Model 1894- How to fix chiped stock finish|Restoration, Repair and Maintenance|Forum|Winchester Collector

It appears the wood and finish have been damaged by moisture so refinishing would probably not completely remedy the problem. OTOH it won’t hurt to try as the damage has already been done.

Mike

I’d just put a couple coats of Minwax Tung Oil Finish (or something similar) on and then wipe it off the stock to seal and protect the wood. Won’t look perfect but I prefer that look to a refinished stock.

Two different animals, the Minwax is a mixture of tung oil and varnish. Once one gets the hang of it, it’s possible to let it dry a bit before wiping it off with a soft rag. Subsequent applications will allow it to build up a bit, not enough to eliminate the chips, but the stock will look better.

Pina said

Tedk said

I’d just put a couple coats of Minwax Tung Oil Finish (or something similar) on and then wipe it off the stock to seal and protect the wood. Won’t look perfect but I prefer that look to a refinished stock.

  

Thanks for the tip. Would boiled linseed oil have the same effect?

  

It can but it will take multiple coats and a lot of hand rubbing to bring out the gloss.  You can also mix a little Tru Oil to the boiled linseed oil as the final coat.  Products like Minwax are made so that you do as Tedk said.  Let it set up a bit and then rub off the excess.  You do this after each coat.

Do you think that some stain needs applied first?

If you’ve already done the work, I’d like to see the result, if you’d care to post a post-op pic. 

For what it’s worth, I’ve done spot-refinish jobs over the years to various pieces, mainly because I have a weakness for those that have seen some use in the field but still have decent metal.  There are several “right” ways, including what the other Members have already posted.  The Winchesters I’ve been interested in all came out of New Haven with sprayed factory lacquer over a black pore filler and a reddish-brown stain to blend the heartwood and sapwood.  Here’s what’s worked for me without doing a complete refinish.  Of course, if the old finish has turned black and soft from time and exposure, a refinish is unavoidable. What follows will work if the old finish is still cured and sound except for some damage and wear.

1. Get all steel off the stock – buttplate, barreled action, etc. 

2. Take extra care not to round off any of the edges and contours of the wood.  

3. Wipe the wood down with mineral spirits to remove any dirt and accumulated wax. If any of the existing lacquer is loose but not completely flaked off, gently remove the flakes with 4-0 steel wool but don’t get crazy with it. If there are checkering patterns, brush them out with a toothbrush dipped in mineral spirits.  A micropore cloth is useful to dry the wood and remove any dust and residue. 

4. If there are dents or crushed wood, try placing a damp washcloth over the spots and iron the cloth over the spots while applying steam.  This won’t work miracles but it can surprise you.  

5. When the stock is thoroughly dry and clean, apply some Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil to the places that need it, using your fingers or a soft cloth. Wipe off the excess before it gets too dry and then put it aside for several days until its hard. Tru-Oil is a hardening oil varnish that contains a stain quite similar to what WRA used to spray on its stocks to blend heartwood and sapwood. When the whole job is done, the color will be a little light but will darken sufficiently with time to blend with the existing finish.  When the coat of Tru-Oil is dry and hard, rub it VERY lightly with 4-0 steel wool to remove any dust motes and to level the finish. Tack off with the micropore cloth. 

5. Apply some additional coats of Tru-Oil, wiping off as before, making certain before you re-apply that the prior coat is dry and hard. It doesn’t hurt to leave it for a week between coats.  Rub with steel wool and tack off between coats as each coat drys and cures. 

6. When the final coat is very dry, hard and cured out, go over the stock one final time very lightly with 4-0 steel wool.  To give it a little additional sheen and protection, apply a coat of carnauba wax (without abrasives) and buff off when dry.  

This has worked for me in the past.  If this were a complete refinish — which I’ve never attempted – I’ve read that the checkering should be taped off and dealt with separately.  My only advice in that respect is based on some personal, bitter experience with checkering tools.  Leave the checkering cleanup to a trusted professional whose work you’ve seen.  I’ve attached some photos of a Model 70 Featherweight restored in this fashion. After I’d done the spot refinishing, I handed the rifle over to my gunsmith to recut the checkering, the results of which are shown in the photos.  

Best, Bill

Chuck, I haven’t got a clue about antique Winchesters and I don’t own any.  The only thing I’ve tried to study up on are non-special order, field grade, Winchester long guns made from, say post WWI, to about November, 1963 when the World as We Knew It blew up, courtesy of McNamara’s band of Ford Motor Company experts.

The best expositions I’ve read on that era’s finishing details is Roger Rule’s book on the Model 70, and several books by the late Herbert Houze.  Although the early version of the lacquer Winchester employed contained wax and the later version didn’t, the standard finish was lacquer, not varnish. At least during this era, the American Walnut blanks used by Winchester contained both dark heartwood and lighter sapwood; the color needed to be made consistent by staining. For the sake of production speed, I believe the stain was alcohol-based and was sprayed.  I don’t know the source of the black pore filler used in the finishing room but it was applied by hand, rubbed into the pores, allowed to dry, and then the excess was cut down to the surface of the wood.  I think there were a total of three lacquer coats sprayed on and each lightly knocked back, the top coat being rubbed out when cured.  From there, some stocks went to the checkering benches where the checkering was cut through the finish. After checkering, dry stain powder was puffed into the patterns. 

As we’ve all seen, those finishes were not exactly weatherproof…

Pina said
Thanks everyone for all of your advice. I really appreciate it.

This was my process.

I used a card scraper to remove the old finish. Removed the dents using a wet cloth and iron. Lightly sanded with 220 grit then used Danish oil in medium walnut finish, I followed the instructions on the bottle for this.

Once that was dry, I finished it with tru oil. I did 6 light coats using 000 steel wood in between coats. And finished it all up with stock sheen and conditioner. The whole process took a couple of weeks due to the drying time required.

I was not able to get rid of the water stains at the end of the stock, but I’m OK with it. Over all it was a fun project and I’m happy with the results.

 

  

Your pics are all broken links on my end….can you see them still?