A little road trip to the CMP South store.

[HankC]

The grain pattern has nice figures. Stain/dye it and refinish will look nice and different! I'm not in a hurry to do mine, I'm thinking a 2 tone with Rit dye. Classic M1 folks will be pissed!
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/2870

 

[H&R Glock]

Good News! The dog, after sniffing around the stock just peed on it and did not lose her fur. Maybe this will cause the Hackberry wood to take a great stain.

She is about 8 years older than the icon, but still going strong. (pooping on the floor) She soothes my nerves after discovering the drawbacks of Hackberry gun stocks. Here goes another 6 sack lost in stock refinishing.

 

[HankC]

Most of the replacement stocks are bland, figure-less wood with no character -at least, no figure as of yet.

Get a hackberry stock, a lot of figures and characters!

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Gunny, after the second application of the new stripper (for stain) I'm beginning to see some grain in the Hackberry or Dingleberry wood (whatever you call it.). It is definately starting to look like a shipping pallet with the lines of an M1.
My wife wants to know if this stripper will remove the fur from my dachshund.
View attachment 789420 View attachment 789421 View attachment 789422 View attachment 789423 View attachment 789424 View attachment 789425 View attachment 789426 View attachment 789427

Looks like you will need to strip it again. The wood grain is close to Elm.

 

[H&R Glock]

Gunny, the prize goes to you in that last set of pictures! That old door looks beautiful and should hang in an art museum. The M1 Garand stock also has it's qualities.
BTW your pictures are an epitome of quality and fine resolution. Keep up the good work!
First thing tomorrow I will apply the second coat of stripper. I will also make sure the dog does not get near it, however, she might improve the final finish if she pees on it again.
Even if this project crashes and burns I will know I fostered financial security to the Trump government by spending $650 for the $77 rifle.
Your government at work! Semper Fi!

This is what I was doing 5 years ago at my rifle club. Kicks more than an M1 and easier to refinish?

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Remember when using stripper, as long as it’s wet, it’s working.
Now when it comes to staining it helps to understand a few things. There are three types of stain Oil base, Water base, and Alcohol base. Well the Alcohol base is actually a dye. The base of the stain is the carrier for the pigment (color). The problem with oil base stains is that some hard woods just don’t soak up oil that good and the pigment used in them is larger. I think most of y’all have applied a dark oil base stain to wood and found that when you wiped if off the wood took on very little color.
Most stains that you find at the hardware store will be oil base. You have to look a little harder to find water base stains and even harder for Alcohol base stains.
Now water base stains work on most woods that don’t stain with oil case stains, but the wood must be clean and oil free. It also has smaller pigment. Water base stain looks like crap after it is applied and has to be lightly buffed with 0000 steel wool. It will sometimes need two applications.
Now Alcohol base stains has very fine pigment which makes it great for staining hard woods. The Alcohol soaks into the wood carrying the pigment with it. It works on clean dry wood and wood that is oily, but there is a drawback. Alcohol base stains will react differently on different types of wood. For instance, using a drown alcohol base stain on Elm. The wood will take on more of the red pigment giving the wood a reddish orange color. A little bit of Black is is needs to be added to the brown to get a reddish brown color.
One of the best alcohol base stains on the market for gun stocks is Chestnut Ridge Military Stock stain. Now it’s not cheap, but it’s the best.


Now you can make your own alcohol base stain with Rit dye and denatured alcohol.

 

[H&R Glock]

I printed your response. I will shop around, but my best bet in this small town is ordering the Chestnut Ridge. I might also toy with making up my own with your Rit formula.
THanks- BTW the stock just came out of the second stripping operation with my new stain stripper. There is not much change from the first and may need a third. I'm in no hurry to screw up this funny wood project.
Here are this mornings results. If you think I need more stripping please let me know.
This is costing me plenty in beer consumption. A labor of love?

 

[Reloadron]

During the early 90s my wife and I had a small brick and mortar gun shop. Aside from reloading components M1 Garand rifles were a niche for us and it wasn't unusual to have between 25 and 30 for sale at any one time. I used the Chestnut Ridge stain pretty exclusively and actually sent all of my parkerizing work to them. They were great people to deal with and never lost even the smallest parts I sent for parkerizing. I also, following stain liked the Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil as when done right it would produce some beautiful finishes.

My Garand wood finishing went a little differently than what many do but I would strip a stock using TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) available from any home improvement store. I would fill a deep sink and place the wood in the mix or 1 Lb TSP and scalding hot water.



Yes, that is a rock holding the wood down. I would rub the wood down every 15 Min with the pictured green Scotch-Brite. Once done I would use a towel and steam iron to raise any dings and dents before sanding and only light sanding followed by 0000 steel wool. Then allow the wood to dry and before I forget do not over soak the wood. I would only go an hour to an hour and a half.



The much lighter stock shown above is birch original GI and the outer one is black walnut wood. I allowed a day of natural drying in the sun. While oven drying is quicker the wood can split. Here is where the birch started to get rubbed with only the Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil I used no stain on it. Now you know why people call them the "orange" wood Garands.



