Author Topic: First in the white gun for me.  (Read 4565 times)

Offline Bull Shannon

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First in the white gun for me.
« on: May 18, 2019, 10:16:25 AM »
Left handed cherry stocked trade gun, 20 gauge. This is my first "in the white" finish attempt so I'm going slow but after sanding with medium, fine, and finally 400 grit sandpaper in got the first cost of stairs on tonight. Instead of using lye in order to bring out the red tones of the cherry I went with a red "mahogany" stain by Minwax, applied with a thick disposable shop towel. Once completely dry I will apply a light second coat and get the areas that I missed today. I will finish with boiled linseed oil, sanded in between a few applications. I'll be using a cold blue cream on the barrel and all steel furniture which I may polish with steel wool for a French grey finish. It just depends on how it turns out. Here are some pics so far.









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Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2019, 10:21:05 AM »
Some metal polished with emory paper along with the barrel along with the first coat of stain to the stock.








« Last Edit: May 25, 2019, 07:59:23 AM by Bull Shannon »
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Offline BOB HILL

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2019, 02:09:24 PM »
Looks like your on the right track. Looks nice
Bob
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2019, 03:15:30 PM »
"Next time" you don't need to sand down to 400 grit, I quit at 220. Also, I'm not so sure about Minwax stains, no personal experience with it, but I recall something negative about it, someone is sure to fill in the blanks.
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Offline oldtravler61

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2019, 04:15:46 PM »
  Mimwax stains are very durable. At least I have had no issues with it. Have used it on furniture and a couple of gun stocks.
  Not real H.C. But it does a great job.
  One thing I do like is if you chip the stock or furniture and you show bare wood again. It blends in real well without any issues.    Oldtravler

Offline Pete G.

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2019, 06:05:39 PM »
 Oil based stains do not penetrate very well on hardwood. They also tend to fade over time.

Offline hanshi

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2019, 11:26:18 PM »
I'm looking forward to seeing photos of the finished gun!
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Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2019, 06:49:47 AM »
Oil based stains do not penetrate very well on hardwood. They also tend to fade over time.
I'm counting on exposure to UV rays over time to bring out natural red tones of the cherry wood stock, in case the stain starts to fade. I had researched the procedure normally used to accelerate that process which uses lye dissolved in water and then applied directly to the surface but was given the Minwax stain by a friend who has built a few muzzleloaders before, so I decided to go that route instead. So far I'm pleased with the results. This week I will put on another coat and perhaps do some additional sanding before I start the final finish of BLO. I'm not sure how many coats that will take or if sanding in between coats will be needed. Does anyone have some thoughts on that? I've used boiled linseed oil before but that was a long time ago and more recently I had used Truoil to refinish some of my lever guns. Since this is a trade gun I didn't want a shiny finish or something that would look out of p!ace for such a utilitarian firearm but I do want to show off the nice grain and figure of the cherry.
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Offline elk killer

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2019, 12:30:44 PM »
BLO isn't all that durable, and takes forever to dry, there are much better options out there
only flintlocks remain interesting..

Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2019, 08:06:42 AM »
BLO isn't all that durable, and takes forever to dry, there are much better options out there
What do you suggest? I don't have a dedicated work shop and my garage is pretty much the place I do most of my work.

Here's the stock after a final coat of stain.




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Offline FDR

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2019, 05:36:44 PM »
Since you are familiar with Tru Oil just use that and rub back the final coat to get rid of the gloss.  Very Durable and easy to repair.

Fred

Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2019, 08:00:23 AM »
Will do and thanks for the advice.
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Offline Daryl

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2019, 05:46:42 AM »
True Oil has been working for me since the 70's.  Want to dull it, 0000 steel wool, rotten stone or pumice will rub it back to a satin finish.
Daryl

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Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2019, 03:53:32 PM »
Barrel, buttplate and trigger guard have been blued.






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Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2019, 11:04:41 PM »
I'm looking forward to seeing photos of the finished gun!
Not quite finished but three coats of Tru-oil, which my friend John gifted to me, all put together except for the tang screw and two barrel pins. It's probably shootable as is with a reduced load. 30 grains of 3F under an ounce of salt rock and over shot card should do the trick and keep the kids off my lawn. 😁







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Offline little joe

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #15 on: June 30, 2019, 08:54:39 AM »
A trade  gun should have a brass butt plate and iron trigger guard unless you are doing a type G , otherwise a fine piece.

Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #16 on: July 13, 2019, 03:35:35 AM »
Small problem occurred when putting one of the pins back in, resulting in some small splinters breaking out. I used an Exacto type razor knife to slightly enlarge the places where the splinters broke out from so that they wouldn't sit too proud once glued back in place. A drop of glue for each one and 24 hours later I was gently sanding away the finish so I could get an even coat of stain on. This is it so far, without the final finish.

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Offline Justin Urbantas

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2019, 05:10:24 AM »
Small problem occurred when putting one of the pins back in, resulting in some small splinters breaking out. I used an Exacto type razor knife to slightly enlarge the places where the splinters broke out from so that they wouldn't sit too proud once glued back in place. A drop of glue for each one and 24 hours later I was gently sanding away the finish so I could get an even coat of stain on. This is it so far, without the final finish.

  Take out all the pins, and bevel the ends a bit with a file

Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2019, 11:06:33 AM »
I had done just that after removing the pins initially. The problem is that Jackie used wire to make the pins with and this makes them too soft IMO. If they aren't perfectly straight when put back in, even with one end beveled, this happens. I should have enlarged the holes and used finishing nails or brads cut to length as advised by my gunsmith friend but I am stupid stubborn sometimes.
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Offline Bull Shannon

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Re: First in the white gun for me.
« Reply #19 on: February 14, 2020, 01:20:37 AM »
I never followed up with pics of the completed piece, so my apologies.
Here's how she turned out.










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