Gun Stock Maintenance #1

[@davy1458]

That pimple was a beast !!!

[@davy1458]

Pimple aside...Thank you for the gun stock advice

[@nathl2321]

​@@davy1458stupid comment !

[@LoneStarLawman]

Boiled Linseed oil is really good for wood stocks.

[@schutendohkji548]

Ur always fun to watch n hear. Thx again from the USA.

[@tgsoutdoors]

Thanks for watching!

[@Hermod_Hermit]

To touch up old Tru Oli, gently soak a small (the word here is small) wad of cotton wrapped in a piece of real silk cloth. The medium compressed wad of cotton should be about the size of 3-4 sugar cubes max, and the silk cloth about 10x10 cm. Place the cotton in the middle of the silk, and fold it over making a "bud". Apply oil sparingly, and let dry. Once a day or until completely dry whichever comes first. Could be two days. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat until desired finish is achieved. Sand gently between applications if necessary using 800 grit or finer. Last few coats you do not sand at all. You will go through quite some amount of paper, and the silk cloth might not be the cheapest, but the surface you get is well worth the work. Do this off season or you will go crazy. Final finish is to fold over a piece of silk but now with a dab of finely ground pumice in the middle. Two to three pinches of pumice is all you need. Doing the same "bud" configuration as with the cotton above, but now "sanding" the finish to a dull sheen. The finest of the pumice particles will go through the silk, turning the silk cloth surface into the finest of fine "abrasive pads" you've ever used. It will just knock off the all sheen surface you get from untreated Tru Oil, turning it into the nicest shiny yet matted surface you've ever seen. If doing a new gun stock, first applications should be by finger until sanding in between coats reveals you got the pores filled completely. Takes quite some time, do not rush. You can do a filler if you feel like, but you do not have to also get a filler as it can all be done using oil only. Just takes a lot of time, depending on wood it might be 20 to 30 coats until you got the pores filled, then the cotton/silk pumice/silk cloth method mentioned above for finish.

[@tallen702]

I know I'm super late to the party here, but the secret to getting Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil to last a while (in the bottle) is to only poke a pinhole in the foil seal that is under the lid. That will make evaporation from the bottle happen more slowly, and as you say, a little of it goes a long way, so it's not like you need to have it fully open. The next thing is apocryphal, but something that I learned from an old stock-maker here in the US. He said if you always turn the bottle on its lid for storage, you'll never have a bottle go bad. It's what I've always done and I've had bottles last for years. Lastly, when putting the first coat of tru-oil on to unfinished wood, if you make up a 50-50 solution of Tru-Oil and mineral spirits, it'll soak into the wood a little deeper. I sand to 400 grit before applying a finish, then I wet-sand with Tru-Oil and 600-800 grit for the next 2-3 applications to fill the grain. Then comes the 0000 steel wool and hand-rubbed coats (usually 2) with a final hand polish with rottenstone and one final coat. Put the time in with the preparation, and you'll have excellent results every time. Lastly, if your finish with Tru-Oil is ever sticky after several days, you can remove the excess with a lint-free cloth and mineral spirits. If it's sticky for days, it's usually because you put too much on and need to remove the excess (which is what the mineral spirits do).

[@scottbrooks7978]

have you tried putting it in the fridge? I haven't yet as I have only used one small bottle and found out the hard way that it goes off. I put Sikaflex marine etc in the fridge as the 'going off' process is basically a chemical reaction and low temps slows it.

[@craigleibbrand7761]

An oil finish is beautiful but for a dedicated elk rifle in rain, snow, cold, in and out a saddle scabbard Rem RKW Epoxy Urethane finish Is the only way to go.

[@m4belisle511]

Any suggestions on what to use on a Beretta A400 Black Edition, which has laser enhanced wood? I’m assuming the laser dries out the wood and it could benefit from oiling…..linseed? Lemon oil? Any guidance would be appreciated.

[@tgsoutdoors]

I used to use any sort of linseed and beeswax based conditioning oils on them when they came in for service.

[@m4belisle511]

@@tgsoutdoors would a boiled linseed work? Wax after or no?