Finally the rifle in the finished stock. This is a 1950s SA rifle and the metal was in exceptionally nice shape.



Ron

 

[GunnyUSMC]

You have to be careful when using chemicals cleaners on wood. If you break down the natural glues in the wood, it will become soft, or have soft spots.
Total recoil, here’s a tip on taking pics. The best time to take them is in the afternoon in indirect sunlight. Or on a cloudy day. Use a neutral background, something not to busy.
What does the inside of the stock look like?

 

[HankC]

With so many hackberry Garands out there and pretty soon folks are going to find out it is just a thin brown paint on the wood that chip eaily, maybe have a thread dedicated to hackbery stock refinish projects. It is a new advanture for many of us. May turn out nicely and folks would trade their GI walnut stocks for hackberry!

 

[H&R Glock]

I don't mind sacrificing my strange wood (Hackberry) to experimentation. As a matter of fact, as a retiree with a lot of time to burn, I relish the project. I have stripped the stock 4 times now and I am ready to sand it after it dries out. It is so rough now that if I rub it with barbed wire, it will get smoother. The stripping will not take off any more stain. My wiener dogs hate me as my project ties up their back yard!
I'm going to produce Gunny's Rit dye potion tonight and later maybe try it on the interior wood of the stock to see how well it absorbs and tints. My wife hints that it may improve the color of my shorts, but what does she know?.
I have used about 4 pair of my Nitride gloves so far in the outdoor fantasy of the stock project.
Hopefully it will produce the dark walnut color that will come close to matching the rear upper hand guard of my M1. Wish me luck! More pictures to follow.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I don't mind sacrificing my strange wood (Hackberry) to experimentation. As a matter of fact, as a retiree with a lot of time to burn, I relish the project. I have stripped the stock 4 times now and I am ready to sand it after it dries out. It is so rough now that if I rub it with barbed wire, it will get smoother. The stripping will not take off any more stain. My wiener dogs hate me as my project ties up their back yard!
I'm going to produce Gunny's Rit dye potion tonight and later maybe try it on the interior wood of the stock to see how well it absorbs and tints. My wife hints that it may improve the color of my shorts, but what does she know?.
I have used about 4 pair of my Nitride gloves so far in the outdoor fantasy of the stock project.
Hopefully it will produce the dark walnut color that will come close to matching the rear upper hand guard of my M1. Wish me luck! More pictures to follow.

Here’s another tip. Give the stock a light sanding to get it smooth. You will end up with some brown streaks in the wood , but this can be evened out with dye.
You will need a bottle of Rit dark brown liquid dye. Use a foam brush to apply the dye, full strength, to the stock and let it dry for about an hour. Once it is dry it will look bad, about like a chocolate candy bar that’s been left out to long. Use 0000 steel wool to buff the stock. You just want to buff it enough su that the wood grain starts to show. This will help to even the color of the stock a be your base coat.
Next you will apply your alcohol base stain. Do not apply your alcohol base stain with paper towels or cotton cloth because, they will soak up the pigment. You need to use a foam brush or nylon cloth. It will only take about 30 min for the alcohol base stain to dry. Buff lightly with steel wool. If the wood is not dark enough, apply the stain again.

 

[H&R Glock]

Thanks Gunny, sanding has not showed up a single "brown" spot. The stock continues to get more in the white. It is now very smooth and I'm gonna' get myself very brown very quick. The bad news is I'm almost out of beer.
after sanding:

The only thing I don't like is the black flecks of sap in the wood. It makes itself very apparent where the stock was belt sanded at one point.
Later

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Thanks Gunny, sanding has not showed up a single "brown" spot. The stock continues to get more in the white. It is now very smooth and I'm gonna' get myself very brown very quick. The bad news is I'm almost out of beer.
after sanding:
View attachment 789775 View attachment 789776
The only thing I don't like is the black flecks of sap in the wood. It makes itself very apparent where the stock was belt sanded at one point.
Later

Be careful not to round off the edges of the buttstock. Your sanding should even out the color of the stock by removing stain the stripper was not able to get. The sap wood will hold some color, but that is just the nature of the wood. The dark brown Rit water base dye will help to even the color of the stock.
I sent you my cell # If you feel the need to call me.

 

[H&R Glock]

The lack of beer was a minor problem as I stopped at the American Legion Hall to see my buddies.
Here are some pix after 0000 steel wooling the Dark Brown Rit dye. Rubb8ing too harshly can cause light spots. I do not know what effect they may have in the final staining.
I have all the Rit chemicals required to make the dyeing potion, but I still lack the little plastic measuring spoons to finalize the mix. My chemical lab is awaiting the proper tools now. Probably amass the tools tomorrow. I failed to get an old barn wood door as you have for a background. Michigan barn doors were the first part to freeze off and get trashed.


This stock looks RED to me now. Is it supposed to be that hue?
I wonder if a second coat of dark brown would work or maybe massaging with the final dye package would suffice.???? Whadda' ya say Gunny?
I loaded 223 today, shot 38 and 357 and 223 at the club for fun. As a retiree you can't ask for more?
Gunny I think there may be quite a few followers of your interesting threads on this web site. Shooters everywhere are indebted to you always for your sage advice. Keep up the fine photos. We all love your barn door pictures!!!!

