Using steel wool on wood finishes.
Howdy!
Some cautionary comments about wood finishing in general, and using steel wool, in particular:
1. Use at least 0000(4X) steel wool because it causes less damage than coarser grades.
2. ALWAYS rub it WITH THE grain of the wood (usually lengthwise of the stock), because repeated rubbing across the grain creates scratches which are very noticable and difficult to remove.
Many times, the unskilled will make this mistake and not realize it until the finish is applied. The correction is so difficult(essentially, requiring starting all over) that it is never made, then the user tries to justify the result as being better than it actually is.
3. Rinsing rags containing Boiled Liseed Oil is NOT recommended (Read the instructions on the container it comes in). Generally speaking, it is safer to properly dispose of them in such a way that they are not capable of igniting anything close to them. Rinsing with water will not make such rags safe, as the water will eventually evaporate, leaving the oil to spontaneously ignite, due to accelerated decomposition. This is not an uncommon occurance, by the way.
I mention these little items because many folks have not had any real introduction to woodworking/finishing, which allows them to make some very fundamental errors. I see this continually, contained within the questions(and answers!!) of threads on this site.
Old geezers, like myself, were brought up in a time when every young boy in junior high school took a class in WOOD SHOP. This prepared us, very early-on, for using various techniques related to wood usage and finishing.
Such classes are more rare now, due partly to the fact that there aren't as many trained people to teach them, because of attrition and the disfavor which their programs are presently viewed by educational administrations.
Everyone, presently, is taught how to use a computer, which is valuable, but they are almost totally without knowledge of physical trades/skills, which puts them at the mercy of unscrupulous workmen with poor skills themselves.
Finishing a rifle is a form of SWEAT EQUITY which few can do well, but desire to try(it's not as expensive as building a house!).
Threadsites, like this one, are full of misinformation and assumptions, so be cautious.
Go to a library and read a little bit, before you start a project, and you may be happier with the results of your efforts.
Good luck.
Thanks for your time.