[@jakedavid8187]

What can a fella do if he has some minor scratches in a finish on a stock like a rem 700? Can I use some poly? Thanks for this video though. Great info

[@robertrandin9568]

Plus you need to determine if you want a satin finish over a gloss finish for a gloss finish you have to give it many coats and polish for a satin finish all you need is a couple coats fine wool and that should be good

[@jnooney8225]

If you are in England (are you?), your climate has high humidity, does it not? I am thinking that there are few places in the U.S. that have that kind of humidity. In Michigan, for example, it is so much drier. I have been waiting 24 hours between coats, but the later recommendation is 12. I had wondered, because at 12 hours, the finish feels perfectly dry here. Re-coating after 12 is very plausible, because I've done it now twice and not a hint of stickiness. Thanks for the great examples. I had not seen anyone show the several different finishes in one video, which is really, really nice and certainly helpful! You're right about the lacquer, it's not pretty.

[@aceseights8815]

Great video!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@2lomp]

Must you use a burnishing cream paste or is the liquid ok as the cream doesn't seem to be widely available.

[@funkla65]

Yes, I believe Tru-oil has drying agents which are susceptible to being lost from mixture once the container's seal has been broken. Every time I've had problems with it staying gummy I was using from a batch of old leftovers.

[@ATINKERER]

I never had that trouble.

[@parrisgeorge9708]

There are a couple things that can be done with TruOil or any drying oil really to extend the life while in the container once opened. The first thing is to get a few glass marbles and as you use the oil place enough marbles into the container to raise the level of the finish to where the cap screws onto the bottle. This makes for less air/oil contact in the bottle. The other thing is to make sure the cap is on tightly and when done with using the oil store the bottle upside down. This way any air effects and skins over finish that wouldn't be at the top of the bottle where we typically use the finish from. I've used both ways for years and the marble thing really works nicely with small containers.

[@Udeus5]

Store TruOil upside down.

[@taylorcowles809]

Helpful video! How would you approach caring for a modern Winchester M70 featherweight? I purchased one recently and I have no idea how to touch up this dull finish it’s a real headache trying to figure out how.

[@ericward2005]

What bernishing cream are you using?

[@pvh27]

A follow up video on how to strip and refinish stocks with different finshes (and identifying said finishes) would be awesome

[@jonpettet7085]

Thanks again John, do need alittle work on my stock, hopefully can achieve a good finish 👍

[@GG-jw8pt]

Can anyone tell me the finish on a FAIR jubilee 16 gauge game gun?

[@josephlabarbera1050]

When will you review Fausti?

[@ATINKERER]

I just looked up that company. They have some great stuff, even double rifles!

[@hammyh1165]

Jonny loves polishing his wood. I like to use tru-oil or Danish oil for a finish and wax to keep it nice .

[@ATINKERER]

Purdey says that to freshen an oil finished stock you should rub on an extremely thin film of boiled linseed oil. I wouldn't use a wax on a "in the wood" oiled stock because it could cause a problem when the stock is later freshened up with linseed oil.

[@the45er]

Jonny, have you ever thought about diluting the TruOil with turpentine? I find that doing so allows the mixture to penetrate the wood better/faster and dries faster as well. All the time still following the old adage "a little goes a long way". I used to be able to get a product that was popular in England called CCL Gunstock Conditioning Oil. The absolute best product I've ever used for maintaining a beautiful oil finished gunstock. Haven't seen this stuff on the market for years!

[@scottbowen4997]

Would love to see a video about best means of avoiding oil soaking in stocks. Also what to do when you have it. So many old guns inflicted with it.

[@colliedogjoy]

If you oil the barrels heavily, store them muzzle down. That's all I know..

[@parrisgeorge9708]

If the stock wood hasn't been damaged too badly remove the stock and use a product from Brownells called whiting on the oil soaked stock. Generally a paste is made from the whiting and Acetone or other appropriate solvent and liberally coated on the stock. Then a lamp or some other GENTLE heat source is used to get the oil moving in the stock. It's not a fast process and takes several applications depending on how much oil is in the wood.

[@iduxbury]

Just my thoughts, but a burnishing cream is slightly abrasive, so it will remove 'muck' etc from the wood, and cut back the wax/oil. Using over a long period of time you could remove the finish completely. I would use a wax, Briwax is good, after burnishing, leave for 20mins to slightly harden and then use a clean shoe brush to polish up the wood. If you have any scratches that have exposed the bare wood, get a walnut and rub it on the scratch. The oil in the nut does a fairly good job of covering it up.

