Does anyone have experience applying linseed oil to a new SA M1A walnut stock? From the factory, the stock is beautiful, but feels "dry". The old Army manual says to use raw linseed oil. Any advice on how to best apply?
When I put linseed oil on my Stevens 30G, I used an old cut up t-shirt and rubbed it in. Finish came out looking nice. I think I remember hearing that you should rub the oil with the grain of the wood.
Boiled linseed oil is what you want. It is the bonding agent in genuine linoleum. You must be careful to apply EXTREMELY thin coats ( with the grain ), and wait for them to fully cure in warm dry air. The first couple of coats will soak in immediately, but don't be fooled... If you put too much on or recoat too quickly, the oil will turn into a tacky gel and take weeks to harden, if at all. A piece of wool blanket is an excellent applicator, as it does not have lint.
I second SHOOTER13's recommendation, and caution you to heed his warnings about extremely thin coats and to make sure that whatever you use to apply it does not lint. Take your time!
As yet, I haven't touched the stock. I built entertainment centers, kitchen cabinets, etc. for several years. Depending on the project, I used several different products for finishing; lacquers, varnishes, tung oil and others. One product was exceptionally versatile. Minwax polycrylic is a water based polyurethane that doesn't impart any coloring and dries in about 1-2 hours. I'm considering using that. It comes in gloss, semi gloss and satin. I would probably go with semi gloss or satin.
I said in an earlier reply that I planned on using Minwax Polycrylic. So far, I have four coats on and it looks good. I plan on two or three more to make sure I have a durable finish that can be repaired when necessary.
Thank you for the suggestion. Did you apply with cloth or brush? How old was your M1A stock before you applied it? Was it the original finish from Springfield before you applied it?
I received the rifle NIB from Buds. I began applying the finish about ten days after receipt using a spray can of Minwax polycrylic semi-gloss. The stock ended up with eight coats, sanding between coats with 320 grit paper and wiping the stock down with a damp paper towel. Do not use steel wool for sanding as the pads have a slight amount of oil in them to prevent rust. The polycrlic is water based and any oil residue can produce fish eyes on the stock.
if you dont want to go to the effort of all that i will trade you the synth stock off my socom 16 for your wood stock.
I've been using Tru Oil on my last few wood projects. I like the fact it dries quickly (over night) and you can apply 4 or 5 coats to get the desired finish. I use my fingers for a brush and rub-a-dub. Use very light coats and 0000 steel wool between. A neat trick is to wrap a magnet in a paper towel and lightly go over the stock to pick up any left over steel wool particles between coats. You will be amazed how much the magnet picks up after you think the stock is clean. A lot of good videos on youtube how to finish gunstocks with it. I use boiled lindseed on my axes and it takes a long time to dry. DON'T put it on heavy and let dry a long time or you'll end up with a sticky mess.
I used this guy's method. My stock is almost too smooth, but a beautiful finish. Here is a link to his you tube video. It's a bit long but very informative. .[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzVdsln29o8[/ame] I copied and pasted link. Didn't intend to place the video here.
This is a somewhat old post and threads, but perhaps it will be helpful for those forum members who have not finished their M1A stocks. The wood stock that ships with the M1A is a beautiful, richly grained wood that should not be left unfinished. Other forum members have posted their finishing techniques. Some are very labor-intensive. While we (recruits) did use the "raw linseed oil method" at Parris Island, it was very labor-intensive and time-consuming. For my M1A I decided to use Formby's Tung Oil Wipe On Poly and then Min Wax Wipe On Polyurethane. As recommended by Formby's technical support/customer service I used 0000 steel wool. The methodology that I used is described in detail in the attached file.
Another good oil finish is Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. It can be applied with your fingers and so avoids any lint. You can use 000 or 0000 steel wool to lightly remove any roughness initially or between coats. Same as linseed oil, apply along direction of grain and in very thin coats. (edited) - I see that I missed page two of this topic.
