Is there such a thing as too many BLO coats?

[RED]

I have been using a 0000 steel wool pad and about just a bit (1 tsp) of BLO on my CMP "new" Garand stocks. I do this 2X a day and have done this probably 20 (or more times) over the past month. When do you stop?

[Dan Shapiro]

When do you stop?

Depends on the finish you want. High gloss = more coats.
My own "formula" after degreasing an old military stock was: one light coat a day for a week, then one coat a week for a month. Done.
Now the stocks just get one coat a year for maintenance.
HTH

[Bill D]

Thanks Dan. Both these guns came with new stocks. I didn't think the CMP had put any kind of stain etc. on the walnut. Closer inspection shows they did put some kind of stain on the wood. So far the stocks don't appear to have a glossy look but, trust me they are both very good looking. It has been hot here (100+). I put a very light coat on and then set them outside for a few hours. I enjoy doing that. Maybe I need to order another Garand?

Garlands are habit forming. I’m up to fourteen now.

[dryheat]

BLO can be tricky to work with. Using a spoonful is the right idea. I spread it around with a rag until the rag starts grabbing. Then just work the oil with my fingers. Then move to the next section. In humid weather it can be slow to dry. Even in AZ it can take time to set up. Here's the trick I use. I've found that if you leave it in the sunshine(which seems logical) it never sets up completely. I leave it outside and then I take it inside for an "overnighter". The heating-cooling seems to "kick off" the drying somehow. I might do this twice. That's all it takes. Oh, and my first coat is always going to be 50/50 BLO and mineral spirits.

[dryheat]

I'd expect they look good.

[RCS]

Too many coats

I got this birch stock as a gift from my 1st Sgt along time ago, stated using BLO on it to get
the finish that I wanted. I have not put any BLO or anything else on this stock in a number
of years, still looks good too.P1010017_0013_013.jpgP1010018_0014_014.jpg

[Sunray]

BLO doesn't give a gloss finish. Pure Tung Oil does.
BLO is a thing that gets repeated anyway. However, 20 coats might be too much though. Wood can get mushy with too much oil in it.

[dryheat]

Guys like to mention that they have put fifteen coats on a stock, but I don't think it's necessary. I've done a few dozen and two coats is the max.
untitled-9.jpg

[RCS]

tung oil on a Winchester M1 stock

Early production no trap Winchester stock (maybe the blank came from the custom shop
when the was started ) with a tung oil finishP1010055_0044_044.jpg

[Rifleman]

Apply once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year for the rest of your life!

[Richard H Brown Jr]

If you've watched the archive video clips on making of either the M1903(x) or M-1's, they show the completed stock being dipped in a BLO bath then allowed to air dry, hanging so the excess BLO doesn't settle on the bottom of the stock. Then the rifle is assembled, proof tested, cleaned, accepted stamped, and packed in crates. Reading both TM 9-1275 (for the M-1) and TM 9-1270 (for the M1903(x)) rifles, The official recommendations for periodic application of BLO is to dismount the hand guard(s) and stock from the rifle, and apply BLO, with a clean cloth LIGHTLY, allow to sit for a while for the excess BLO to come to the surface, and be wiped off with either a clean dry rag or the hand, and the stock polished with the hand or a clean dry rag. It also mentions NOT to apply BLO to the inner surfaces of the stock, and that the application of BLO should not be allowed to get on the metal parts of the action and dry and possibly gum up the working bits.

Lets look at this from the context of a used surplus rifle, the stock is either well treated with BLO and the wood fibre's are not dry. or the stock has dried out over years of storage. Overly dry the wood is going to soak up BLO/Tung Oil. and once it's reached saturation isn't going to dry, and the excess oil will either seep out to the outer surface or migrate to the lower surfaces of the wood, depending how the rifle is stored. Or migrate to the inner surfaces of the stock and move out onto the metal surfaces and possibly gum up the action, and collect dust in solution with the BLO to make a mess. Plus the fact that a really dry stock, is going to be affected by the BLO/Tung Oil raising the grain of the wood, and you're going to have to do something about the raised grain.

Now for a *new* stock on an old rifle. The manufacturer of the stock, either treated the wood with BLO or Tung Oil or some other wood preservative, or shipped it dry with just the remaining moisture from the dried/cured wood blank. For my preference in a new untreated stock, I'd follow the Govt. TM, and dismount the wood, rub in a small amount of BLO or Tung Oil into the dismounted stock parts, and allow to dry, wipe off the excess and hand polish the stock, to warm the remaining preservative oil so it moves into the depths of the wood. IMHO this once a day for a week, once a week, once a month, just puts too much preservative oil in the stock, and it's going to migrate by gravity to the lowest part of the stock and come to the surface. Then you're going to have a mess on the storage surfaces, the stock's lowest areas, and the metal parts of the rifle. As for periodic application, I'd stick with once a quarter, dismount, rub in preservative oil, allow to set/dry, wipe off excess and hand rub.

If you're trying to re-create the deep red color of a service rifle, by repeated application of preservatives, you're just going to make a mess. I'd stick with the slow method, of time and care.

Just my humble opinion.

R. Brown