[@jnooney8225]

Really? A walnut? Does it darken over time? Really curious about this.

[@chrisgreenaway6696]

Use Lynn seed oil to add gloss to a wood stock

[@shlubbuckley6997]

Pure Gibberish!

[@simoncampion4560]

Got a custom stock made last year, been using CCL traditional stock finish on it. Dries well within 24hours so have a good few coats on already.

[@frankwaynefrank4081]

A job well done thank you

[@Patrick_B687-3]

I use CCL gunstock conditioning oil. It’s English, and the very best I’ve ever found. A little surprised you don’t mention it here. It’s well known in the fine gun world. They have every product you need, and they are not cheap, but they last a very long time.

[@DFox-ud3gx]

Have you ever used 100% tung oil ,thin coat's dry time 24 hrs

[@gunrelatedvids]

You've been an incredible asset for learning about fine guns and their care

[@auskip07]

Do you use your tru-oil finish over the checkering/texture?

[@tgsoutdoors]

Never

[@andreassourbis6895]

You need to come vacation to Zakynthos in Greece here the hunting with shotgun is a tradition.

[@milkman_21]

very helpful video indeed! i'd like to see a video of how to take care-clean an over and under or a side by side inside mechanism, taking care of the action, the springs! Like should you oil that part or no etc...!

[@wholeNwon]

FWIW, I have 2 SXS that have been in use for 120 yrs. and the actions were never opened. Both function perfectly. However they are non-ejectors.

[@tompalmer334]

Good info for old shooters

[@maxwitzler523]

On rough finish guns(Remington (SP 11/87) Sno Seal(Boot/Leather treatment) works well if you heat the wood(Warm 200 degrees or less) to let the wax soak into the wood.

[@mathewdobson4810]

Polishing your wood on camera 10/10, but honestly, tell us your opinion on Linseed Oil please.

[@nigelmoore4711]

Use boiled linseed very thin coats with long drying times.you cannot rush this job

[@stigscanuckcousin9999]

Thank you! Very much looking forward to more of this. Good to hear things like "Don't over-oil because ____" as I wouldn't have thought of the downsides. Common pitfalls I think are well welcomed from all viewers.

[@HasnainKhan-mp1rk]

Exactly the video i needed

[@jlit4]

Would a small amount of Ballistol be fine for the Silver Pigeon 1? I don’t feel the need to do any sanding/refinishing, I just want to preserve the finish.

[@SideSwipePB]

gun oil isn't the same as varnish oil. Gun oil can damage the wood by actually seeping into the stock and softening the wood.

[@jonatanskarsvag9139]

The oil finish on my stock was removed many places the first day after I bought it, because of all the snow and rain. I can get a new stock for free If I want to, but I'm not sure if I want tho :) Greetings from Norway!

[@ATINKERER]

What brand of gun was that???

[@jonatanskarsvag9139]

@@ATINKERER Hello, it was a Turkish brand called Akkar, model Altay 812k. But it looks like a Churchill :)

[@ATINKERER]

@@jonatanskarsvag9139 Thanks.

[@o0MadHouse0o]

Ok so what oil do I use/how do I get my 686 to a glass finish? I got the “newer” model.

[@ATINKERER]

If you can, remove the stock and hardware, butt plate and grip cap.. Strip off the finish. If you haven't been able or are unwilling to remove the stock, tape up the metal. Put the butt plate and grip cap back on. Sand the stock to 400 grit, and whisker the wood. You may want to tape up the checkering too, unless you know how to re-cut the checkering after it gets full of finish - it will. Now your ready to finish it. For a glassy stock the best bet is tru-oil. Read the directions . After your done with the tru-oil, let the finish cure for at least a month. After that you can sand out any bumps with very fine wet/dry(600 or better), and then use rubbing compound (auto supply type is fine) to finish the finish. Yes, I've done this before.

[@ATINKERER]

Well?

[@basshnter1997]

Tru oil contains polyurethane. I personally love Tru oil but it's not what I consider an oil finish.

