Waxing a rifle stock

[roverandbrew]

I wanted to see how many here wax their rifle stocks and do they see the benefit with weather protection? For those who have refinished their stocks....how long would you normally wait after a hand rub oil finish to apply wax?

 

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

I just waxed a stock today after letting the last of three BLO coats dry for 7 days. Renaissance Wax dries hard pretty quick and keeps hand oil, fingerprints, etc., off the gun. Seems to protect well from light water, but I don't think it's nearly the same level as a true clear coat.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I use Gilleys gun polish wax on all my timber and metal rifles as well as the metal on my synthetic stock guns. Works well on them and easy to use. I waited 3 months for my hand rubbed oil finish to harden.
Works well keeping dust, moisture and fingerprints off the rifle.
Just one of my rifles that has the Gilleys treatment

 

[RayAtkinson]

I use Johnson wax if I go hunt Alaska or some overly humid country...on metal and wood.
on a new stock Ive recently built, I would wait a month or so to use polish, not was, Probably one of Brownells polishing compounds, like CArnuba wax.

 

[Petey J]

I refinished the stock on my Savage Fox Model B 16 gauge. The finish was bad when I bought the gun, and a 4-hour Wingshooting Clinic in the rain completed the need. I didn't stain the stock just used a mixture of boiled linseed oil, turpentine, and beeswax.

Measure out a known amount of turpentine. Then, using a heat gun, melt the wax into the turpentine (be sure to do this outside). The amount of wax depends on how much turpentine, but usually I would say for about 8 ounces of turp, a block of wax about 1 inch square or a little less. The turpentine will keep the wax in a permanent emulsion. Then I add the linseed oil in a quantity equal to the amount of turpentine. Apply like boiled linseed oil.

The turpentine thins the oil so it will penetrate deeper into the wood. And the wax helps build a good water repellant layer.

A friend taught me this mix. He used it particularly for barrel channels on flintlock muzzleloaders. I had been using just the boiled linseed oil previously. But switched to this mix for use on canoe paddles I custom build.

One thing, though. If using this mix, check it before apply to a stock with stain, as it may affect it.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I just waxed a stock today after letting the last of three BLO coats dry for 7 days. Renaissance Wax dries hard pretty quick and keeps hand oil, fingerprints, etc., off the gun. Seems to protect well from light water, but I don't think it's nearly the same level as a true clear coat.

Thanks for that, I ordered a jar of Renaissance Wax through Amazon recently with this purpose in mind.

 

[Rule 303]

Like Bob Nelson I use Gilly Stephensons Gun Polish on my non ceracoated rifles. I find waxing to be far superior to oiling. Dust does not adhere as readily, heavy rain does not wash the wax off. I wax exterior and interior surfaces of the stock and have never had a wooden stock move on my in hot or cold (48C+ to -6C) searing sun, tropical rain storms to blizzard in NZ. No rust on rifles either. I put a thick coat on the metal when going to NZ and have not had to worry about rust or cleaning the exterior of the rifle for the trip.

 

[Nhoro]

I would wait about 3 months for BLO to dry. Maybe longer. And put the stock in the sun or sunlight-the UV helps it dry quicker. Then you can wax. Wax will limit the air getting to the oil - Tung oil etc as well and it will take years to dry -if ever.

I haven't waxed my stock re-finished with boiled linseed oil. It is under the 3 months and not sure I will. Pretty dry where I live but I may use plain old parrafin wax if I do.

 

[RayAtkinson]

With all the modern finishes available out there today, I don't know why anyone would use boiled Linseed oil with or without waxes and hardners, It will never dry, end of story, but try Gun SAV R from Brownells, Ive used it on about 25 stocks, it looks like old world finishes but 10 times more moisture proof..Oil modified gunstock finishes are the best in todays world...The old hand rubbed Oil finish is a thing of the past, it never was any good..

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

With all the modern finishes available out there today, I don't know why anyone would use boiled Linseed oil with or without waxes and hardners, It will never dry, end of story, but try Gun SAV R from Brownells, Ive used it on about 25 stocks, it looks like old world finishes but 10 times more moisture proof..Oil modified gunstock finishes are the best in todays world...The old hand rubbed Oil finish is a thing of the past, it never was any good..

@RayAtkinson
Linspeed dries very well and hardens . Gives an old world hand rubbed finish. I've used rifles in rain,snow, heat and dust and all my stocks ore fine.
Bob

 

[Nhoro]

With all the modern finishes available out there today, I don't know why anyone would use boiled Linseed oil with or without waxes and hardners, It will never dry, end of story, but try Gun SAV R from Brownells, Ive used it on about 25 stocks, it looks like old world finishes but 10 times more moisture proof..Oil modified gunstock finishes are the best in todays world...The old hand rubbed Oil finish is a thing of the past, it never was any good..

