Enfield stock finish

knovotny · Feb 9, 2018

This is Margaret of Fazakerley. She was born in July of 1943 as Enfield No4 Mk I, when her realm was in great peril. After dutifully serving Queen and County, she earned her /2 designation through FTR in 1950. Sometime before coming home with me, she acquired walnut handguards that do not match her beech stock. As pretty as she is now, I think she would be prettier in matching wood. Hubby was nice enough to buy us a set of beech handguards, but they are unfinished. The wood and color look good, but they are dry and matte, and just don't quite look right. He tried researching online for what the British used to get her satiny finish. Tung oil, raw linseed oil, or boiled linseed oil (apparently there are different varieties of each?), :shrug:

he threw up his hands and said to ask the Shooters.

So here I am asking the braintrust how to make these handguards match the existing finish on the stock. I don't want to completely refinish her. She has earned her nicks and bruises. Thank you all for your help.

iH8DemLibz · Feb 9, 2018

I'll be honest. They're pretty close in color now. A nice drink of boiled linseed oil would darken them up some.

If the wood is really dry, anything you put on the stocks will darken them.

I certainly wouldn't use any kind of stain. Cuzz once you apply an oil finish of some sort, they will darken even more.

It will take several coats of finish to build up a sheen.

PS: I've always wanted a #4 MKII, but I know nothing about the SMLE rifle. Lots of stock rot horror stories out there.

Boom Boom · Feb 9, 2018

molonlabe · Feb 10, 2018

Boiled linseed oil may darken it too much try Pure Tung oil first since they are so close, and its not as aggressive.

Clovis · Feb 10, 2018

As I understand it, the original finish was applied by dipping/soaking the stock in a tank of BLO. This is not the same as what is available in hardware stores, as it leaves a finish that is shinny. Art supply stores sell BLO and it is the original kind that is just an oil and should leave the finish dull or non reflective. May need to buy several bottles of the art supply stuff as I think the bottles were pretty small. As always, try it on a small area first to see if it is what you desire.

K31 · Feb 10, 2018

https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/what-was-the-wood-of-an-enfield-finished-with.109805/

Personally, I'd wait for warm weather to apply linseed oil. I usually leave the stock in the sun to get warm and hand rub it in. Wait a while for it to dry (which takes a while), repeat, repeat, repeat as many times as necessary.

mawkie · Feb 10, 2018

The British used raw linseed oil which doesn't have drying agents. It allows the oil to penetrate deeper into the wood. This is what I use. But it's hard to find, hardware stores don't stock it anymore. I had to purchase online from a boat finish company where raw linseed is still used.
Got mine from Jamestown Distributors.

GuitarmanNick · Feb 10, 2018

I just did an Enfield for a friend a couple of months ago. I did not sand anything! I cleaned the stock with hot water and Dawn to remove the grease and cosmoline from the wood and then hand rubbed 8 coats of BLO into the wood.

After cleaning the stock, it was very light, but darkened with each coat as it dried.

The secret to getting color into the finish is to allow the BLO to dry well in between coats. As it dries, it oxidizes and that produces the color. Once you get all of the pieces the same color, do the entire stock again to hydrate it.

mvee · Feb 10, 2018

mawkie said:
The British used raw linseed oil which doesn't have drying agents. It allows the oil to penetrate deeper into the wood. This is what I use. But it's hard to find, hardware stores don't stock it anymore. I had to purchase online from a boat finish company where raw linseed is still used.
Got mine from Jamestown Distributors.

You can buy it as flaxseed oil at the drugstore. I use it for my rifles and cast iron pans.

knovotny · Feb 11, 2018

Thanks so much! Great information here. Looks like I'm going to find raw linseed oil and go to work on the handguards! Since they aren't on the gun right now, I think I can set them nearish to the woodstove to dry.

iH8DemLibz · Feb 11, 2018

Just let them air dry at room temperature.

Just my opinion, but adding additional heat via a woodstove is a really bad idea.

K31 · Feb 11, 2018

knovotny said:
Thanks so much! Great information here. Looks like I'm going to find raw linseed oil and go to work on the handguards! Since they aren't on the gun right now, I think I can set them nearish to the woodstove to dry.

Just a reminder, rags soaked in linseed oil can spontaneously combust as they dry. You need to keep them in a metal container for oily rags.

knovotny · Feb 11, 2018

iH8DemLibz said:
Just let them air dry at room temperature.

Just my opinion, but adding additional heat via a woodstove is a really bad idea.

Sorry I should have been clearer. Not right by the woodstove. Our woodstove is downstairs, so it stays warmer and drier. So just down there as opposed to the upstairs which fluctuates greatly and we attempt to keep it pretty humid with humidifiers.

I think I will try the hand rubbed method so no rags to worry about!

Enfield stock finish

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