Refinish a TC Hawken stock?

[James Cooper]

Sanding the walnut to 320. The wood is very blonde in color and I'd like a nice medium-dark walnut color. What stain/color/clear finish do you like to use on such things? I want to be careful because I know walnut can easily turn black if you get too dark or too much stain. I use to make furniture, but it's been 30 years since then.

 

[Renegadehunter]

I would hit FrontierGander up. There is a thread right under this one titled "New Hawken Build" where he shows pics of a build he just did. The stock came out a very beautiful dark color that I think is what you're describing.

 

[exMember]

https://buckskinsbp.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-helpers-guide-to-building-kit-guns.html

 

[James Cooper]

Thanks FG, I was hoping you would post something like that. That gun is awesome!

 

[RhinoDave]

before you decide on a stain, wet the stock down thoroughly to see what it would look like with just an oil finish on it. Walnut will look a lot darker when finished from bare wood. This picture shows the difference between bare wood and after it's been wetted.

 

[Lost Oki]

I refinished my TC walnut stock using a 50/50 mix of Formby's Tung oil and Watco teak oil finishes about 10 yrs ago. It turns out a little darker brown and darkens with age. Finish is an oil type finish and easily repaired. I did 8 hand rubbed coats up to 800 grit. Takes a couple of days to dry between each coat depending on temp and humidity. As you can see I am about due for a refinish

 

[CVA Fanboy]

Nice, I like to refinish mine, where we differ I kind of like the blonde, well mostly it is different I am bit of an odd duck myself, took my Mosins, M95`s Arisakas back to raw wood and boiled linseed oil. I like the look

 

[Valkyrie]

Not hijack, but you mentioned arisakas. I was under the impression that they were finished with a poison sumac type oil. Did you sand the stock ?? I have one now.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Actually the Arisakas were originally finished with Tung oil. The real stuff.
Some G.I.s and Marines had allergic reactions to it and it gave rise to the poison fi ish legend.