What is the wood grip finish on a Uberti Cattleman ?

GSP7 · April 26, 2020, 07:28:44 AM

What is the wood grip finish on a Taylors Uberti Cattleman ?

Is it Poly Urethane ? Or some other shellac, lacquer stuff?

Did you strip yours?

Coffinmaker · April 26, 2020, 10:33:46 AM

A type of Polyurethane that also contains a stain/filler.

Nope. I don't bother to strip the OEM finish from any of my Uberti guns.

GSP7 · April 26, 2020, 11:18:34 AM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on April 26, 2020, 10:33:46 AM
...... also contains a stain/filler.

.......

I thought it might have a stain,,, reddish

I'll chem. strip mine eventually , no sanding... install linseed oil/eye of nute concoctions I have.

I like that warm natural wood feeling , better grip too

Major 2 · April 26, 2020, 11:44:45 AM

The Citri-Strip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel works fine.

plan on at least 3 applications and plastic scraper, and use acetone for the final wash. Then 0000 steel wool and Bobs your uncle.

I only use Skidmore's Wood restorer or Johnsons Finish wax to complete

Jeremiah Jones · April 26, 2020, 02:12:46 PM

I used Major 2's method to strip mine, then a light stain and Danish Wood Oil.

Johnson Barr · April 27, 2020, 01:15:43 PM

Another good stripper is 'Soy-gel' available from Rockler.com. Sometimes takes a third coat to scrap all that Red Crap down to bare wood. I save those 'in-the-mail' plastic not credit cards for scrappers. Light sanding with 2000grt. wet/dry paper, then a couple coats of Birch Wood Casey water base Walnut Stain followed by lightly burnishing with 0000 steel wool. My final finish is two hand rubbed coats of Watco teak oil finish. I am doing the butt stock and forend on my '73 rifle right now. I will post pics in a couple days when she's all back together.

Johnson Barr · May 03, 2020, 02:25:03 PM

Had some small delays with the 1873 refinish project. I would have documented the transition from Uberti 'red tide' finish more closely but, I came to this thread a little late. The attached pics are of stripped forend and first past dark walnut stain on the butt stock. Second shot is of the finished wood with two hand rubbed coats of Watco teak oil. Final shot is of the rifle reassembled.

Abilene · May 03, 2020, 05:50:09 PM

That looks good! Nicely figured wood don't hurt none.

Any pics of the other side?

This was the first Uberti stock I refinished. I rescued it from Cimarron's trash bin (note the top to bottom crack at wrist), to practice on. Citristrip, then Special Walnut (I think?) stain that is nice but I went to Dark Walnut after this one. Then at least a dozen coats of Formby's Tung Oil, low gloss (it's not like I was in a hurry to put it back on a rifle).

Coffinmaker · May 04, 2020, 09:56:41 AM

Hey Abilene

Didja ever get around to spreading that crack and injecting some Epoxy or Tight Bond III into it?? Saving that stock coulda/shoulda been fun

Abilene · May 04, 2020, 10:34:06 AM

Coffinmaker, couldn't get it to spread. But I did wick in some superglue. I may try to use it some day. Low recoil CAS loads shouldn't stress it and I don't throw my rifles down after shooting. But I have noticed it will take some fitting effort as the tang holes don't line up at all with the couple of my rifles that I checked.

Coffinmaker · May 04, 2020, 05:43:39 PM

Some years ago, Uberti standardized the Butt Stock of their Rifle line. The only difference 8 or 10 years ago was the Henry stock was 1/2 inch longer. '66 and '73 stocks became interchangeable. The stocks all went to identical inletting and Screw position and the dimensions of the tangs were standardized. I don't know if they are still that way. I haven't had a selection of rifles apart for several years. Guessing it's still the same. Maybe.

Johnson Barr · May 05, 2020, 12:51:18 PM

Abilene here are close pics of both butt and forend from both sides.

1961MJS · May 21, 2020, 06:34:53 PM

Quote from: Johnson Barr on May 03, 2020, 02:25:03 PM
Had some small delays with the 1873 refinish project. I would have documented the transition from Uberti 'red tide' finish more closely but, I came to this thread a little late. The attached pics are of stripped forend and first past dark walnut stain on the butt stock. Second shot is of the finished wood with two hand rubbed coats of Watco teak oil. Final shot is of the rifle reassembled.

Hi
Is the wood walnut or just the stain? That's some light looking wood on the fore end. I'm planning on taking the finish off the inside of the grips on one of the Schofield's I bought and see what the wood looks like.
Later

Abilene · May 21, 2020, 07:48:06 PM

Uberti uses European walnut. A lot of it is very light under the stain.

Johnson Barr · May 23, 2020, 01:18:16 PM

Roll back to my May 3rd post and look at the pic of the stripped fore end. This is what the Italian 'Walnut' looks like naked. I prefer a darker American walnut look. The Birch-Wood Casey dark walnut stain is a water based stain. If you get something darker than you like with an application simply giving the surface a light fine grain sanding that will take down the darkness before applying the final oil finish. The pics attached are of my refinish of a Pietta 1860 grip. I was trying for a dark honey maple look. The last coat of Watco teak oil is on now; reassembly tomorrow with an afternoon trip to the range to snap a few caps.

Virginia Gentleman · October 31, 2021, 02:43:53 AM

Quote from: Abilene on May 04, 2020, 10:34:06 AM
Coffinmaker, couldn't get it to spread. But I did wick in some superglue. I may try to use it some day. Low recoil CAS loads shouldn't stress it and I don't throw my rifles down after shooting. But I have noticed it will take some fitting effort as the tang holes don't line up at all with the couple of my rifles that I checked.

I fix a lot of gun stocks and on a stress crack, Superglue works extremely well at bonding the crack back together AND stopping the crack dead in its path from spreading more.