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I have an antique and early 1900’s Winchester that are in very good condition, however after a Snake Oil wiping, the wood on the forearm just goes back to a dull finish. Is there a ” next step ” in treatment of the wood and still keep the original status of the guns ?
Also, I read in a non-gun related article that linseed oil oxidizes over time and leaves a yellowed appearance, like a shellac might look like over time. I’ve seen that look on metal.
Any wisdom appreciated.
Bill
Bill,
Snake oil will dry after a short time, it does not stay wet looking. I would try a Conservator’s or Renaissance wax on the wood to see if that shines it up.
It looks like someone wiped a varnish or something over the wood and slopped it on the metal. You can remove that by taking the wood off and then cleaning the metal with a 0000 steel or brass wool with oil and gently cleaning it off. Now if there is any cold blue on the gun, that will be removed by this process.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Bob,
For removing varnish or shellac off of the steel, after removing the stocks, uses a shop rag with 100% pure acetone… no steel wool or abrasives required. Smaller parts can be put in a container of acetone for a few hours, and will come out perfectly clean.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
1873man said
Bill,Snake oil will dry after a short time, it does not stay wet looking. I would try a Conservator’s or Renaissance wax on the wood to see if that shines it up.
It looks like someone wiped a varnish or something over the wood and slopped it on the metal. You can remove that by taking the wood off and then cleaning the metal with a 0000 steel or brass wool with oil and gently cleaning it off. Now if there is any cold blue on the gun, that will be removed by this process.
Bob
Bob,
I have used Renaissance wax but does not make very much difference. Does the wood need any type of oil, like linseed oil, ( or mixture ), or is wax the only solution to get a shine ? It just looks like the wood needs oil due to dryness.
Regarding linseed oil oxidizing over time, does anyone have experience in seeing that on wood or metal ?
Bill
Bill,
Post a picture of the wood so we can see what it looks like. I have seen wood that is dry and lacks any finish that snake oil has helped make it look better but it will not shine. To get a shine you have to put a finish on it, like a shellac, varnish or linseed oil. Linseed oil is the slowest type of finish to use, it takes many coats over many days to build up a finish but will dry and dull over time.
Here is a good artical on Linssed oil: linseed-oil-ancient-friend-foe
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob,
Very good article.
I definitely don’t want my guns looking like King Tut !
I’ll try to get a good representable picture if possible.
Bill
1873man said
Bill,Post a picture of the wood so we can see what it looks like. I have seen wood that is dry and lacks any finish that snake oil has helped make it look better but it will not shine. To get a shine you have to put a finish on it, like a shellac, varnish or linseed oil. Linseed oil is the slowest type of finish to use, it takes many coats over many days to build up a finish but will dry and dull over time.
Here is a good artical on Linssed oil: linseed-oil-ancient-friend-foe
Bob
Bob,
Trying to photograph finish is rough for this amateur , so I’m giving comparison rifles in images. ( M53 )
The bottom gun’s forearm lacks the shine .
( The metal issue is none of these guns.) Hope this communicates the issue, if there is one
Thanks,
Bill
Bill,
The wood on the lower gun shows some use with the scrapes and nicks and I think the finish is commensurate with the use it got. The other question is, was the wood originally a oil finish or a varnish. My best guess from looking at the pictures it was varnished but looks like it lost a fair bit of the finish.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob,
I’ll stick with Renaissance wax. Just cleaning up for the marketplace and didn’t want to go the wrong direction.
Bill
What do you fellows think of using Tung Oil cut with Mineral Spirits for Winchester wood?
FromTheWoods said
What do you fellows think of using Tung Oil cut with Mineral Spirits for Winchester wood?
That’s all I use for refurbishing old Winchester stocks. One could fill libraries with the books and posted opinions about finishes for wood stocks but Winchester originally used linseed oil to finish their stocks. Linseed oil is not as waterproof as tung oil and will darken over time which is why I find tung oil superior. Also, a small repair can be done on tung oil or linseed oil finishes and blended in, where one can’t do this on varnish finishes.
Some examples:
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
That’s good to hear you use it and prefer it.
I used Tung Oil in my early years, ran out, and had difficulty finding more. Tried many other products, including Snake Oil. Maybe I bought a bad batch of the Snake Oil–didn’t seem to do much but gum up the stocks and make a mess in the rain. Finally made the effort to find Tung Oil, and now I’m a contented Winchester hunter again. It surely does help bring out the personality and beauty of the wood.
FromTheWoods:
Glad you found your way back!
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
By “Tung Oil” I assume you mean real tung oil? The stuff at the Hone Depot (Formbys) is a mixture containing polymers and drying agents. Or is that the stuff you are talking about?
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
FromTheWoods said
That’s good to hear you use it and prefer it.I used Tung Oil in my early years, ran out, and had difficulty finding more. Tried many other products, including Snake Oil. Maybe I bought a bad batch of the Snake Oil–didn’t seem to do much but gum up the stocks and make a mess in the rain. Finally made the effort to find Tung Oil, and now I’m a contented Winchester hunter again. It surely does help bring out the personality and beauty of the wood.
What mixture & process did you find that made you contented ?
Not the Formby’s. That was another I tried briefly during my dry spell–not good for my rifles.
We have an old REAL hardware store in town: “Robnett’s.” The original board floor from the 1850’s moves and croaks under foot–gentle song. They found a source to order from–can’t remember who the supplier was. (There isn’t much around Western Oregon that is from the 1850’s except Native American names, wagon trails, farms, trees, rivers, and mountains–not even Winchesters!)
“Hope’s 100% Pure Tung Oil” mixed with Mineral Spirits at a one to one ratio is what I am using. I’m leaning toward applying a mix with a bit more oil in it once the Spirits have helped the oil to penetrate the wood. The ratio though, we should ask Wincacher for his guidance on that.
Process: Apply it sparingly however you choose. Hand rub. Hand rub. Hand rub. Dry rag–wipe off. The oil and wood will teach you how much to apply and how much rubbing to do.
Again, I’m not a wood guru, and our rifles, we hunt with them. For higher end Winchesters, we need more expert advice on Tung Oil use.
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