A Question for You Scrapers

[KLMoors]

Hi folks, I've got a question.

I've been doing more and more scraping, but I still end up with a finished surface that looks a little too "modern" if you will.

After you've scraped, do you burnish the stock in any way? Also, how do you whisker the stock once you've started your finishing process?


Thanks!

[E.vonAschwege]

I seem to remember it was Don Getz who told me he used a course brown paper bag to burnish the grain after raising it with water.  I've done that a few times and had good results.  Some people use a piece of horn or antler to burnish stocks as well.  It certainly presses any raised grain back into the wood and compresses the surface slightly, making it super smooth and shiny - but I'm not sure it looks any less "modern" than straight scraping does. 

My process is: Scrape, apply aquafortis, dewisker the stock with a quick rubbing of a brown bag or other course fabric, seal with seedlac, wipe excess off the stock (looks gorgeous at this step, but isn't enough of a finish on its own), apply oil or varnish. 

[Jerry V Lape]

I use a polished piece of antler to burnish after all the carving and scraping is done.  Don't press hard or you will get irregular surface.  Doing this seems to smooth the edges of the carving and press down any whiskers.  Also helps with the whiskering to apply the aqua fortis or stain with a piece of finer scotchbrite type material.  Learned this from Jim Kibler.  Maybe Jim will come in and provide greater detail. 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

using seedlac or shellac as a sealer allows the whiskers that you burnish down with friction heat from the brown paper bag or other burnishing tool to remain stuck down until your oil varnish finish is applied!

[ironwolf]

  For burnishing wood,  a short hank of manila rope, either whipped or taped tightly and made into a stiff brush works very well.  Gets down into the carving nicely. 

  K

[Mark Elliott]

If you do it right, there should only be subtle indications that you scraped.    I used to like to burnish with very fine steel wool, but I am gradually switching to the Scotchbrite type pads.   The white one is a great one for polishing.   It is probably akin to the manila rope or brown paper in roughness.    If you want the stock to look and feel like it is old, then not scraping so well will do that.     Scrape perpendicular to the curl to end up with the ripple that you would normally only get with age.  However, you should really scrape at an angle to the curl so as to not get so much ripple as it WILL amplify with age.   Also, just don't scrape as well.   Leave some chisel and rasp marks.   That is the only way it will look like an original.   Only a few old time makers on a few guns finished them as well as most of us to today.   Unfortunately,  people just don't seem to want to buy those as much.   

[WadePatton]

oh wait, nevemind.

(I thought he said "scrappers".)

 

[KLMoors]

Thanks for the ideas. I'll fiddle with these to see what works for me.

LOL Wade, as I actually thought about that while typing the title!

Mark, it is definitely a subtle detail that I'm looking for. When I see what I am thinking of on an original, I need to move the gun around (or move myself around if I can't handle it) to clearly see these textures. To me eye, it is not real obvious at all on most guns, but it is definitely there. Every once in a while it will show up in a photograph too.

[Acer Saccharum]

Certain areas on old guns wear to a high sheen, and others keep their scuffs and scratches and collect dirt. Wrist, forestock grip, comb, patchbox side of butt, and ridge of cheekpiece all get the most wear(and polish). Areas that don't get much wear are:ahead of the lock panels, behind the cock, under the cheekpiece, under the grip rail of the guard.

When you scrub the stock with coarse paper, scotch brite, natural wear from use, carried on horseback, pushing your way thru the bushes, all those areas will naturally get aged and worn appropriately.