Finishing Laminated Stocks

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westy

Guest
Can you use an oil finish on a laminate stock in lieu of a urethane finish?? Just call me old-fashioned, but I prefer an oil finish.

Thanks
 
westy,

Seems like a lot of DIY folks prefer an oil finish because of its simplicity. Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil seems to be a popular opion - with a lot of coats, it can look pretty sweet as well.

Monte
 
Thanks Monte. I figured so, but thought a quick question wouldn't hurt. I've finished several walnut stocks this way, hence I'm not certain about the simplicity. Filing, Sanding 4 to 5 times, wetting, sanding the whiskers, staining, sealing and then about 12 coats of oil finish.
 
westy:
The work effort WILL show to those that are in the know, I would recommend just one small addition to the True-Oil and that is of the use of Marine Spar Varnish as grain filler, makes the wood come to life.

Clarence
 
Yes, you can use an oil to finish a laminated stock. The only drawback that I have found is getting the wood sanded clean enough to get a true oil finish. Usually I just coat with a polyurethane and forget about trying to get a real custom finish out of it. I think that all of the glue in the wood laminate tends to make it a little bit brittle. On the other hand it doesn't take a lot of grain filling either!
 
I am currently finishing a Richards Microfit laminated stock for my 10/22. Even though it is onl;y 1/2 done it never fails to draw apprciative comments. It is identical to the pic of the stock and 10/22 on Richard's website. The Tru Oil brought out the risc golden glow of the stock
 
An oldtimer mentioned this quote the other day about boiled linseed oil. He said you put it on:"once an hour for a day, once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever.". I thought that was kind of cute, and probably good instructions.
 
papapaul said:
An oldtimer mentioned this quote the other day about boiled linseed oil. He said you put it on:"once an hour for a day, once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year forever.". I thought that was kind of cute, and probably good instructions.
Click to expand...

problem is with Linseed oil is it takes nearly forever before it dries and if you put the next coat on an uncured coat you are asking for trouble and a sticky mess. The same can be said of Tung- oil.

Now mix some tung or linseed oil together with mineral spirits, add a bit of Japan dryer and you have a real nice stock finish.


ML
 
mixing tung oil

I've used a 50/50 mix of tung oil & turpentine for the first coat on some wood cabinets. Worked well and helped the oil soak in deeper.
 
I really like oil finish on walnut and some maple stocks but unless a laminated stock is walnut or maybe brown birch I don't care for a "Tru-Oil" finish. Black/gray laminates and especially bright colors are slightly tinted by the oil and have a warm "glow" that to my eye doesn't fit well with the contrasting laminations that make a these stocks unique. I like to use a totally clear coat and then rub the stock break the gloss according to the gun and intended use.

Just my experience but not everyone thinks alike-and that's a good thing!
 
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