Armory Sponsor
Posted: 1/22/2009 11:40:16 PM EDT
| Ive got a styer m95 and I want to refinish the stock. Im talking completely strip it and start over. I need help. Whats the best way? What do I need? And how do I do it? |
|
My method:
I use a chemical stripper to get the shellac/varnish/wax off the wood. I have used Formby's stripper with good results. Afterward, I take steps to seep out any remaining cosmoline. Then, with an iron and damp, disposable wash cloth I steam any minor dings and dents out and minimalize deeper defects. Use an old cloth and iron because they will be pulling out more oils and cosmo. You should do this before you sand or buff the stock. Let the wood dry thoroughly for at least a few days before proceeding. Take your time; if you rush it it will likely turn out badly. The key is minimal sanding. If you take too much wood, the stock hardware will not fit correctly. Also, use a sanding block whenever possible so as not to round over sharp edges such as around the receiver and barrel inlets. I use only 00, 000 and 0000 steel wool, working my way down to the super fine stuff to buff the stock smooth and knock down the grain after steaming. DO NOT try and sand out any dings or dents, you'll only take away wood while deforming the shape of the stock. If you have to use sand paper to smooth out a really rough spot, use a high grit paper and keep it light. Even with super fine steel wool, you'll work lots of wood off. Keep buffing until the wood is smooth to near a glossy finish. You should be able to see some light reflecting from the wood. Select the stain of your choice (if you want to stain it) and apply per the directions. I find a few coats work best to get an even finish, especially if you are contending with a rifle that spent much of its life in cosmoline. Choose the clear coat sealer of your choice. Do this in a dust free, low humidity environment. You can keep it original and use the finish the rifle originally had (I think most old rifles like the M95's were shellacked or varnished) or you can use a modern finish like exterior poly to better resist the elements. Apply a thin coat of your oil/varnish/poly/shellac, let it dry per the directions, then buff it out with fine steel wool. Do it again. I like to put at least 3 coats of my clear coat on. For your final coat, apply the finish and let it sit at least 24 hours before you buff it, if at all. Also optional is applying a finishing wax. Some guys I know use turtle wax on their finished stocks, of all things. Personally, I like to keep my C&R guns all original even if they are beat to shit. But for something ubiquitous like a Yugoslavian SKS or Mosin, I have no reservations about cleaning it up. |
|
Linseed Oil and Watco Danish Oil. I refinished a Norinco SKS recently.
Here is the refinishing procedure I followed. (Thanks to Maryland_Shooter!) http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=83&t=108870 And here is the thread with before and after pics of the SKS. http://beta.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=83&t=115136 This was done with the BLO and Watco Danish Oil (Natural Wood) with a few coats of Spar urethane to seal it up and about 6 coats of wood wax. Before: 
After: 
|
|
You really don't need to use anything to strip the stock besides wiping it down with some mineral spirits or lacquer thinner to get all the surface cosmo off after you have heat treated out what you can.
After this I would use either Tung Oil or BLO to seal up the wood. Follow the directions on the can you buy, and apply as many coats as you see fit. You can use 00000 steal wool to dull the finish back down and buff in between coats. I have refinished 2 M95's in this fashion and the final product looks exactly like it did originally, just cleaner looking. |
|
I been learning a bit on the subject recently.
I was suprised to learn that much of what's called tung oil is in fact tung oil varnish...maybe 10% tung oil. I found the real stuff here: Tung Oil Also, alcohol will remove shellac and does an excellent job on cosmo and grime. Lacquer coats are removable with lacquer thinner. You do have to strip if your trying to remove a varnish coat. Interesting reads; Determining Finish Methods Misc Products BLO |
|
Here's a good one on oil scrub and rub...using either BLO or tung oil...will be doing this myself using tung shortly.
Oil Scrub |
|
Quoted:
Here's a good one on oil scrub and rub...using either BLO or tung oil...will be doing this myself using tung shortly. Oil Scrub That oil scrub looks pretty awesome on that K98. |
|
Here's project one...No. 4 Mk I* that had been in cosmo for decades.
Before photo: 
After an alcohol scrub...no oil put on yet: 
It needs a second alcohol scrub to get anything that has come to the surface after being put aside for a week....then I'll start oil scrubing. |
|
Project number two, No.4 Mk 2.
Pretty good shape to begin with, though an alcohol scrub got off some misc grime build up. Photos provided by the seller, I neglected to take some myself. As received, it looked darker than in these photos, about two shades, probably due to the white background and bright lighting that the seller used. 
After an oil scrub...in the process of curing, recommended at least 24 hours, better if 48. The wood seemed thirsty...didn't have to cut the oil at all. 
I'll dull it a bit with 0000 steel wool between scrubs...with the last one being a rub rather than a scrub. |
|
All of your stocks look great.
All I ever use is steel wool and Acetone. I just sit outside (on a warm day) and wipe, or scrub, the old finish off. It's not hard to do, just poor some acetone on the steel wool and work it back and forth on the wood. Let it sit and dry off. Then apply the new finish. Over at Parallax Bills they say behr 600 is the closest to a military finish of European firearms and BLO for US. From there a lot of people use whatever they have on hand. |
|
Enfield purists will claim that it's nothing but BLO; IIRC, The U.S. changed to tung oil toward the end of the WW2.
I'll say that the denatured alcohol cut that cosmoline much better than I expected, on both wood and metal...though I may have got lucky with it not being encased like some rifles I've seen. Quite good since I'm working indoors due to the weather here presently. |
Armory Sponsor