.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

The lack of beer was a minor problem as I stopped at the American Legion Hall to see my buddies.
Here are some pix after 0000 steel wooling the Dark Brown Rit dye. Rubb8ing too harshly can cause light spots. I do not know what effect they may have in the final staining.
I have all the Rit chemicals required to make the dyeing potion, but I still lack the little plastic measuring spoons to finalize the mix. My chemical lab is awaiting the proper tools now. Probably amass the tools tomorrow. I failed to get an old barn wood door as you have for a background. Michigan barn doors were the first part to freeze off and get trashed.
View attachment 789828
View attachment 789829 View attachment 789830 View attachment 789831
This stock looks RED to me now. Is it supposed to be that hue?
I wonder if a second coat of dark brown would work or maybe massaging with the final dye package would suffice.???? Whadda' ya say Gunny?
I loaded 223 today, shot 38 and 357 and 223 at the club for fun. As a retiree you can't ask for more?
Gunny I think there may be quite a few followers of your interesting threads on this web site. Shooters everywhere are indebted to you always for your sage advice. Keep up the fine photos. We all love your barn door pictures!!!!

.

Thanks for the kind words.
I would buff the stock a little more so that the wood grain shows up better . It does appear to be a little red. It may be that hackberry takes on red like Elm. When you mix your dye, test it on the inside of the stock. If it is to red, just add a little black to your mix.

 

[HankC]

The Philippine Garand refinish project will be a real challenge! We will definitely see more hackberry stocks!

 

[H&R Glock]

I could see that the darkness was not to my liking. I added a tsp of brown and 1/2 tsp of black. Then it looked dark on the inside of the stock so I painted it. There are a few places that did not take the dye as it should resulting in light spots. I've hung the stock out to dry. Will take pictures later today and maybe re-touch the places that don't look right. At any rate you can see the grain now.
What's next? I know, don't apply for a job as a wood finisher.

 

[H&R Glock]

Just took it down

Yeah some pictures are too dark to see. It came out as nice and dark as I wanted.

 

[Reloadron]

I could see that the darkness was not to my liking. I added a tsp of brown and 1/2 tsp of black. Then it looked dark on the inside of the stock so I painted it. There are a few places that did not take the dye as it should resulting in light spots. I've hung the stock out to dry. Will take pictures later today and maybe re-touch the places that don't look right. At any rate you can see the grain now.
What's next? I know, don't apply for a job as a wood finisher.

Between you and The Gunny some really great material going out here. Looking forward to more pictures. If I could find just a receiver I have enough parts to build another rifle. This thread motivated me enough to look and I found a 1950s stock in walnut which has the later type cartouche on it.

Wow, you posted more pics just before I posted.

Ron

 

[H&R Glock]

The old deck surface might suffice to contrast with the stock as Gunny suggests. Look MA! it looks like a stained shipping pallet! The red shows up, but I don't mind. It still looks better than some of the Philippine return rifles.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Your next step is to rub in some BLO. Two things may happen. First, some of the stain may come off the stock but don’t fear. It will just be the pigment that didn’t get into the wood. The other is that it might not soak up much oil.
Do the BLO like I went over earlier, the first coat should be very wet and rubbed in good. After you let it sit for 30 min. wipe it dry. If to much stain comes off the stock, this is where you fix it. Apply the stain now . Don’t allow the BLO to cure first. The stain will soak in through the BLO. Allow it to sit for one hour, then apply a thin coat of BLO and rub it in. Allow this to sit for about an hour and wipe it dry. Allow the stock to sit for 48 hours. Then we will see what the next step will be.

 

[H&R Glock]

I found my can of BLO among other forgotten paint cans.. It is one of the first tools I did not have to buy for this project so it won't be my first introduction. My wife's wooden outdoor rocker chairs have had two coats and they look amazingly like rifle stocks. I'm going to set the stock aside for 24 hours to further dry before oiling it. I will use a 2" paint brush for the oil and cotton T shirt and cotton balls for the rub. It is wise to have all your tools collected before you start the job as well as some you might not have thought of. Buy more beer!
What comes after the oil has seasoned?
Will I ever find out if the gun will even fire? For more pictures and exciting gun trivia tune in Friday!

 

[GunnyUSMC]

The alcohol base stain dries pretty fast, within 30 min to an hour.
Do not use a brush to apply the BLO. You need to rud it in by hand. Use gloves. If you use a rag to rub it in, the rag with pick up the dye pigment. Hand rubbing the oil with allow the pigment to stay on the stock. Only wipe with a cloth after waiting 30 min.
The reason for hand rubbing is to work the oil into the stock which will give the grain a better look.

 

[HankC]

Total recoil, do you remove the rear handguard clip before you strip the old finish or you leave it on? I would think the stripper and dye would get under the clip and does not need to remove it, correct?
Gunny, I would love to send you my hackberry, it is a generous offer and very temping but it will be my fun project when the shooting season is over and I have to worry that you may fall in love with hackberry and decide to send back your GI stock instead.