Refinishing question.

[ms]

I will be refinishing the forearm and butt on my dad's model 94 he left me. My question is what material should I get to do the job.

[bluebayou]

Traditionalists will say some kind of oil.  Hands down the most durable finish is polyurethane.  I used a methylene chloride based furniture stripper (might not be legal in your state, citrus ones work too).  This stripper got the finish out of the checkering with only a toothbrush for a tool.  Sand to your taste (it was already sanded by the fine folks at Winchester).  Get some spray on polyurethane for simplicity.  Spray on or brush on, you want "exterior" or "spar" polyurethane.  Gloss or satin is your call.

I have had good results with Minwax spray on.  I spray, let dry hour, sand with 400, spray, let dry, sand, spray, let dry, and buff. 

Some people put a coat of wax on top theirs, but I don't see the point.





The first is a Daisy/Gamo pellet gun and the second is a Handi.  The "Dad's" brand stripper works very well on the factory epoxy type finishes like the pellet gun had (and a Remington Classic that I did the same way)

[Rangr44]

Go to Wally World & buy OOOO steel wool, a can of Homer Formby's Furniture Stripper, a small can of Min-Wax stain/finish/sealer in the tint of your choice (red mahogany is a nice color for Winchesters)- and a small bottle of Tru-Oil stock finish at a gun-shop if WW doesn't have it.

Follow the Formby's directions to strip your stock(s) with Formby's on a pad of OOOO steel wool, let dry overnite then stain/seal them with the Min-Wax.

The next night start oiling your stock by dabbing one fingertip into the Tru-oil, and start working that one drop into the wood until it's about the size of a dollar bill, and it's just about tacky- your skin will start to "squeak" as you rub.
Immediately that area is done, get another drop on the fingertip and start in on an adjacent area, doing the same procedure as the first area.
Repeat until the stock is covered with one coat and hang it up to dry overnite.

After the 2nd coat dries overnight, rub the stock with the OOOO steel wool until the visible finish is gone. Clean all steel dust off the stock with a magnet and a clean cloth  then start in applying the 3rd finish coat.

Depending upon the stock wood and your tastes, the stock can take anywhere between 4 and 6 coats, rubbing down between each coat after the 2nd coat.

If you like a shinier finish, leave the last coat untouched, except for an application of a good automotive paste wax.  Don't use polish - polish is an abrasive.
If you prefer a more satin finsh,   lightly rub the last coat with the steel wool, use the magnet, and wax the stock.

Don't forget to apply one or two coats of oil inside the inletting, on the unfinished wood & under the buttplate (no staining, rubbing, anywhere there).

If you let the finish dry overnight between coats, you will get a better, more durable finish than if you hurry the job. It'll take about 30 days for the finish to fully "cure", so try to keep cleaning fluids, etc, off it for awhile. (the wax will help)

[Country Boy]

 Can you spray polyurthane satin finish over a waterbase walnut stain. I want a non-glare finish on my rifle.

[gunnut69]

You can spray poly over a water based stain but be sure to steel wool it to remove the grain the water is likely to raise. Poly finishes are truly water proof and wax is unnecessary but they don't penetrate the wood.. So if they get penetrated by a scratch or dink moisture can get under and will find it hard to get out. The result is the poly usually popping loose and eventually a large bare area on the stock. Oil can be shiny or satin or anything you want but requires your intervention. The oil is not water proof but is water resistant. the wax applied over it will help in that respect, adding to the water resistance. I much prefer a waxed oil finish as it is easily repaired and very water resistant. I've been doing this for something like 40 years and while still learning TruOil is my preference and solvent based stains..

[Rangr44]

[Can you spray polyurthane satin finish over a waterbase walnut stain. I want a non-glare finish on my rifle.]

Poly is hardly a non-glare finish - It makes no difference whether a can/brush or spray is used.  It can, however, be de-glazed the same as I described de-glazing the final coat of Tru-Oil (or GB LinSpeed, etc), above.

[gunnut69]

In all fairness they do make 'satin' finished polyurethane. It contains (if I remember correctly) silica.. It's hell on checkering tools.. Just eats the edge right off.  I too just use the gloss and knock down the finish to whatever level is needed..