Marlin 1892 Stock Touch Up Advice

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DocRock

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Latest edition of Rifle included an article celebrating the Marlin 39A, the world’s longest continuous production rifle, now at an end under the malign ownership of Remington.

That production started in 1891 with the eponymous Model, a rifle Annie Oakley made famous and used to shoot her famous one hole card. In 1892, the Model 1891 was modified to remove the tedious side loading gate and replace it with a Mag tube reloading gate. A takedown version was introduced in 1897, and in the inter-war period, it became the Model 39. After WWII a final modification yielded the Model 39A which today is only available from the Remington Custom Shop parts bin at exorbitant prices.

This is a Model 1892, given to my grandfather in 1905 on his 16th birthday. It’s the rifle that I learned to shoot with. I still use it today in a local 100 yard competition and it is very, very accurate with a fantastic trigger.

Took it out for the Great Corona Cleanup and realized the forend is pretty much devoid of finish and there are bare spots on the wrist.

So, wanting to touch up the stock but not do a total refinish. Need advice. My proposed course of action would be to degrease, give everything a moderate rub with #0000 steel wool and then apply Waterlox (a Tung Oil finish). Does this seem like a sensible approach ? Any pitfalls or reasons to do this differently?


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I really think Tru-Oil would match the original finish better than Tung oil.

You are correct and I am mistaken. While Waterlox contains Tung Oil (and boiled Lindseed oil), it is not, as I wrote, really "a Tung Oil finish". It is polymerized and is really a varnish. Which is much more compatible with the remaining finish on the rifle. Tru Oil is even more of a varnish, containing a little Linseed oil.

Anyway, yes, Waterlox rather than Tung Oil. Good point.
 
I agree with TO. Just put a dab on your finger and rub it in. Repeat until it blends. Less is more in this case. Some may not like TO on a old guns but I've used it on many to blend a bare spot and it it,s un noticeable to 99% who look at it. Nice rifle.
 
You have a nice rifle there.
I would clean the stock first and see where you are before I did anything. I think it looks natural and honest the way it is.
A mixture of Mineral Spirits and Linseed Oil is probably what they used at the factory.
 
Well done. I have refinished stocks with TruOil. Not familiar with Waterlox. Did you do any prep to the wood before the four coats?
 
Well done. I have refinished stocks with TruOil. Not familiar with Waterlox. Did you do any prep to the wood before the four coats?
I do a #0000 steel wool and degreaser twice to clean up any dirt that has seeped into cracks and pours and to make sure the both the bare wood is ready for the Waterlox (which is similar to TruOil - it's a varnish rather than oil, but it's polymerized Tung Oil so there is some soaking/nourishing effect). I lightly buff the wood with the steel wool. degrease (this time I used Zep, a citrus degreaser) and give it 12 hours to dry. Repeat, then apply the Waterlox. 24 hours between coats, light steel wool in between layers.

It's the same process as TruOil but I prefer the Waterlox because the finish seem less laquer/plastic to me and goes more of a satin right away.
 
that came out nice, I also prefer and satin looking finish over plastic shiny
 
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