So who has refinished their ROSSI wood and what did you choose?

I am just starting tore it aprt so that I could remove forearm and buttstock and wiped down with mineral spirites and am now useing formby's tung oil over the factory stain to give it a nice oil finish it is a tungoil/varnish of some kind I am assuming but I wanted somthing to seal it beens I found a good amount of rust where the forearms was on the barrel and mag tube. get it sealed and no more moisture to sit against the barrel and tube.
this is what I am starting with sorry for the pic qaulity just don't have a good camera anymore. but you get the idea before and after several more hand rubbed coatings of tung oil I will see what noticable difference there is if any.
What have any of the hive done?

I've got a couple of Rossi's that I plan to refinish, so I'll be watching this.

My two Braztech 357mag Rossis are 2009 models so they have the medium brown stain on the stocks rather than the much darker stain they used earlier. Both the rifle and carbine looked dull and drab so I decided I had to do something with the wood. Rather than strip off the old finish and applying a new stain and oil, I figured I give a shot at just adding a stain and satin finish right over the top of the existing finish.

After cleaning the stocks to remove oils and any dirt, I applied one coat of WATCO Danish Oil, Medium Walnut to them. I didn't take them apart (I did remove the front barrel band on the carbine and the front cap on the rifle.), I just taped off the metal and applied it per the directions. That way I could hold the actions and barrels to apply the oil and then stand them up to let them dry.

I think the results are fantastic as the WATCO oil gave them a richer color, a nice depth, and highlighted the grain as well as adding a bit of satin shine.

Before - Decent wood but it just sort of laid there with no pizzazz or pop:



Closeups - Not bad, just not exciting:





After a single coat of WATCO oil. Both of them look 1000% better to me now:



Closeups - Now they've got some sass and pop:





I especially like how the stock color brought out the case hardening on my rifle version. Both of them look sharper and brighter with a more expensive look:





The only downside is WATCO takes about 1 week to dry but that's a small price to pay for the result I got.

COSteve your stocksets are nice looking great work I love watcos teak oil on my other wood stocks and danish great work.
I am on my third application of rubbing in the tung oil over the original stain in my first pic at top beginning this post. I used mineral spirits and cleaned the wood let it dry then started rubbing in the fromby's low gloss tung oil and so far slow but sure the grain is crawling out and looking better.
the 21st was after only one coat of tung the 22nd was after 2 coats and lots of rubbin I hope after 5 coats they will make me happy.

This is the 3rd coat of tung

another view of the 3rd coat the butt stock has more sheen than the forearm just a badd angle and camera

The rest of these are after the first coat.

That's going to look really good akuser-47. I must admit, I'm lazy so the results I got from only one coat of WATCO is good enough for me.

I think after seeing your case hardened octigon barrel That may be my next in 44 mag. in case any one else is looking for any of these in any calibers the distributers are getting them in again so you can start to get them brandy new and then you can join the ranks. I will probably be getting a 44 mag and all the dies to handload for it an so fourth with my tax return I love new toys. I know my stocks above are not perfect few dings here and there but the grain is awesome so I am focused on that I was gonna go through the mess of steaming and raising the dings but decided the result would hardly be worth the effort. I am lazy as well your weapons look very good with little effort I think you just worked smart not hard is all.

Those look great!

Thanks

Ok I am done for now still waiting on my parts from steve then I will be all done with this one and cannot wait to get one in .44 mag

That looks really good-what did you end up using?

I'm gonna do mine this weekend after seeing the results here!

I took the buttstock and forearm off take your time and use correct size drivers or you will regret it. But I didn't do to much I rubbed the stocks down with mineral spirits to help degrease and release any oils that may be ingrained in the wood then used fine steel wool and work it over with most rossi there is some type of varnish/glue they put on the buttstock under and around it(smears of it) the cresent plate and I have seen it streaked on the sides of them mine had this as well you will see it when you rubb the mineral spirits on it let it dry. then steel wool the glossy spots if any from this stuff. after that another bath rub down of mineral spirits. this will lighten the stain a bit so don't panic you can always restain if you want to darken it. I wanted a good oil finish and tried the fromby's low gloss tung oil it is a mixture of tung and varnish all in one follow the directions I ended with seven coats all in all. and am pleased the more coats the glossier it gets. you can get these and the watco oils finishes at most big stores like lowes and home depot. I will use the high gloss FROMBY'S on my .44 mag when I get it to see the difference. she looks good and feels good. She don't look like the same gun from that first pic that is for sure.

OP, Your Rossi looks great! I've got two Rossi trappers and a Ranch Hand that need some help with the wood finish. I believe I'll try your method and see how it goes.

Did you do anything between coats of the tung oil?

yes between coats after they are dry use 0000 steel wool very lighly rub it thenclean it up of the wool leftovers and then add another coat and continue until you are happy when you first start wipeing down the stock with mineral spirits do it under good light you want to look for sanding marks or machinge marks that may need to be sanded out. The steel wool helps bring out a better more uniform sheen with each additional coat of oil. allow it to dry as direction list. you should be happy with your results from it. And don't forget to take before and after pics helps you remember how worth it the effort was.

I would suggest copper/bronze wool which brownells sells. That way, if a small piece does catch the grain and slightly embed itself into the wood, it won't rust later on down the line.

.
Excellent advise, this is also why you never use steel wool on aluminum.
It will promote freckles of rust from tiny embedded steel particles.
Beautiful wood in this thread, it always amazes me to see such rich colors hiding under poorly finished or factory/military wood stocks.

Good advice I had never encountered this but it does seems like sound advice. I will have to order up some soon.
For the ROSSI lovers out there here is a web forum just getting started that you may enjoy
Rossi rifleman

Copyright © 1996 - 2013 :: AR15.Com LLC :: All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.