[@robertrandin9568]

I think dry time has to do a lot with the weather and the country you live in

[@matthewchristopherschulzpo3052]

Best way to deal with lacquered finish is to burn it 😂😂😂 thank you for your poetry 😂😎

[@MR12GAUGE]

As bad as some laquer finishes can be, i love my winchester 101s and nikkos in high gloss 2pack laquer, something about that dark red and gloss, that being said beretta grade 1 wood doesnt deserve the time spent on it, pallet planks at best

[@craigleibbrand7761]

I like the red finish also with the gloss and Winchester 101

[@adamwhite3198]

Happy Easter TGS. And thank you for some more useful tips.. I feel a cheap to charming style lacquer to oil finished stock video would be a great addition.

[@captmullit]

^^^^^!

[@consumertester5665]

Lots of disjointed woffle. A masterclass lesson in poor communication.

[@andycarless9069]

Thanks for the tips 👍😁

[@dale_ch]

Great informative and useful video Jonny - cheers for that matey 👍👍

[@johnnyhonda4404]

I have a Beretta 694 with what I think is the newer finish Beretta uses. I waxed it when new with Renaissance Wax. Any tips on what else I should be doing to maintain it?

[@nigelmoore4711]

Use Napier stock shield don't over wax a London finish .it's like rapping in a plastic bag,let the wood breath.

[@aeron-mw7ofs]

Is there anything you have to do to laminated stocks like the 525sl ?

[@tgsoutdoors]

Just wipe it down after use. You can wax it, which will give some sort of protection against micro scratches, but he careful not to do it with a wax polish and end up with a glossier stock!

[@SideSwipePB]

@@tgsoutdoors what is the finish on the new SP 3? I am not sure you got back to that or how do I maintain it?

[@nigelmoore4711]

@@SideSwipePB Napier stock shield is the way to go

[@IEraiderfan]

Thank you for the information Stay safe.👍👍👍

[@AGENT-tq1nm]

Hello ! Can i use linseed oil on my new beretta Dt11L trap gun stock which is made up of Turkish Walnut... And it seems like it has wax finish... I haven't shoot the gun once because of lockdown... But due to rainy season theres a lot of moisture around when i dry practice at home... Can u give me a suggestion? Also i use motor oil to thinly lubricate barrels bluing... Pls give me advice, im a new gun owner

[@stephen.v5122]

Met this idiot several times and ive forgotten more about guns that what he knows.

[@russcorbett3923]

Awesome video with Great info !!!! Thank You for all that you do !!!!!

[@lukeboy1231]

I’ve got an ata sporter black and gold trigger with no adjustment in the stock, I believe it’s a wood stock but not shiny at all - likely lackered - can I make it shiny by using oil or bees wax or do you have any recommendations to make it look darker and nicer?

[@jimrowland6089]

Finishing wood is easier than re-finishing wood. I think we could fill several books with this subject. I bought a bottle of that same tru oil last time I was at the shop just to see what it would do on some fresh wood and experiment a little. I don't think I will be putting it on any of my guns any time soon. I do like your thoughts on using the quality burinishing wax. See you next time,

[@jnooney8225]

Many videos show an excellent result using Tru Oil. I was going to use tung oil until I saw these gloss finishes (which can be knocked back if desired) using Tru Oil. Also, many guitar refinishers use it with great results.

[@ak203]

Love your videos .. BUT ... you need better lighting. I can barely see some of the wood detail and in most of your videos cannot really see the guns you're reviewing. Lighting is terrible!!!

[@chris_mc7]

A video on how to get rid of a lacquer finish before ‘how to oil finish a stock’ would be great.

[@billythekid2281]

Paint stripper

[@jacko3275]

Sand it off

[@brandonbentley8532]

@@jacko3275 I would not sand it off. Wven light sanding will alter the size and shape of the stock. Ateip it then oil it only using maybe a little 0000 steel to smooth it.

[@adamoneale4396]

Angle grinder

[@JamesJones-cx5pk]

Soak in acetone

[@the-sneaky-skunk2499]

Thank you so much I can finally make my wood look good

[@tonyianni5339]

Hi jonny. Loved ur video a while ago about marketing. Got a 690 black and shooting 23 to 25 out of 25. Looking to upgrade or should I ignore marketing nothing wrong with gun and only weekend shooter

[@tgsoutdoors]

If your shooting 23-25 out of 25, why would you change!

