Boiled Linseed Oil, to sand or not to sand?

shershot99 · Feb 20, 2020

I have searched on here and checked with CMP and Garand sites and cant really find a good answer. I was able to get a Garand last year from CMP that included one of their new stocks. It is not oiled at all. I would like to rub her down with BLO but saw a video from an "expert" on youtube that suggested sanding in the first couple of coats as opposed to just rubbing it in, letting it soak, wipe off excess and repeat. Any thoughts on this vs sanding in? Again, I am only speaking of a new stock as opposed to one that was stripped and redone. I also have a 1903A3 with a new stock that I would do the same thing with. Thanks in advance. :party29:

ken792 · Feb 20, 2020

For those new stocks, I wet sand with 320. The sawdust mixes with the oil and fills in the pores nicely.

Melnic · Feb 20, 2020

sure its not oiled or just looks that way? I'd be surprised form CMP. My first CMP had a new stock, it was light but no where near a virgin stock would look that had zero oil into it. I wanted it conditioned more after getting the 2nd original stock. I oiled mine and wiped with 0000 steel wool between coats to pull the "hairs" off. Can't recall if I used REAL tung oil or BLO.

John from MD · Feb 20, 2020

Melnic said:
sure its not oiled or just looks that way? I'd be surprised form CMP. My first CMP had a new stock, it was light but no where near a virgin stock would look that had zero oil into it. I wanted it conditioned more after getting the 2nd original stock. I oiled mine and wiped with 0000 steel wool between coats to pull the "hairs" off. Can't recall if I used REAL tung oil or BLO.

Next time use bronze wool. Steel wool breaks off and corrodes over time leaving rust marks in the finish.

Matlack · Feb 20, 2020

Their new stocks. One with a single light coat of linseed oil, the artificial stuff. From a finishing stand point you want to light sand before using a true boiled linseed oil.

I have one with a new stock and plan to sand, then dye, then coat with blo.

John from MD · Feb 20, 2020

shershot99 said:
I have searched on here and checked with CMP and Garand sites and cant really find a good answer. I was able to get a Garand last year from CMP that included one of their new stocks. It is not oiled at all. I would like to rub her down with BLO but saw a video from an "expert" on youtube that suggested sanding in the first couple of coats as opposed to just rubbing it in, letting it soak, wipe off excess and repeat. Any thoughts on this vs sanding in? Again, I am only speaking of a new stock as opposed to one that was stripped and redone. I also have a 1903A3 with a new stock that I would do the same thing with. Thanks in advance.

Use 50/50 BLO and mineral oil for the first couple of coats. Put it on and let the stock suck it up as much as it can. Wipe off after 20 minutes and repeat for a couple of days. Then you can use straight BLO and 320 sand paper and do this for a few times before putting on a hand rubbed final coat. Don't let it stay on the stock longer than 20 minutes before wiping or your drying time will increase. Just my .02.

Doco Overboard · Feb 20, 2020

Is it a hack berry or Boyds walnut stock? If its the latter there is probably a little bit wood fitting that needs to be done which may affect that spray on stain they used if you work on the exterior only. Sometimes if you look real close you can see DA marks from a sander they used to smooth it out.

I would carefully scrape it with a razor blade and then rub in BLO cut back with turpentine and after a while rub the whole thing out with beeswax till your happy with it. If you don't have any bees wax handy or cant find a decent yellow chunk get a wax toilet bowl ring and use that. I just did the same thing on a Boyd's M17 stock that I wanted to mimic an original stock and it turned out great. The more you get a finish built up if you ever get a lambs wool auto polishing bonnet for a higher grade finish buffing it out a few times will add depth to the finish which will continue to look better and better over time.

I haven't tackled any hackberry yet but you can see a lot of creative examples and techniques on the popular web forums. The thing you don't have to worry about is you have a replacement stock so not to much to worry for ruining it.

John from MD · Feb 20, 2020

Doco Overboard said:
Is it a hack berry or Boyds walnut stock? If its the latter there is probably a little bit wood fitting that needs to be done which may affect that spray on stain they used if you work on the exterior only. Sometimes if you look real close you can see DA marks from a sander they used to smooth it out.

I would carefully scrape it with a razor blade and then rub in BLO cut back with turpentine and after a while rub the whole thing out with beeswax till your happy with it. If you don't have any bees wax handy or cant find a decent yellow chunk get a wax toilet bowl ring and use that. I just did the same thing on a Boyd's M17 stock that I wanted to mimic an original stock and it turned out great. The more you get a finish built up if you ever get a lambs wool auto polishing bonnet for a higher grade finish buffing it out a few times will add depth to the finish which will continue to look better and better over time.

