Author Topic: whats the Best way to refinish the Handi Rifle- wood stocks? (Read 1949 times)

moose · « **on:** February 20, 2005, 01:09:51 PM »

ok -----i am asking too many questions....i got that handi rifle yesterday, shot it today........I LOVE IT!!!!!!!....got home tonight took off the forearm and butt plate......what size socket to take off the stock???.....also---i want to refinish the wood.....it looks kinda streaked......i would like a walnut type stain and some oil finish.....ANY IDEAS?

what types of refinish have some of you guys done?

???pic's........thanks for all replies...Moose

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2005, 01:29:49 PM »

9/16 or 14mm socket will work, you will need a couple of long extentions or one REAL long one....<><.... :grin:

Varminter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2005, 01:39:49 PM »

i refinished the one on my 223. Had the ugly pallet wood stripped the finish off and stain it fruit wood. I let that dry for a day then i bought some Tru oil to finish it with. I put 8 coats of the tru oil on it. It looks great nothing like the factory finish.

shaner · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2005, 01:48:49 PM »

ive refinished i would guess at least 10 stock sets , best ive found is use a stain and paint remover strip it down , ,then decide how u want it to look ive used red mahogney stain alot , also mixed up what i call a camo green stain which i use , i wipe it on heavy and then sort of wipe some of it off , ill do this a couple of times till i get the desired color of camo , then i start useing either tru oil , or linseed oil , or tung oil , which ever and start coating it till i like the finish, this time of year i use a kerosene heater to bake on the finish ,

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2005, 08:10:55 PM »

There used to be a kit on the market by Birchwood Casey for just such an endevor. IIRC there was one bottle of finish remover ( I'm not sure about this one), one of grain filler, one stain, and one bottle of tru oil. There is also some tack cloth to help you get all the sanding dust off of the stock before you finish it.

Rusty <><

moose · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2005, 01:57:07 PM »

when i got in tonight i put 2 coats of stripper on the stock and forearm...under the old stain was beatifel burly, curley, tiger stripe.....pallet wood NICE!!!!!!!! :-D

but it did clean up nice.......what next?

?/

moose · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2005, 02:58:59 PM »

well i started sanding today---started with 60 grit and finished up with 400 grit........really smooth.......wiped it down with paint thinner and let it dry.......tonight i put on a coat of "Special Walnut".......wiped her down with cheese cloth..............so next coat of stain tomorrow :roll:

olredhead · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2005, 04:39:10 AM »

Moose I used Tru-oil on my Handi. I've used it before with good results but this time I tried something I'd read on a thread here. First coat thin with mineral spirits 4 to 1 and put it on untill it won't soak up anymore. Let dry a couple of days then start wet sanding with a 2to1 mix till the pores are filled. Two or three coats will do that, then finish off with full strength to the level of gloss you desire. Hope to see the finished product. Good luck redhead

Odinbreaker · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2005, 05:25:00 AM »

A good way to bring out the grain is to wet the stock than dry it with a torch or heat gun it brings up the grain of the wood. Than you can use 4 o steel wool to finish. It is called feathering

whitedogone · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2005, 12:19:28 PM »

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=52169&highlight=

moose · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2005, 04:10:01 PM »

well today i added the 2nd coat of stain.......let the MinWax Special Walnut stay on 15 min. and whiped off with cheesecloth.........after a couple days( raining here tonight i will give it couple days to dry) i will 600 grit sand very lightly and wipe off with tack cloth and spray with satin Depth in spray can.......

whitedogone · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2005, 04:33:21 PM »

Quote from: moose

well today i added the 2nd coat of stain.......let the MinWax Special Walnut stay on 15 min. and whiped off with cheesecloth.........after a couple days( raining here tonight i will give it couple days to dry) i will 600 grit sand very lightly and wipe off with tack cloth and spray with satin Depth in spray can.......

2 products you don't want to use on a gunstock. A pigment stain and Deft. WDO

moose · « **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:28:31 AM »

WDO----nice job on your rifle i went to the thread you had posted above.....ok....its too late i have --2 coats of stain.......how about the True-oil as you suggested?

