New Walnut Stock Finish

U.S. Military Krags
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P0H0
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New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by P0H0 »

I have two new stocks for a pair of 1898 Krag restorations. Is there anyone that can recommend a process and products to use for finishing the stocks? The options I am looking at are:

Method #1: Boiled Linseed Oil: Coat the stock and hand guard with a brush and hang dry in a warm room (not cold garage). Reapply three or four times over several days to the stock and hand guard with a brush and hang dry in a warm room (not cold garage).

Method #2: Apply a reddish stain (going for red look of raw linseed oil): Coat the stock and hand guard and allow to dry over night. Next coat the stock and hand guard with boiled linseed oil with a brush and hang dry in a warm room (not cold garage). Reapply three or four times over several days.

Method #3: Raw Linseed Oil: Coat with raw linseed oil using a brush and hang dry in a warm room (not cold garage) for a week, repeat for another 4 to 6 weeks. Apply again at 6 months and there after yearly.

I know the CMP Custom Shop said they use a reddish stain to achieve that older raw linseed oil look.

I’ve done a lot of cleanup and refinishing on older rifle stocks, but never new wood.

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butlersrangers
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by butlersrangers »

Springfield Armory stained the American walnut stocks with 'logwood' stain, until eliminated as an economy move in the late 1920's.

The wood staining was done prior to the raw linseed oil finish procedures.
This accounts for the reddish-brown color seen on nice Trapdoor Springfield, Krag, and early 1903 Springfield stocks.
(The color was not just a product of linseed oil, aging, and oxidation).

Some restorers use Laurel Mountain walnut stain, (available in different shades).
I recently saw photos of a nice stock restoration and color matching using Fiebing's - Dark Brown (leather) Dye for color.

I was able to get a close 'match' on a 'cut-down' Krag rifle-stock, that was stretched with a new walnut forearm.
I used ZAR - Interior Oil Based Wood Stain, #124 - Rosewood on the new bare walnut forearm.
A couple of stain applications gave a good color-match with the original Krag stock finish.

(The ZAR stain was from a local hardware store. We had used it to stain an interior pine door and I liked the color).

'Parashooter' has suggested a technique called a "French Polish" to approximate the nice surface finish found in the late 19th century and early 20th century U.S. military stocks.
This utilizes a small amount of shellac thinned with denatured alcohol. It is applied in thin coats using a small linen bag (applicator) that holds a ball of cotton or wool and some pumice (powder).
The applicator is kept moving in a circular motion. Thin coats are applied and allowed to dry. The small amount of pumice, wood dust and shellac help fill wood pores and impart a rich period sheen.

Any of these ideas are worth testing on some small pieces of walnut.

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P0H0
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by P0H0 »

So the reddish brown color originates with the trapdoor rifle — or maybe even further back. I can’t help but wonder if the stain was used to bring better color uniformity to the US rifle inventory.

I recall reading somewhere that when there was a shortage of American walnut, European walnut was used. Specifically Italian walnut was lighter in color and stain was used to darken the wood to better match the American walnut stocks. Perhaps this was a World War I production issue?

I thought the raw linseed oil is what gave the stocks the reddish brown color over time... It is interesting to learn about the logwood stain.

I would prefer to use boiled linseed oil due to it drying much faster as I may get notified to ship these rifles off to the CMP Custom Shop in the February or March timeframe — the weekly raw linseed oil procedure over two months could be an issue. I do recall the CMP Custom Shop telling me that they stain their rifles to match the reddish brown and then follow up with multiple coats of tung oil over several days - I think the process was about a week long.

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butlersrangers
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by butlersrangers »

On some gun forums any discussion of gunstock finishes, preservation, and raw vs. boiled linseed oil, has been known to initiate 'Holy Wars'.

Praise The Lord! Discussion has been civil and friendly on the KCA Forum.

Sean is fitting and finishing two new Krag stocks and only has to please himself with the results.

I don't know when U.S. Armories and Arsenals began using "Logwood" stain on military gunstocks, but the practice ended around 1924 at Springfield Armory.
It was an expensive stain that came in powder or crystal form, from South or Central America, and was mixed into a liquid solution at the Armory.

Italian walnut Krag stocks are real. In 1899, a total of 33,000 stocks (actually 'blanks', I suppose) were purchased from Louis Windmuller & Roelker of New York City.
This was to address a shortage of cured American walnut stock-blanks, due to increased Krag production for the Spanish War and Philippine Insurrection.

Most of the Italian walnut stocks, that I have seen, have 'cartouche-dates' of 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1902.
A lighter 'yellowish' color is a clue, but I look for distinctive 'tiger-stripe' and 'small crescent' grain patterns to identify Italian stocks.

I believe Springfield Armory did the actual shaping of the Italian walnut stocks. They likely stained the Italian wood, but it probably took the stain different than American walnut did.
Some of the Italian stocks are darker and may have been stained again, locally, by military units to better match the other rifles in the regiment (?). - My opinion

I guess in theory, 6 to 7% of U.S. Krags might have Italian walnut stocks.
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P0H0
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by P0H0 »

I found some logwood dye you have posted — how and what is it mixed with?

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butlersrangers
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by butlersrangers »

I don't know the mixing solution. It is likely documented somewhere.

I've 'made do' with contemporary products.

Keep us posted on your progress with these rehabilitation projects.
It is interesting and it's how we learn from each other.

The search feature on the KCA site can bring-up all kinds of past discussions and subjects.

It is good to look at details of original Krags to see how finishes differ from later U.S. service arms.
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P0H0
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by P0H0 »

Nice rifles! My favorite is the top rifle.

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butlersrangers
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by butlersrangers »

The 'top' rifle is a model 1896 with a nice bore, that I got as a barreled/action.
I replaced the bolt it had, with a NOS model 1896 bolt from Granpa's Gun Parts, to correct head-space.

I obtained a shortened model 1896 rifle with a nice 'cut-down' stock and stretched the stock with a reproduction forearm.

The repaired stock went on this rifle and the new wood was matched to the old wood, using 'ZAR' mahogany stain.

I am going to try Parashooter's 'French Finish' to better match the dull sheen of the original section of the stock.

I have a nice model 1896 hand-guard, rear-sight, and front-band that will be used, when I get back to 'up-grading' this restoration.

p.s. The 'Donor' sportered 1896 Krag, got fitted to an overly cut-down model 1898 stock. Combined with other salvaged parts, it is one of my favorite Krags, my 'faux-1896 carbine', in Italian walnut.
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P0H0
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by P0H0 »

They look great! The new forend looks to be a good match.

nagkalimot
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Re: New Walnut Stock Finish

Post by nagkalimot »

Is there anything "wrong" with just a boiled linseed finish... perhaps not "correct", but would be beautiful. Walnut is just such beautiful wood.

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