on one side and the third on the other side.  What do you recommend I use to fill them in to get the finished result close to the original color of the wood as possible .  I already tried a walnut wood filler and the end result was OK, but too dark . 

I'd appreciate any suggestions.  Also, what do you guys use to clean the wood, and what do you use as a follow up after the cleaning the wood to restore some color to the wood??? 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Two Flints

[Fox Creek Kid]

To get the years of linseed oil, gun oil, blood, etc., out of the wood you need "whiting".

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1133&title=OLD+FASHIONED+WHITING

After that, then try raising the dents with an iron and damp rag under it. Don't let the iron "linger" in one spot too long. Unfortuantely, there is no easy way to repair gouges. Most repairs look like crap. I'd simply raise what dents I could and not worry about gouges. After all, once it's refinished the value is severely dimished as well. Clean the wood with alcohol or mineral spirits & let dry. I would stain the wood then with this:

http://www.abbotpaint.com/itemdetails.cfm?itemid=2186149

It's the best I've used for giving that old time reddish linseed oil look. Apply 2 - 3 coats. It dries rapidly. Finish to your own taste. I like Truoil.

[Mick Archer]

  Howdy Pards!

  I know of no decent ways to fill gouges, short of sectioinng and replacing the wood (I have a friend who is a professional restorator) as a dent is a compressing of the wood fibres that can be (sometimes) "uncompressed" with steam but a gouge is wood that is gone.
  I have seen attempts with Plastic Wood, and sundry wood putties and fillers, but not to any good result.  I have somewhat "better" attempts with Brownell's Acru-glas mixed with fine powdered saw/wood dust- but the area had to be cosmetically darkened with powdered wood stain and finish to blend in a dark stock.  (Which works better on old stocks that have darkened excessively)

   IMHO, I would suggest possibly blending the lighter wood exposed in the gouge with tints or washings of alcohol-based leather dye and then bring the "finish" in the gouge back to the same as the rest of the wood with a recipe of your choice-  Laurel Mountain Forge Finish or thinned Tru-Oil for example.    

   As a pard used to say about such "damages,"  "It adds character, don't it?"

  I once had an original Maynard carbine with a series of minor gouges on the stock caused by the carbine sling "snap."

   Mick Archer