I think each to his own- there is nothing like the sme and feel of oil finished wood.
Gun sav r is Basically a polyurethane finish - so plastic.to me any kind of polyurethane has a different look. It is harder and more water proof if that is what you want. A fiberglass / plastic stock is completely waterproof, stronger and not effected by humidity at all. So if you want performance then wood is a thing of the past, it never was any good.....

 

[Standard Velocity]

Linseed, Walnut and Tung oils are all drying oils. They will, when applied properly, polymerize and dry hard. They will not do much to protect wood from moisture. Drying agents like cobalt will make linseed oil dry much quicker. BLO is full of nasty chemicals that we should not be rubbing into our skin. This is why I “sun thicken” raw linseed oil.

Hard, dense woods like walnut are less likely to suck up oil like a sponge but if you bathe it in oil it may never dry because a layer of dried oil creates a barrier to oxygen. These oils depend on oxygen to oxidize the oil. These are also the oils that catch fire when left as a pile of oily rags.

Oil finishes are beautiful but not as weather resistant as any of the modern finishes. Oil finish with a thin layer of wax is pretty good though.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Be sure to remember................

 

[ChrisG]

Always. I use carnauba paste wax on both the wood and metal probably a minimum of once a year. Usually after hunting season. Wax on the metal protects bluing and keeps water out better than oil could ever hope to. When I went after elk in Wyoming, I actually ran a patch of wax down the bore followed by 3 or four dry patches, buffed in and out a few times, just because my rifle spent the whole time in a scabbard on the side of a horse in early November. The hot cold cycles every day of taking it out of the scabbard and putting it back in the warm cabin lead to a fear of condensation inside the bore. Especially since I had tape over the muzzle all day.

 

[Nhoro]

Drying agents like cobalt will make linseed oil dry much quicker. BLO is full of nasty chemicals that we should not be rubbing into our skin. This is why I “sun thicken” raw linseed oil.

Good plan. I have also seen that you can buy old school pressure heat treated BLO. Dont try it at home because a big fireball is pretty common if you get things wrong. How do you do the sun thickened oil ?

Oil finishes are beautiful but not as weather resistant as any of the modern finishes. Oil finish with a thin layer of wax is pretty good though.

Many woodworkers use the boiled linseed oil to create the beauty and then overspray with more durable finishes. Lots of discussions how to spray different finishes and what works and doesn't. I aslo like the way it feels-smooth and soft in the hands without the stickiness of plastic finishes.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

My wife makes natural creams, even has a men's range that is tainted with mopane fire smoke - delicious! Anyway, the men's balm is a concoction of bees wax and mongongo oil, sort of solidish, but melts on the skin. So i took some to my double rifle stock and the results are great, not to mention the lovely fire smell every time you shoulder the thing. The stuff conditions my Courteney boots nicely too.

 

[ChrisG]

My wife makes natural creams, even has a men's range that is tainted with mopane fire smoke - delicious! Anyway, the men's balm is a concoction of bees wax and mongongo oil, sort of solidish, but melts on the skin. So i took some to my double rifle stock and the results are great, not to mention the lovely fire smell every time you shoulder the thing. The stuff conditions my Courteney boots nicely too.View attachment 355886

I haven't tried it yet, but the conditioner I got with my courtneys may also be a viable option for gunstock wax. It is made of all natural oils and beeswax.

 

[7x57Joe]

My wife makes natural creams, even has a men's range that is tainted with mopane fire smoke - delicious! Anyway, the men's balm is a concoction of bees wax and mongongo oil, sort of solidish, but melts on the skin. So i took some to my double rifle stock and the results are great, not to mention the lovely fire smell every time you shoulder the thing. The stuff conditions my Courteney boots nicely too.View attachment 355886

Kevin, that stock is awesome.

 

[Standard Velocity]

Many woodworkers use the boiled linseed oil to create the beauty and then overspray with more durable finishes. Lots of discussions how to spray different finishes and what works and doesn't. I aslo like the way it feels-smooth and soft in the hands without the stickiness of plastic finishes.

There are some great modern clear coats that rival any of the oils in beauty and texture. They are quicker and easier to apply too while giving real protection against the elements. I still prefer naked oiled stocks if for no other reason than obstinance.

Agreed 100% about plastic finishes on wood. I think they are trying to mimic a French polish but fail. Browning would have to be the worst. They use plain wood, paint figure into it and coat it in plastic. The same gun made by Winchester (say an 1885) gets plain but still recognizable as wood stocks.

 

[RayAtkinson]

This is the worlds oldest gun agreement, but second place to the 270 vs. the 30-06..

Wax on a satin finish makes wood shine like a gloss finish..scares moose etc.

A gloss finish is more water/moisture proof than the old world satin finish or the new world oil modified urathanes..

Its a no win situation, the secret is care given each night, the rest is gobbled goop..

in 40 plus years Ive never needed a plastic stock or stainless steel rifle, and never will. That's my choice, nobody elses..