I just obtained a beautiful, yet quite impractical rifle with a walnut stock that, while nice, could use a few more coats in my opinion.

I have refinished my share of stocks in the past but none have had any checkering.  I have used linseed, and tung oil in the past, but believe it or not I have had the best results with birchwood casey's tru oil.

What I am worried about is that getting the tru oil into the checkering will goop them up and leave them undefined and unattractive.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Anyone?

Never used tru-oil and I don't what it consists of.

What is the stock coated with now?  If you find out and add more of that you'll be okay.  You'll also be okay if what ever is in tru-oil is compatible with what is on there now.

Linseed oil doesn't seal wood very well unless you really soak the stuff in.  Even then it is only marginal as a sealant.  Tung oil is much better for sealing wood.

I only use linseed oil to bring out the grain patterns.

BRB

Use masking tape to cover the checkering.

Tru-oil consists of:

ZIRCONIUM 2-ETHYLHEXANATE SOLUTION
VM&P NAPHTHA (LIGROINE)
MODIFIED OIL
MODIFIED LINSEED OIL
COBALT NAPHTHENATE SOLUTION

Looks like it is a varnish as it is linseed oil based with chemical dryers and modifying resins.

Tru-Oil is polymerized.

When you finish checkering, work the extra oil out with a tooth brush, and you will be good to go.

Don't use plain linseed oil or tung oil, they do not provide moisture protection.  Tru-Oil is a superior finish, and once in a while a custom maker will admit that it's what they use, too.  Otherwise, "it's an oil finish".

What AeroE said.  A toothbrush or other soft bristled brush.

--VT

Disagree...I think Tung oil provides superior moisture protection.

Quoted: Disagree...I think Tung oil provides superior moisture protection.

Tung oil is better than linseed oil, but unless it's modified, it's not nearly what it needs to be for gun that will see hard use in all weather, and it's nowhere as good as other products available, including WATCO finishes from the hardware store or Tru-Oil from BoxMart.

Quoted: Quoted: Disagree...I think Tung oil provides superior moisture protection. Tung oil is better than linseed oil, but unless it's modified, it's not nearly what it needs to be for gun that will see hard use in all weather, and it's nowhere as good as other products available, including WATCO finishes from the hardware store or Tru-Oil from BoxMart.

Watco is nothing but linseed oil with driers and modifiers.

"Tung oil is more durable than lacquer and is impervious to water stains. As mentioned before, minor scratches are easily repaired. It's readily available and an ideal finish for butch block tops in kitchens, as well as wooden salad bowls and other wooden food preparation surfaces. Furniture in areas of high use (or abuse) could also benefit from a tung oil finish."

Watco Danish oil includes polymerizing materials in addition to any linseed oil in the mix.  This is pretty much true for any oil finish on the market (except for unblended linseed and tung oil).  

Virtually all boiled linseed oil sold in common hardware stores also contains dryers, which is added to help the oil cure up in humid atmospheres while the user is still young enough to care; you can add Japan dryer yourself to speed things along.  The tung oil finishes commonly sold in hardware stores is varnish; pure tung oil dries is nearly as slow as linseed oil to dry.

Resistance to water ringing is not the same as providing a barrier to water vapor penetration.

It all doesn't matter anyway, most of the folks here like plastic stocks.