This is cross-posted in the refinishing forum, but I figure some of you CMP guys that have worked on some chewed up Garand stocks might have a few words of wisdom for me as well.

I am trying to refinish a birch M14 stock, and it just isn't working out well for me. Here are the steps I have taken, which were done according to what I had read across a number of forums:

1. Sprayed it down with Easy Off degreaser, let it sit for a day, wipe down, and repeat one more time.

2. Let it dry for 24 hours after degreasing the second time, and go over the wood lightly with a torch to evaporate any remaining moisture/degreaser still in the wood. After this, the original finish was at least 95% removed, and it looked like a natural, unfinished, dry piece of wood.

3. Apply a light coat of boiled linseed oil using a cotton ball or paper towel every 24 hours.

At this point, I am at ~10-12 coats of boiled linseed oil without much noticeable improvement. When I apply a coat of it, the stock becomes bright and shiny under the oil, which is what I want. But after it sits for a day, it all gets absorbed and the wood becomes dull again. I don't want to use an unnatural stain, but I do want it to be semi-glossy and I want the grain to be bright and pop out. What am I doing wrong? Do I need to just keep applying coats of BLO until it's glossy, or will it always keep soaking in?

This is where I'm at right now. The shiny parts on the wood are sticky portions of BLO that I guess didn't soak in or something.




This is how it looked after being degreased/stripped:

For comparison, this is what a small area looks like immediately after being wiped down with boiled linseed oil. See how the butt of the stock is significantly glossier and brighter than the rest of the rifle, which hasn't been touched since yesterday? I want the whole thing to look like this. Is that even possible?

Never did birch, but walnut and oak( not astock)

1. add coats with 0000 steel wool till shine was where I wantted it.
I used a hot box for drying. Nothing more than 100 watt lightbulb in a foil linned box bigger than the stock to keep the heat in.
2. wax 2 or 3 coats of Butches bowling ally paste wax.

Birch may be so pourous that it will take a few coats to get to the level of shine you want.
http://www.woodsmith.com/files/issues/sample/sample-46-47.pdf

eta
always best to pratice on scrap if you can.

I use a small piece of 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper to apply the first few costs of boiled linseed oil. I think rubbing it in with the sandpaper helps to fill the grain. After a few costs, rub the oil in vary sparingly and make sure to remove the excess. Thick coats of BLO won't dry correctly. Be patient. It often takes lots of coats to look good.

I ran into a couple of M1 Garand stocks (H&R) that just would not shine up.  They looked like they'd been sand blasted.  Dull, ugly.

I talked to another guy I knew and he suggested Tung oil.  I got some of that and it shined up both stocks.  He told me I could just put it on over the BLO so I did.  It took 4 or 5 coats but it shined up like my other ones (SA rifles) had with BLO.

That's all I've got.

I think I might just lightly sand it down and then try some tung oil over the existing BLO layers.

How is tung oil different from BLO? Do they serve different purposes?

Tru-oil

Two coats

Done

Trust me.

Do I need to sand it down prior? Do I need to strip the existing finish down before I use that? Can it be bought at a big box hardware store?

Hey

Lightly scuff with 0000 steel wool. Use a tack cloth to wipe off the dust. Apply finish, let dry overnight. Repeat (including 0000 steel wool step).

No, apply on top of what you have. Will harden / cure to a hard gloss finish. Will not bring out the grain anymore than what you have.

Yes, can be found at most big box stores. Same for 0000 steel wool and tack cloths. Tru-oil should be kept at the stain section of the store, the rest by the sandpaper section.

There are other ways to achieve this but above is fairly idiot proof

Note, I've been a woodworker for 30+ years.  Feel free to IM me for help or advise.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot tomorrow or Wednesday. I have plenty of 000 and 0000 steel wool, but I'll stop by the store and grab some tru-oil and tack cloth.

How do you apply the finish? Thick or thin? With a Cotton ball? Paper towel? Cloth rag? Does it even matter?

ETA: I looked up what tru-oil refinished stocks look like, and this came up. This would be PERFECT if mine comes out looking like this.

In your case I'd apply light coats with any lint free rag.  Thick coats might lead to runs. Better to go light and maybe do three coats.

You didn't mention washing the wood stock after hitting it with ez off.  I would have washed the stock with hot water to wash away the lye.  

I like the true oil look.  I found I can copy the older winchester finishes with it.  

I have also used tung oil, tung oil finish, BLO and RLO.