Help with laminated stock finishing

[308warbird]

I have finished walnut stocks for several years using Traditional hand rubbed and buffed oils, usually BLO. I have a basic grasp of how to finish a stock, but not certain what products to use on a laminated stock. I would appreciate any and all suggestions concerning what to use...BLO, or Tung, or Tru-Oil, ?

Thanks all.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

I treat them as any other wood. Normally I use Tru-oil or more here lately, Permalyn sealer and then Permalyn finish.
Bobby

 

[Preacher]

If your looking for a super shine that will have the laminate looking really wet and deep, squirt it with a auto clear coat. If your looking for a bit duller hand rubbed finish, Arrow wood finish is the way to go.....

 

[tenring]

Years ago, I bought a AAA grade birds eye maple semi inletted sporter stock from Fajen, then acquired several blocks of rosewood from a ship unloading dock at Baltimore. Believe it or not, the ships crew used the rosewood for ballast, hammered nails all over it, then threw it away. My friend, a dockworker, grabbed a good many of those blocks. I shaped, then epoxied the rosewood grip cap and forend to the birds eye stock. I decided to use a polyurethane finish, and soon found it would not dry after application on the rosewood.

After fooling around with it for weeks, I finally called Brownells, and asked for their suggestion. I cannot remember the name of the base coating they sold me, but it did work. Give them a call.

 

[Jay Christopherson]

I got a really nice low-shine type finish using Teak Oil, based on a local custom stockmaker's suggestion. I used rotten and pumice stone between coats (about 10). Came out really, really nice and just glass smooth. It's also very durable and repairable.

 

[tunered]

Keep in mind that a hand oil finish will not penetrate the epoxy that holds the laminates together, Brownells has spray cans either in gloss or satin that works well, or have your local autobody spray it.

 

[Preacher]

The Arrow wood oil finish I used on this rear grip XP-100 stock I made, penetrated OK from the looks of it.
To many problems using other oil stuff...

 

[Valar]

I made a laminated burl walnut stock for my ar 15. I used automotive clear coat and man does it shine . For a lower sheen high quality finish on older guns i sand all the way out to 800 grit I also wet stock with water to raise the grain and resand. I then like to use tru oil. makes a nice vintage look.

 

[308warbird]

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[timeout]

Here is a very good article on stock painting/clear coating, including a section on laminates:

http://www.6mmbr.com/stockpainting.html