Tips & Techniques: Add an 'Antique' Finish to Your Stock

posted on April 2, 2021
antique-stock-finish-f.jpg
"After having seen pictures of old rifles, I am thinking of "antiquing" three of my modern guns. By "antiquing," I mean I would like to strip the stock finish and apply some kind of oil stain/finish to give them that old look. Do you foresee any problems, and what color should I use to give them that "old" look?"

Depending on the time frame and the firearm producer you wish to duplicate, wood stocks received more or less attention in the finish process. The varnishes and lacquers available for wood finishes during the late 19th century were more suitable for interior use and did not offer much, if any, protection against the outside elements.

Rifle stocks from that time period that were not given any special treatment and have survived to this day seldom offer much evidence of their original finish. As such, you might consider that the "look" you desire may be the result of a century of use.

A typical oil finish of that time involved sanding the wood smooth, perhaps followed by a dewhiskering and burnishing process. Several coats of linseed oil (usually thinned with turpentine), often with a stain or color agent added, were applied to be absorbed into the wood.

Final coats of oil were rubbed in by hand and the stocks were allowed to dry before final assembly. Higher gloss stocks went through the same process, but a drying product was added to the oil and more coats were applied, with the finish being allowed to "build up." If a varnished finish was desired, it was applied after the first coloring coats of oil.

Filling the pores of the wood was not typically a goal of the firearm producers, except for the high-end, specialty made guns of the day. Duplicating those finishes can be done, but may involve some trial and error before you can achieve the look that you want.

Start by using a chemical stripper to remove all remnants of the modern finish. The chemical strip combined with a light sanding with 250-grit paper will put you at the start of the refinishing process.

Latest

Weatherby Mark V Backcountry 2.0
Weatherby Mark V Backcountry 2.0

Review: Weatherby Mark V Backcountry 2.0

Roy Weatherby’s timeless Mark V design seems to have only improved with age, even nearly 70 years after its introduction, it remains one of the strongest bolt-actions on the market.

Editor’s Choice: Burris Veracity PH

Burris spent years developing the technology behind its Veracity PH riflescope, and now that it’s out for 2023, the innovative Programmable Elevation Knob system promises to make it easier than ever to get on target at distance.

Rifleman Q&A: Restoring A Krag

I have a sporterized rifle found in my late grandfather’s basement made from what I have determined is a Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen. It has a date of 1924 stamped on it.

The Price Of Memorial Day

The military and firearm industries, more than any others, understand freedom is not free. Some paid the ultimate price while serving in this great republic’s armed forces and their willingness to go in harm’s way to protect our freedom is honored each year on Memorial Day.

The Armed Citizen® May 29, 2023

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Selby & The Superposed: A World-Class Shotgun Afield

A protégé of one of the world’s most famous professional hunters recounts his mentor’s generous gift of an over-under shotgun—one representing yet another seminal design from the greatest firearm genius in history.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.