I haven't tackled any hackberry yet but you can see a lot of creative examples and techniques on the popular web forums. The thing you don't have to worry about is you have a replacement stock so not to much to worry for ruining it.

Toilet bowl rings haven't been made of beeswax in some years. Bees wax can be bought locally or ordered from Amazon or Ebay.

shershot99 · Feb 20, 2020

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the advice. I will have to check the stock to be sure in the maker but pretty sure it didn’t have any oil in it yet. It’s a nice stock and all just the way it is but it needs protection. Hope to start in a week or 2.

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Orlando · Feb 21, 2020

CMP stocks have a light finish , it should be removed before applying oil or it "may" turn out blotchy . I have worked on dozens of these stocks over the years

shershot99 · Feb 21, 2020

Orlando said:
CMP stocks have a light finish , it should be removed before applying oil or it "may" turn out blotchy . I have worked on dozens of these stocks over the years

Removed as in very light sanding, then oil, or are we talking stripping the color off, sanding, then oil natural wood color? Sorry I dont have a ton of experience wood working.

Orlando · Feb 21, 2020

You can do however yu prefer, I chemically strip. I then stain and wet sand with 600 grit wet/dry paper first couple coats of BLO. This paper is so fine it does not actually remove wood just removes raised wood fibers from stripping/cleaning .Then apply BLO with rag, etc.
When applying oil let it set for 1/2 hr -1 hr then wipe off all oil with rag. Let set do again next day
You do not apply oil like paint, if you do you will have a sticky mess
How many coats of il? No two stocks are the same, your stock will tell you. When it stops absorbing you have enough
Dispose of rags as stated on can or they can combust

Doco Overboard · Feb 21, 2020

I very rarely if ever use sandpaper anymore on a gun stock that hasn't been overly abused or need some sort of patching. When I started scraping them the wood fibers didn't need to be raised unless steam was applied and whatever color was on the wood generally comes right off.
I also flood them with oil, especially old dried out stuff but a newer stock that's still heavy probably has some moisture into it.

Matlack · Feb 21, 2020

A light sand is all you need. CMP used to have this info on their site.

Straightbolt · Feb 21, 2020

Orlando said:
CMP stocks have a light finish , it should be removed before applying oil or it "may" turn out blotchy . I have worked on dozens of these stocks over the years

What exactly is this "light finish" you speak of that needs removing ?
Varnish ? Poly ? Plain oil ? WTF ?
My CMP M1 stock needed NOTHING removed or sanded ...I may have been lucky as far as fit and sanding. Lock up with the TG was nice and tight as delivered.
About 5+ hand rubbed applications of BLO applied over a few months has given me an awesome stock finish.

SWO Daddy · Feb 21, 2020

shershot99 said:
I have searched on here and checked with CMP and Garand sites and cant really find a good answer. I was able to get a Garand last year from CMP that included one of their new stocks. It is not oiled at all. I would like to rub her down with BLO but saw a video from an "expert" on youtube that suggested sanding in the first couple of coats as opposed to just rubbing it in, letting it soak, wipe off excess and repeat. Any thoughts on this vs sanding in? Again, I am only speaking of a new stock as opposed to one that was stripped and redone. I also have a 1903A3 with a new stock that I would do the same thing with. Thanks in advance.

I got a CMP Garand with a new stock and I would definitely recommend sanding.

Doco Overboard · Feb 21, 2020

Straightbolt said:
What exactly is this "light finish" you speak of that needs removing ?
Varnish ? Poly ? Plain oil ? WTF ?
My CMP M1 stock needed NOTHING removed or sanded ...I may have been lucky as far as fit and sanding. Lock up with the TG was nice and tight as delivered.
About 5+ hand rubbed applications of BLO applied over a few months has given me an awesome stock finish.

It's almost like a light brown sprayed on polyshade of some sort that lays on top of the wood with very little penetration or adhesion to the wood. It came on the finished 03 stocks too.
Some of the replacement stocks needed cleaning up in certain exterior areas to remove sharp milling lines reduce radius etc to get them to look better. By the time you did that the finish that was applied was hard to match, removed/altered. Some need additional clearance created for the receiver face op rod stock ferrule work relieved etc. there were some variances between a lot of stocks.

shershot99 · Feb 21, 2020

Thanks all. My stock looks great but I think it needs some light sanding with oil cause it has lots of open pores visible. I will see if I can post pics tomorrow as a before.

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Boiled Linseed Oil, to sand or not to sand?

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