How to finish new HW100 sporter walnut stock

Hey Corbin.... that is interesting as I never heard of anyone putting wax over just stain. It is still not bare wood if you used the Minwax oil based stain. It is linseed oil with a very small volume of pigment. Linseed oil is a finish used quite frequently on guns and wood on tools which get used a lot. They use it to restore the old military rifles.

It certainly is not the lacquer they put on a factory stock. You did a very interesting experiment. How has it held up?

Sounds like a heck of a lot of work to get the paint and finish off. Did you try using a paint/finish stripper first? I used to use the Kleen Strip aircraft grade paint remover and that stuff cut ANYTHING and fast. They outlawed it because some bozo fell asleep in a car with the windows up then kicked a can of it over and died from fumes. So then 250 million people can't use it anymore. Now they changed the formula and it sucks. I think little kids can drink it now. Geeeezzzz

Hey Corbin.... that is interesting as I never heard of anyone putting wax over just stain. It is still not bare wood if you used the Minwax oil based stain. It is linseed oil with a very small volume of pigment. Linseed oil is a finish used quite frequently on guns and wood on tools which get used a lot. They use it to restore the old military rifles.

It certainly is not the lacquer they put on a factory stock. You did a very interesting experiment. How has it held up?

Sounds like a heck of a lot of work to get the paint and finish off. Did you try using a paint/finish stripper first? I used to use the Kleen Strip aircraft grade paint remover and that stuff cut ANYTHING and fast. They outlawed it because some bozo fell asleep in a car with the windows up then kicked a can of it over and died from fumes. So then 250 million people can't use it anymore. Now they changed the formula and it sucks. I think little kids can drink it now. Geeeezzzz

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Ok I stand corrected. I'm sure it was probably oil based, as all the ones I have on shelf, none are water based. Didn't know I was applying a 'finish' just staining the wood! Not that much of a woodworker, although I do quite a bit of carpentry. On the majority of projects I've done since, I've stained the wood, and not put any finish on it(mostly shelving), or I've been using teak or tung oil on tool handles I use outside leaving natural blonde color. 

Is held up just fine, every so often, I'll buff it and it shines right up. None of the cleaning chemicals seem to affect it, and it's a tad grippy, just enough that when you're holding it, it's not slick at all. I'm fairly careful with it since it is sentimental. Done a few AK's furniture, but did not remove the finish, just cleaned then applied wax, they came out nice too. 

Used metal scrapers to cut through paint layers(those things work great), then worked my way through 120-400grit sand paper. Worked on that stock for weeks!

Isn't that how it goes? Bozo's ruin things for the rest of us! For our own good of course. 

Thanks for the video, that looks easy enough. Like the idea of thinning it and applying more coats. Many moons ago I used some polyurethane and shellac products and they NEVER dried... never. Still sticky after 20yrs! That really turned me off of those finishes, but I have more experience and wisdom now. When I get around to a new project I'll definitely try this, your rifle stock came out awesome! 

I use that same tempered board on my bench top! Never thought about waxing it, I'll have to get that done asap, makes perfect sense. 

I had the privilege of putting together a complete HW100s .177 fac package for a client in a neighbouring country. When I opened the box, the stock was bone dry. Very well sanded but absolutely bone dry. I obtained permission from the owner to do something about it. 

I started by applying a few coats of Ballistol universal oil. Rubbing the first couple in by hand. Thereafter just letting it soak in and then buffing with a cloth. After 5 coats I switched to Schaftol Premium Gold Oil. Applying a thin coating and then letting it soak in/dry. When soaked in, I again buffed with a cloth. After about 6 coats the stock now looks like this.



The wood really has come to life!



On a side note.

The owner of this rifle wanted it completely set up. Scope, mounts, pellets the whole shebang.

I sourced and fitted a Hawke Vantage SF 3-12x40 in Hawke low match mounts. 

I put 3 Ballistol soaked felt pellets down the barrel, followed by 3 dry ones. I then proceeded to sight the the rifle in at 25yards, using JSB 10.34gr pellets. After sighting I shot this 10 shot group.




Not only is she turning into a looker, but she definitely shoots!

It is going to be difficult handing this over to the new owner. 

I personally like they sell the HW100's with no finish applied. I wish they did that with every gun. I never saw a factory gun finish I thought was more than mediocre at best. Any finish they would choose would be based on profitability and not dealing with warranty repairs. Gun manufacturers put little to no thought or effort into a finish. The only place I see a factory finish being an advantage is for those who want a heavy spray on lacquer job for durability in extreme hunting environments. That finish is not easily duplicated by the average person.

Obviously it is not impressive opening the box or picking it up at a gunstore. Most want a shiney new toy.