Garand Stock Refinish. What to do?

[Scott Hearn]

So it has begun. I scored a nice Garand out of the CMP a while back and it came with one of their brand new birch stocks. I utterly hate the orange stain they use on them so it's going to go bye bye.

I got a piece of new birch plywood and have been messing around with oil finishes. I was wanting to make it look like a walnut stock at least in color, but in the process I put some pure 100% tung oil on a spot. Now I'm not sure. It is coming out a really nice brown and just looks really classy and I'm thinking this just might be the route to go. One thing is sure, it will be an old school oil finish, I've already got my own concoction of boiled linseed oil, stain, pure tung and some other goodies in it figured out and have the dark brown color pretty much nailed down. But the pure tung is looking really really good, it's actually a bit darker than in the pic. This pic only has two coats on it, I'm going to keep going until it quits taking in the oil. It got a bit darker on the 2nd coat and I'm gonna just see where it goes. I've seen some pic on other forums of guys that did theirs in "blonde" and they are growing on me. This piece of plywood is a bit darker than those and I'm thinking it's gonna be perfect if the actual stock will come out the same way. The gun isn't a serious collector or anything. But it's a hell of a nice shooter. What say you?

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm liking the 100% tung oil. It looks what I would like my stock to resemble.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

When you get done with yours I'll send mine over... J/K.... I have a Birch and Walnu handguardt mis- matched set on mine. I guess I should see what happens with tung oil... I doubt it could get uglier.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Well curiosity got the cat. I put a coat on the underside of the rear handguard this morning since it was dry. Of course it looks nothing like the birch plywood I was testing on. Brown didn't hardly come out at all, just slightly darkened with a yellowish hue. Looks like I'll be going the stained/oil route.

 

[dennishoddy]

I've seen some walnut stocks for sale that would fit your gun. I know its not "original", but if one wanted to keep one original, it would be taken by the barrel and beat upon the rocks, and then put back in the safe.

Do it like you want, and enjoy it.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Well the deed is done. At least there's no going back now. I had to go with the stain/oil concoction I came up with because I tried the tung oil on the underside of the rear hand guard and it looked yellow like that stock Coolhandluke refinished up above. I added some red stain for color tint because it was just too BROWN. At first I was a bit disappointed. All three pieces are different colors and look different in general. And the splotching came through with flying colors like I figured it would. It's birch what are you gonna do?

But after I wiped them down and stood back, it dawned on me. I nailed it!

This is a 2010 stock on a WWII rifle. It's not supposed to look like a fine English Holland and Holland or a grade IV Weatherby. It's supposed to look like it's been who knows where, done who knows what and by who knows whom. This 2010 stock looks pretty much like a 60 year old battle rifle stock should except for being all beat up. And it kind of looks like may have been in the past, it has a well used look to it from a distance. Overall I'm totally happy with it. It ain't walnut, but it does look period correct now.

Pics to follow....

 

[Jefpainthorse]

Scott
I know you like what you have so this is a general note

Softer woods darken easier... They soak up the stain and take color a little deeper than harder woods or tighter grained woods

It takes a trial and error approach .... A light coat of sealer first,before staining, on the lighter wood sometimes helps to even things up.

 

[Burk Cornelius]

I missed out on this thread but it looks like you already got it done. We need some pictures.

Here was a good thread about refinishing that you may or may not have seen. I was looking for an oil-only finish.

Refinish thread on M1 Carbine

 

[Scott Hearn]

Here is the 1st coat of oil. It's still wet. I had to play some more and got some Fiebing's leather dye to even the color out between all the pieces. That stuff is frackin awesome! Just wipe lightly on with a paper towel to tone up what you want. If I ever do another birch stock that will be the method from the get go. Camera's jacking with the true color again.

True color is just about half way between these two shots. Should deepen and darken just a bit as the oil dries.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Well as promised here it is. I really wish I knew what was going on with the coloring. A combination of me not having the right camera settings and working under those "daylight" fluorescent shop lights at night when I was staining it resulted in a little more orange than I was wanting being left. Still pretty happy with it. It's certainly better than what I had. In person there is a bit more brown and less orange than these pics show. This is Watco Danish Oil in dark walnut and tung oil mixed, followed by Fiebings alcohol based dark brown leather dye, followed by 4 coats of pure uncut tung oil, followed by 7 or 8 coats of boiled linseed oil. Followed by two nice heavy coats of Tom's 1/3 wax rubbed in well.

 

[TroyF]

Looks damn good, Scott!

 

[silver star]

You did a very good job bringing out the wood grains.
Color is personal to the eye but I think it looks awsome.

 

[Wall]

looks great Scott :great:

 

[Scott Hearn]

I think I'm gonna name it Chameleon. It's a different color every time I take it out of the safe! Just depends on the lighting.

 

[TroyF]

You do coffee tables?

 

[dennishoddy]

Very nice!

 

[Scott Hearn]

You do coffee tables?

Using this method, that would take about 4 years. )

 

[Mitch Rapp]

Beautiful rifle!