Myrtle gunstocks

[Hungry Horse]

 I was given a couple of Myrtle gunstock blanks years ago that were designed to be worked up into modern sporting rifles. I cut one up, and started a half stocked muzzleloading squirrel gun, which I eventually gave to a friend unfinished. He is near completion now, and recently asked about what kind of stain, and finish, it should get. Do any of you have any experience with Myrtle stocks? It seems to b pretty oily stuff, and so aromatic that I haven't had a spider in the shop since I milled that stock.

   Hungry Horse

[Osprey]

Species? Lots of wood called myrtle in various parts of the counrty.  Around here it refers to bayberry.  I'm thinking that's not what you have as it's pretty rare to get large enough for a gunstock.

[Kermit]

If it's Oregon Myrtle, I'd just use an oil finish and be done. No staining. It's not traditional, so you might as well enjoy the wood.

[B.Habermehl]

I built a blunderbuss on a Oregon myrtle blank some years ago, beautiful gun when finished. But for me sheer heck to work with. It turns out I'm badly allergic to the wood. I used LMF stain on it. Couldn't wait till it was out of my shop. The stuff affected me like poison ivy. Never again!!!! BJH

[Hungry Horse]

Yep, it's Oregon myrtle. Beautiful grain in this stock. I've heard some late Western percussion rifles were stocked in myrtle, but have never seen one. I think I 'll try some aqua fortis on some of the scraps, just to see what it does. I might test some tannic acid on it as well.
 Breathing the fine sawdust from  this stock was not good at all. I think you have to be careful working around myrtle if you are at all allergic.
 Thanks everyone.

  Hungry Horse
   

[Natureboy]

  There's an interesting test to identify "Oregon Myrtle," otherwise known as California Laurel.  If you crush the green leaves and smell them, they give you a splitting headache.  Promoters of the crafts made from "Myrtlewood" will tell you that it "only grows in Oregon and the Holy Land," but it grows all over coastal California, especially near streams.  It's beautiful wood.

[Hungry Horse]

 Some of the myrtle that grows in California has quite a history. A friend was the plant manager at CaliCo hardwoods in Winsor California, and got a call from a land owner asking if they were interested in salvaging some stock wood from a big old myrtle that had been lightening struck. Upon arrival at the sight of the tree, they found a tree of emmence proportions that showed fantastic curl throughout the main trunk. Nobody knew how old the tree was, but it was mentioned in the deed to the property as a corner marker on the original Spanish land grant. The cost of the stock blanks were way to rich for my blood, and I passed up the chance to own a beautiful gun, with a lot of old California history built in.

  Hungry Horse

   

[Dave B]

This is a Myrtel Wood half stock California rifle. The finish is just birchwood casey stock filler and 6 coats of True oil hand rubbed. There is no stain on this part of the stock. There was a small part of the cheek side  that had sap wood showing but its all gone now.  .  This stock was moderately hard and took the checkering tool quite nicely. I will have to look I was sure I had a few more pic's of this. This will give you the Idea at any rate.