???and rubbing compound.....please explain..thanks

stiff neck · « **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2005, 02:12:43 AM »

Why would you want to sand the stain? Doesn't make sense to me. You'll end up with uneven color. Finish sanding before you stain anything.

turkeyhunter · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2005, 03:06:46 AM »

I know that you have already applied the stain but I would suggest putting wood conditioner on the stock prior to staining the next time you do one. What it does is picks up the grain of the wood. After you apply the conditioner you lightly sand it one more time and then stain it. Then the wood just sucks up the stain and it applies evenly.

Now that you have the stain on stock I would like to suggest to you "Wipe On Poly" by Minwax. I usually use the satin but they do make a gloss if that is what you want. It gives the look of hand rub oil but the protection of poly. Give it a try, you'll like what you get.

turkeyhunter · « **Reply #15 on:** February 24, 2005, 03:10:24 AM »

Oh an one more thing, I would use #0000 steel wool between staining coats.

Quote

Why would you want to sand the stain? Doesn't make sense to me. You'll end up with uneven color. Finish sanding before you stain anything.

Stiff neck, you need to do it because the grain of the wood swells when you apply the stain or any liquid for that matter. As I stated above though I would save the sanding for the work before the staining and use steel wool during the staining and sealing process.

whitedogone · « **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2005, 01:25:37 PM »

WOW, way to much bad information!!! I have had the honor of learning how to finish stocks by a English Master Stockmaker. He has taught me the proper way to do certain thinks and WHY. I don't use all of the same products and technics he did but the effect is nearly the same. I don't have time to share some thoughts right now to post but I will try to soon.

GrampaMike · « **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2005, 02:39:09 PM »

WhiteDogOne. I would appreciate your info on this. I have an unfinished stockset from Gun Stocks Inc, that I was going to start on, but I figured I would refinish one of my Handi plain wood stockset first (to practice on). I have been following this thread with great interest. Thanks WDO.

I have a yellow lab "Harley" 11 years old. Greatest dog ever, also have black and chocolate labs.

Mike.

stiff neck · « **Reply #18 on:** February 24, 2005, 02:39:37 PM »

Please do! That would be interesting!

stiff neck · « **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2005, 02:42:45 PM »

Also, the Handi stocks are very simple. You might end up refinishing it 3-4 times for practice until you get the effect you desire.

moose · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2005, 12:36:07 AM »

WDO--------i am waiting on my finish, to see what would do better.....i really like the color the special walnut gave it.......how about tru-oil and rubbing compound as you suggested?

ps i have labs too..3 of them...Bear is Choc. he will be 16 in Oct. and Flint -black that will be 9 in Dec. and Miss Molly- yellow will be 6 this summer!!!Love them Labs

whitedogone · « **Reply #21 on:** February 25, 2005, 01:19:39 AM »

Moose, the Tru-oil is good stuff. Just get the spray (not the wipe on). Give it a min. of 10 coats with a light sanding with 320 or 400 wet/dry paper between coats. The idea behind the sanding is to knock down the runs and to keep what I call the crap (lint,dust,dirt,ect.) from building up in the finish. The reason you never use steel wool until the final rub down is that it leaves behind a LOT of crap! There is no way to keep all the wool fibers out of a finish. Now, as you go building the coats it's not going to look very nice. Ever try to get a real nice finish with spray paint? I mean that some areas will never have the same sheen. Very hard to do. That's what the rub out does. It gives you the final sheen to the finish. And it removes all the crap in the FINAL coat of truoil. Now, you can do the rub out in a number of ways. You need a compound and a lube. A compound can be: Pumice stone,Rotten stone,Rubbing compound, or very fine steel wool. As far the lube, I use water or lemon oil. Some guys will use other types of oil. But one of these two will work. So,you're probably asking which should I use? Well that's totally up to you. It depends on the sheen you want. more of that later....stay tuned.

