Wood finishing

[Iggy]

Hi folks, I could do with a bit of advice please.

I've had the Prevail for about 8 months now and as a gun to shoot I'm very happy with it indeed.

Having chopped and changed guns like a typical noob for the 18 months prior, I now feel I'm shooting a gun that fits me and to which I feel properly connected when I shoot. Consequently my shooting is (apart from the occasional blip) as good as its ever been by my standards which has obviously been given a large helping hand by the lessons I've been having with Ed as well...

However being a Prevail 1 it has the Xtra Grain finish on the woodwork and despite how positive I feel about all other aspects of the gun, the wood finish has been getting me down to such a degree I've been seriously considering swapping it it for the last few months.

However I've finally seen sense and decided to stick with it for another year or two, carry on learning and hopefully improving and then get something nice in a year or two (health and finances permitting) that can be the 'keeper'. In the meantime though I'd like to improve the woodwork if I can, but having spoken to both GMK as well as several woodwork specialists they all strongly recommend that I don't strip the finish as the base wood will basically be firewood grade and the 'singed on' Xtra Grain will be far better anyway.

Being objective about it I could probably live with the Xtra Grain if I could just do something about the very open grain or pores that are visible all over the stock. I don't know how Beretta finish their stocks on the cheaper models now but it doesnt seem to be that great?

I've done a lot of searching on the web and the only instructions I can find relating to filling grain are as part of a complete re-finish and not as something that can be done after the finish has been applied which is what I need to do if I can't strip the finish and start from scratch.

I've attached 2 photos, one of the stock showing the Xtra Grain effect and another, closer shot showing the open grain that I'd like to fill. I've tried a few applications of CCl Conditioning Oil and similar but it doesn't seem to do anything and I don't know if it would 'fill' the grain anyway?

Any help or suggestions much appreciated as always.

 

[Will Hewland]

Wow. Can't believe that the grain is open so much on an unaltered stock! My Perazzi looked like that after I had the stock altered. If I had stubble, I stuck to it like Velcro!

I filled it with grain filler, rubbed it down, did it again, and then dabbled around finishing the stock with various products. Took a while.

I am not an expert, but to keep the grain effect, maybe the best way is to get it lacquered? This would fill the grain?

 

[Hamster]

Must admit I never understood what open grain meant, until now. :smile:

 

[Emmsy]

the cci conditioning oil is only appled very thinly so would eventually fill the grain but not for a long, long time. they do a grain filler product which would be more suited.

 

[Will Hewland]

the cci conditioning oil is only appled very thinly so would eventually fill the grain but not for a long, long time. they do a grain filler product which would be more suited.

Yes but that needs rubbing down after it dries. That will trash the fake finish and even if it didn't there is a whole refinishing thing to do. I think he wants a simple magic solution (as I would). Not sure if there is one, hence my idea of laquering it.

 

[Mike]

Hi Iggy,

Thats identical to the wood on my A400. I rubbed it down gently with some fine wet and dry, then put  some boiled linseed oil on it which it actually absored. It looks a bit better than yours does but the open "grain " problem is still there.

I did not want to try and achieve a smooth finish as it might remove the coating, as I suspect it will be very plain wood underneath.

 

[ips]

Try burnishing cream applied liberally allowed to dry about 5 mins then buff vigorously.a few coats Will be required. No guarantee but worth a try.

 

[RobertBeard]

That looks very similar to my Beretta 686e.

As far as I am concerned its a tool to do a job and not to sit and look pretty because I didn't spend enough to expect a wonderful stock.

I wonder what the wood quality will be on the new 692?

Having done lots of varnishing in my time I somehow doubt that varnish or lacquer is going to fill the grain without it still showing as the wood will absorb fairly evenly across the stock so open grain will still be open grain unless you use lots of coats and wet and dry between coats so that the lacquer builds up and fills the open grain.

 

[Emmsy]

Yes but that needs rubbing down after it dries. That will trash the fake finish and even if it didn't there is a whole refinishing thing to do. I think he wants a simple magic solution (as I would). Not sure if there is one, hence my idea of laquering it.

appologies, i thought he had real wood

 

[Westward]

I avoid boiled linseed for most things and whilst I'm sure CCL or Trade Secrets products are okay they are also stupidly overpriced and are usually too thin for grain filling. Pure oils such as linseed, tung or teak (the best IMHO) are also generally too thin and can take ages to go hard.

Vegetable and nut oils don't dry by evaporation, they increase their viscosity by polymerization when exposed to air and UV and only seem to become dry. BTW boiled linseed hasn't been boiled, it has additives to slightly accelerate the "drying" process. What you need is a thicker oil but one which won't take 6 months to get hard.

Here's what I recommend: http://www.winsornewton.com/products.aspx?PageID=296&ProductID=828 or: http://www.greatart.co.uk/LEFRANCBOURGEOISPOLYMERIZEDLINSEEDOIL-linseed-oil.htm

 

[Clanchief]

And always use a Matabooboo.

 

[EdSolomons]

And always use a Matabooboo.

I hope someone falls for that...!

 

[SoR]

I hope someone falls for that...!

Sorry ed gotta do it ........

Whats a matta BOO BOO......pmsl.........

 

[Clanchief]

Nothin Yogi.

 

[PhilS]

Ahhh,

the old ones are the best eh?

 

[Clanchief]

Yes,,,,,, but nothing beats a piecoss.

 

[PhilS]

Go on someone - knock it up

 

[SoR]

Wos a pie cos...............

 

[PhilS]

Your turn Clan