[@paulandsarahcaravanlife]

Found your channel last month and am glued to it. You've taught me things I never knew. Thanks and keep the videos coming 😎👍p.s. I'm. Caravan channel but love my guns 🔫

[@hanktorrance6855]

Fascinating lesson in the difference in finishing and how to bring it back

[@ncb2734]

Thanks J C

[@philmulrooney7020]

They were going to transcribe Jonnys video dialogue but apparently there’s not enough full stops in existence😲😜

[@davidweeks2521]

Great video, thanks 🙏 TGS

[@ericnissen6509]

Thanks Jonny, great video. My Zoli Z-sport has a high gloss hard varnish (dare I say "lacquered"?) finish. It's not my favorite finish but it came with the gun and probably makes sense for resisting dirt, sweat, grime and rough handling. On these, do you do anything but wipe them down?

[@RockandrollNegro]

Wipe it down, and in cases where oil/grime has accumulated in the stock, a good wood soap or Dawn Dish Detergent cleaning followed by a coat of Birchwood Casey Gun Stock Wax or Renaissance Wax. That should be all you'll ever need to do to it.

[@DFox-ud3gx]

I use Renaissance wax the Best wax

[@davedunn7759]

You got balls of steel making a video with that giant pimple on your forehead 👍🏻 Respect. Great content as usual.

[@tgsoutdoors]

Vanity isn’t my strong suit

[@donaldbingham8990]

Why do we have so many UK posts on here. This is the US and we don't speak the same language as the UK; i.e., it is very hard if not impossible to understand these people. A video that you cannot understand is not at all useful.

[@tgsoutdoors]

Huh?

[@weissrw1]

Here's a stupid question: what'd he mean that the one stock had no finish? It looked brown and shiny. What am I missing? Thanks.

[@philipsmedia5268]

Setting fire to a lacquer finish will result in you burning out your lungs and suffering long term respiratory problems 😵

[@tgsoutdoors]

Maybe that’s why my lungs are so bad

[@dlewing1]

What is the finish on Merkel products? Tends to bubble after getting wet

[@Parfashrek]

Been looking forward to this, really helpful when historically you’ve just had synthetic guns...😂

[@JamesR1234]

This is a weird comment but--you should have popped that pimple on your forehead and let it heal for a few hours before doing this video.

[@RustySprocket]

Johnny has looked after some wood for sure!😬

[@gaetanbantegnie8026]

Tu peux sous-titré en français please 😭😭😭😭😭

[@user-jf2pv7om4l]

Talks way too fast to follow and speech cadence is difficult to follow. Slow it down bro'.

[@piersmarchington]

Great video. Would love to see that secret oil reciepe :)

[@snook1249]

Good zit going on lol 😉

[@kristianhaugolsen239]

Hey TGS. I just ordered a brand new b725 sporting and a 686 sporting. I will go over the mechanics and barrel to “clean” and reoil it. But what do I do with the wood work?Should I oil it. A friend gave me some ccl stock oil, wax and some pore filler. I am new too the wood work thing! I am happy for all the help I can get!! Thank you for the content you put out here. I love your videos! - Kristian

[@Brunosdad]

Just don't order Liberon burnishing cream as its not a cream its almost identical to Brasso and it didn't do to good on my freshly oiled stock so my opinion would be to shop for dedicated gunstock burnishing cream.

[@jackjones7504]

Now he tells me , I did mine yesterday .

[@mitchd949]

This video is horrible. It's like that first day of basketball in gym class where the phys ed teacher talks about basketball the entire class and you never touch the ball once.

[@emilescheffers5365]

What's there to say. Please let's research a subject more before we impart advice.

[@herberthidalgojr.5855]

Best way to deal with woodstock is to mount it on a wall for decoration and get you an AR15 problem solved.

[@dale_ch]

That nasty spot on your forehead Jonny would be instantly fixed with an accurate .177 shot from 50-100 yards - problem would be finding a shooter capable 🤔 Giles maybe?? 😂😂

[@tgsoutdoors]

Ant is the only person I would trust for the job

[@dale_ch]

@@tgsoutdoors LOL - on second thoughts Freederm might be safer! - we all suffer this very annoying random spot dilemma from time to time matey 😍😍

[@wholeNwon]

@@dale_ch Perhaps a little Betadine ointment and an overnight "plaster" instead.

[@dale_ch]

@@wholeNwon just bought some from Amazon. is it as good as you say?

[@wholeNwon]

@@dale_ch I've used it for many decades and there's very little it doesn't kill. However you cannot expect it, or anything else, to penetrate intact skin well.