P.S. this time of year you may have to use some type light (heat)or something to get the coats of oil to dry. A little heat will dry them. I have had coats not dry for days without a little help.

moose · « **Reply #22 on:** February 25, 2005, 10:56:05 AM »

WDO------i am turned to your station and waiting

stiff neck · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2005, 11:01:49 AM »

English Master Stockmakers use Tru-Oil?

whitedogone · « **Reply #24 on:** February 25, 2005, 11:59:44 AM »

Quote from: stiff neck

English Master Stockmakers use Tru-Oil?

No, they don't. I can not revell the formulas that have been pasted on to me. Some of the stuff in them can't even be found in this country. Besides, it can take weeks to build a finish using such. I now use Tru-oil on all of the stocks that I do. It has many of the same properties as the old master's finishes. And it is very easy to use and even the layman can get a professional finish.

jeff223 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 25, 2005, 01:15:47 PM »

Whitedogone,i take it you dont refinish the handi rifle stocks the way i do it?with the Wally World flat black spray paint

how you comming along with your reloading for the 223?

whitedogone · « **Reply #26 on:** February 25, 2005, 02:54:54 PM »

Quote from: jeff223

Whitedogone,i take it you dont refinish the handi rifle stocks the way i do it?with the Wally World flat black spray paint

how you comming along with your reloading for the 223?

Jeff, black spray paint is the next best thing for those Handi stocks! I haven't had too much time to load. With playing with the new SIG 226 and all.
I did load and shoot 7 rounds each of 26,25.5,and25 gr. of 748 behind a 55 gr. V-max. Nothing to special yet. But they did go bang! I guess that's a start. WDO

MSP Ret · « **Reply #27 on:** February 25, 2005, 03:03:42 PM »

Perhaps I just try to keep it simple but I sand and stain the stocks, then add about 6 coats of Waterlox pure Tung Oil and it works great. I steel wool (0000) between coats and after the last coat also to smooth and eliminate the shine since I prefer a satin look instead of a high gloss finish. I also put Tung Oil in the barrel channel and on the flat beneath the buttplate/recoil pad to seal out any moisture. Since pure Tung Oil is excellent for waterproofing it seals out all moisture....<><.... :grin:

lik2hunt · « **Reply #28 on:** February 25, 2005, 05:11:18 PM »

I've been working on a set I have for about two weeks now and have finally settled on the cheapest route to go. Jeff, you're idea plus a little. I originally was going to have these sprayed with the pick-up bed liner stuff. You know, Line-X or Rhino Lining or something like that but after finding out the cost fo such an endeavor ($15) I just went down to Wally World and picked a can of the cheapest flat black paint they had....cost .94 and sanded with 220 and then painted. I thought that would be it until I accidentally rubbed my fingernail across the foreend while inspecting it, bad scratch. So I figured a coat of poly-urethane would do the trick. Re-saned and re-painted and then hit them with some gloss poly-urethane.....thought I would like the gloss finish. While I did get a rock hard finish it was WAY too shiny. So before I did the foreend the same way I found a can of flat poly that I had for a long time and hit about a 4" spot with it. At first it was pretty shiny too but after it dried a couple of days it just barely put off a shine and was equally as rock hard as the glossy stuff. So I just finished re-sanding both and tomorrow I will repaint.........by now I have a bout 1 1/2 cans pf black paint into that wood......and then I'll finish with the flat poly-urethane. I'll post some pics after they're done. Am going to use these on a Turkey/Slug gun project I'm working on.

stiff neck · « **Reply #29 on:** February 26, 2005, 04:59:04 AM »

Why don't some people use PRIMER? Especially on bare wood? As a former painter, I can't count the number of "ruined" houses/trim/doors/cupboards that I've seen flaking and peeling simply because the person applying paint (usually the do-it-yourselfer) didn't think primer was important. It IS. USE IT.

Sure, it may look fine for a while if you don't use primer (but it usually looks like crap). Then all hell breaks loose and it's MAJOR work to fix it and make it look right and stop peeling for the next 50+ years.

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: