“Winchester Red” stock finish.
- Thread starter Rockydoc
- Start date
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
For those looking for a dark finish, pine tar cut with mineral spirits can be an option. Just be warned you get a real, dark, brown out of it. Use too much and you'll have something close to black. But, it will rub off with solvent to a degree.
Chris
Well-Known Member
Over the years I've tried quite a few finishes, all of the standard commercial sort. You guys have probably tried most of them too. They are mostly ok.
The two that stand out to me... a non-professional stock refinisher... are Watco Danish oil saturated into the stock and topped with Linspeed or similar, and the Minwax Antique Oil Finish.
Anyone else tried the Minwax? Here's a post with instructions, it's where I got the idea to try it.
I hunted with it extensively in snow/rain and it holds up well to weather. It looks like a professional oil finish and feels good in the hands. I can be fairly glossy, I decided to dull mine down with rottenstone and I'm pleased.
The two that stand out to me... a non-professional stock refinisher... are Watco Danish oil saturated into the stock and topped with Linspeed or similar, and the Minwax Antique Oil Finish.
Anyone else tried the Minwax? Here's a post with instructions, it's where I got the idea to try it.
How to do the World's best oil finish
I hate doing wood work and especially stock refinishing, but over a 30 year career and for person use I was forced to do so enough to finally find a GOOD oil finish that looks like a real custom oil finish should look like. Here's my directions to get a true custom gun oil finish with the...
www.thehighroad.org
I hunted with it extensively in snow/rain and it holds up well to weather. It looks like a professional oil finish and feels good in the hands. I can be fairly glossy, I decided to dull mine down with rottenstone and I'm pleased.
Ian
Notorious member
Ha!
I think of you every time I rummage in my wax storage tub and come across that baggie of castor wax flakes you sent and how I never was able to devise a recipe which would really isolate it as a component for evaluation. Haven't forgotten about it, though.
rodmkr
Temecula California
I am probably a heretic but have never seen a high end Winchester!
I made my own reddish brown dye by using Ritt clothes dye and mixing different colors until I got what
I wanted. I mixed it using 90% alcohol and it soaks into the wood quickly so you have to
be careful and use sparingly until you get what you want.
I then finish with a mixture my Grandfather used to refinish furniture.
I mix BLO and Amber shellac and rub it in with a small piece of cloth until you get the gloss
you want.
I rub it down with steel wool in between every 3 coats .
So it is 3 on 1 off until done.
Jim
I made my own reddish brown dye by using Ritt clothes dye and mixing different colors until I got what
I wanted. I mixed it using 90% alcohol and it soaks into the wood quickly so you have to
be careful and use sparingly until you get what you want.
I then finish with a mixture my Grandfather used to refinish furniture.
I mix BLO and Amber shellac and rub it in with a small piece of cloth until you get the gloss
you want.
I rub it down with steel wool in between every 3 coats .
So it is 3 on 1 off until done.
Jim
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
I am a huge fan of Watco. Another (very expensive one) I have been using for the last few years is Tried & True. BLO and BLO with beeswax. All food grade/safe. Love the stuff for wood projects. Not tried on a gunstock, but... May do a test Pilkington Win 64 red then the T&T BLO/BW over and see how it turns out.
Also - PSA: IF you use Tung Oil - be aware. It CAN and will go rancid. And if it does, dang near impossible to strip it out. Learned that on one I did with Dad as a kid. Still have the gun. But I won't EVER use old Tung Oil. Worth 3x the $ to buy a new sealed can!
Also - PSA: IF you use Tung Oil - be aware. It CAN and will go rancid. And if it does, dang near impossible to strip it out. Learned that on one I did with Dad as a kid. Still have the gun. But I won't EVER use old Tung Oil. Worth 3x the $ to buy a new sealed can!
quicksylver
Well-Known Member
Chestnut Ridge Military alcohol based stain, used on1903'S to get that nice deep red, apply liberally ,let dry for a couple hours,wipe down w/steel wool , apply 3 + coats of boiled linseed oil, remember to wear rubber gloves.see what the boys on the CMP site say about it , I LOVE IT!
quicksylver
Well-Known Member
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RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
FWIW, I found out that raw linseed oil will darken enough, if left to dry in the sun, will cover up much of the stain color. If you use pure tung oil it will show more color than what you thought you would get with the stain. You want to used the "boiled" linseed oil with an alcohol stain.
What chemicals are in boiled linseed oil?
Some of the petroleum-based siccative compounds that are added to linseed oil to decrease the drying time are naptha, mineral spirits, and dipropylene glycol monomethyl. Cobalt and manganese are the most common metal siccatives found in boiled linseed oil.
What chemicals are in boiled linseed oil?
Some of the petroleum-based siccative compounds that are added to linseed oil to decrease the drying time are naptha, mineral spirits, and dipropylene glycol monomethyl. Cobalt and manganese are the most common metal siccatives found in boiled linseed oil.
Ian
Notorious member
Oil paint dries. It just takes a while. Linseed oil based with Japan driers (Cobalt, etc). BLO dries, but it never gets rock hard like varnishes do and won't build up a mirror shine. I like BLO for its repairability, naturally silky satin appearance, and how it shows the beauty of the wood because it penetrates deep into the wood, unlike varnishes which dry too fast to sink in much.
That said, BLO is not for everything and selecting a finish depends on what you want out of that finish. If you want a good surface finish, use Tru-oil and steel wool it between coats. For old guns and military stocks, IMO it's hard to beat what they were finished with in the first place.
That said, BLO is not for everything and selecting a finish depends on what you want out of that finish. If you want a good surface finish, use Tru-oil and steel wool it between coats. For old guns and military stocks, IMO it's hard to beat what they were finished with in the first place.
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smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Here's one that might resemble the finish you describe.
Edward R Southgate
Component Hoarder Extraordiniare
Someone had a version of Winchester Red stain and finish for sale on ebay a while back , probably still do .
Nope , not currently listed .
Nope , not currently listed .
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Charles Graff
Moderator Emeritus
In my notes from years gone by I have a recipe to reproduce the old Winchester red stain and finish. I don't recall the source, but I was impressed enough to put it in my "brain book", so I could have it. I have also found when using stains Mixwax Pre-Stain in a big help in getting a good even stain on the wood.
50/50 mixture of Minwax Red Mahogany and Black Walnut stains. Follow with Tru-Oil finish.
50/50 mixture of Minwax Red Mahogany and Black Walnut stains. Follow with Tru-Oil finish.
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