Stock refinishing Early Win Model 88

[jskin22]

OK folks.. need some feedback before I get started...

Received a Winchester Model 88 from my father-in-law a few weeks ago. It has a pretty well carved stock on it currently, possibly carved by his Dad or something.. but I wanted to take it out and choot it, and didn't want to damage the things, sooo...

New Boyd's stock showed up today... They didn't have the Pepper laminate, so had to settle for the Nutmeg or whatever they call it.

I'd like for it to be a flat-ish black-ish, but still barely able to see the laminate color differences... if that makes sense.

I've got some Black, Brown and Green RIT dye, and some denatured alcohol. Medium and Fine sandpaper, and some 0000 steel wool... and some TruOil.

I figured...

1) Sand it down until the grain stays down, and all the edges are neat...let it dry for a day.
2) Apply mixtures of the stain, from weak to strong, until I get the color I want... let it dry for a day.
3) Apply TruOil, maybe 3-4 times, with a day to dry between? And not buff it too much?

Questions:

Any special kind of cloth I need to use to apply the stain? I don't want to start raising any splinters, or getting fibers stuck all over it.
Can I just use a brush? What will work with the alcohol?

Is TruOil all I need to seal it?


Here is a pic... It's .243 by the way...

 

[georgiabow]

you can apply stain many ways. you can use a paper towel, a rag, a brush, or a sponge. just leave it a few minutes and wipe off. let it dry, the reapply if its not dark enough.

 

[RamRoddoc]

I always preferred an old t-shirt cut to size to apply stains. Paper towel often left a bit of residue. Brushes sometimes came out uneven. It's kind of hard to know just what the stain will look like without the clear coat but a damp (water) cloth wiped over the dry stain can give you an idea. Do a bit lighter than what you think and you can always do several coatings to make it darker (recommended) or add more pigment. It's easy to darken it up but hard to lighten if you went too much.

TruOil rubbed in the wood fills the pores and seals the wood against the elements. I rather like the soft handsome finish it delivers when rubbed in. Several members have used this and obtained great results.

I’m looking forward to seeing how your rifle stock turns out.

 

[Stringbender]

I like to use a tack cloth to get all the sanding residue and apply the stain with clean rag t-shirt, cotton material. I found for me that the water based stains dry a lot faster and also I use the spray on clear (I used the matte) to finish. It's a lot easier to get a nice consistent finish. The last gun I did, I used the water based walnut stain from H.D. mixed with a bit of RIT dye to get the color where I wanted. I have had many compliments and the best advice is to not rush it. Let the process dry completely between steps. Good luck sir!

 

[tywest]

Dont sand it if possible, its more work but i prefer steel wool to sandpaper. Sand paper always takes more wood off a stock than you realize til its to late

 

[Hayata]

Keep us posted with pics. Love this kind of thread.

 

[jskin22]

Nice finish on that Stringbender. And thanks all for the advice.

Will keep the pics coming.

Was checking the fit today.. needs a bit of work, of course. So not sure how soon I will be doing the actual staining, etc...

I need to find a new recoil block screw. The last stock job, someone used a wood screw from the block back into the rear stock. No rod at all. The Boyd's has a rod hole predrilled, so I guess I need one.

 

[1coolhand]

OK folks.. need some feedback before I get started...

Received a Winchester Model 88 from my father-in-law a few weeks ago. It has a pretty well carved stock on it currently, possibly carved by his Dad or something.. but I wanted to take it out and choot it, and didn't want to damage the things, sooo...

New Boyd's stock showed up today... They didn't have the Pepper laminate, so had to settle for the Nutmeg or whatever they call it.

I'd like for it to be a flat-ish black-ish, but still barely able to see the laminate color differences... if that makes sense.

I've got some Black, Brown and Green RIT dye, and some denatured alcohol. Medium and Fine sandpaper, and some 0000 steel wool... and some TruOil.

I figured...

1) Sand it down until the grain stays down, and all the edges are neat...let it dry for a day.
2) Apply mixtures of the stain, from weak to strong, until I get the color I want... let it dry for a day.
3) Apply TruOil, maybe 3-4 times, with a day to dry between? And not buff it too much?

Questions:

Any special kind of cloth I need to use to apply the stain? I don't want to start raising any splinters, or getting fibers stuck all over it.
Can I just use a brush? What will work with the alcohol?

Is TruOil all I need to seal it?


Here is a pic... It's .243 by the way...

View attachment 158443

Very nice stocks! I wouldn't stain the new one at all, very nice grain. But I'm sure it'll be nice any way you finish it.
Good luck and can't wait to see more pics.

 

[loadnplenty]

Ok I guess I am stupid what RIT dye? Lol

 

[1coolhand]

RIT dye is dye, for clothing, fabric, and other stuff. I have even seen people use it on plastic and on wood as mentioned above.
hope this helps.