I'm basically just Re-conditioning my old Lee Enfield . All the furniture is prepped and I'm trying to deside whether to use Boiled Linseed Oil or Beachwood Casey " Tru Oil". I've used the Tru oil before , then buffed out the shine and it worked really well. Never used Boiled Linseed Oil but I see a lot of guys have . Any recommendations ? Thanks
Milsurp stock refinishing
- Thread starter LAlineman
- Start date
chasehav2014
Inactive
Where are the surplus rifles sold I never see any around where I live.
Some milsurps used Tung oil.
I like BLO. It's not the most weather resistant thing but I don't like outside yet
BLO can give a very shiny finish or a more matte finish. Depends on the wood and how smooth it is.
I've refinished M1 carbine stocks from 'filthy firewood' to 'pretty stocks' in two hours using just denatured alcohol, odorless mineral spirits, and BLO. Depending on what you want, you can go military-looking (which is, honesty, about as rough as 100gr sandpaper produces) or you can go pretty and shiny, all with BLO, tung oil, pure tung oil etc. Tung is little more matte of a finish to my eye
I like BLO. It's not the most weather resistant thing but I don't like outside yet
BLO can give a very shiny finish or a more matte finish. Depends on the wood and how smooth it is.
I've refinished M1 carbine stocks from 'filthy firewood' to 'pretty stocks' in two hours using just denatured alcohol, odorless mineral spirits, and BLO. Depending on what you want, you can go military-looking (which is, honesty, about as rough as 100gr sandpaper produces) or you can go pretty and shiny, all with BLO, tung oil, pure tung oil etc. Tung is little more matte of a finish to my eye
Edward Horton
Moderator
BLO was NOT applied to the Enfield rifle.
Only "RAW" linseed oil was applied.
The majority of American made BLO today is nothing more than raw linseed oil, resins and driers, and it is NOT actually boiled. You can NOT apply it bare handed because of the toxic chemicals added.
Below, at the start of WWII the yearly tear-down inspection, maintenance and the oiling of the stock by hot dipping in a tank of raw linseed oil were canceled. Everything below the wood line was painted and "RAW" linseed was issued to the troop to be applied by them as noted below.
NOTE: You do not take a shiny rifle into combat!
95% of all Enfield manuals you find on the internet today were donated by me for free downloading.
(you will not find the word BLO in any book or manual on the Enfield rifle)
Only "RAW" linseed oil was applied.
The majority of American made BLO today is nothing more than raw linseed oil, resins and driers, and it is NOT actually boiled. You can NOT apply it bare handed because of the toxic chemicals added.
Below, at the start of WWII the yearly tear-down inspection, maintenance and the oiling of the stock by hot dipping in a tank of raw linseed oil were canceled. Everything below the wood line was painted and "RAW" linseed was issued to the troop to be applied by them as noted below.
NOTE: You do not take a shiny rifle into combat!
95% of all Enfield manuals you find on the internet today were donated by me for free downloading.
(you will not find the word BLO in any book or manual on the Enfield rifle)
Edward Horton
Moderator
The stock on the left had real boiled linseed oil applied and this was non-standard, this Enfield was used in competition and the stock was made more water resistant. The stock on the left is raw linseed oil that was applied to standard issued Enfield rifles. "RAW" linseed oil is used because it penetrates deeply into the wood and keeps the wood hydrated but still allows the wood to breathe. BLO is a surface application to make wood look good, "RAW" linseed oil makes the wood last longer in actual use.
Edward Horton
Moderator
I go to the local craft store and buy raw linseed oil used by artist for oil painting. The only difference is the raw linseed oil is filtered to remove the impurities. (Filtered linseed oil helps prevent mold growth on the impurities and contaminate particles)
Below raw unfiltered linseed oil next to filtered artist grade raw linseed oil.
Below is pure raw linseed oil that can be applied bare handed.
Below, Stand oil is actual real boiled linseed oil that can be applied by hand.
By reading the product MSDS sheets you can tell the true contents of the products you plan to use.
NOTE: I have American military manuals dated from the mid 1970s and raw linseed was still being applied by our military to wooden stocks.
Below raw unfiltered linseed oil next to filtered artist grade raw linseed oil.
Below is pure raw linseed oil that can be applied bare handed.
Below, Stand oil is actual real boiled linseed oil that can be applied by hand.
By reading the product MSDS sheets you can tell the true contents of the products you plan to use.
NOTE: I have American military manuals dated from the mid 1970s and raw linseed was still being applied by our military to wooden stocks.
madcratebuilder
New member
Raw Linseed oil well have some very long drying times. Most every LE collector I know uses BLO. Apply a heavy coat, allow it to set for 30 minutes then wipe off. Repeat this 3 or 4 times allowing the blo to dry between applications(24-48hrs) Tom's gunstock wax is a good product to use every 6 months or so.
BLO applied to blond (Beech) furniture well have little effect on color change. BLO on walnut well darken it, you can wet the wood with water to see what color the blo well give you.
These are Beech with BLO.
BLO applied to blond (Beech) furniture well have little effect on color change. BLO on walnut well darken it, you can wet the wood with water to see what color the blo well give you.
These are Beech with BLO.
Edward Horton
Moderator
Raw linseed oil is what was applied by the British and Commonwealth Nations on their Enfield rifles and this was confirmed by Peter Laidler the senior armourer in the UK.
Some people clean their stocks with Easy Off oven cleaner or put them in the dishwasher. This doesn't change the fact of what was actually put on the Enfield rifle and "WHY" it was put on the wood.
Todays American made BLO is toxic and it is "NOT" what the British put on the Enfield wooden stock. Opinions or a WAG do not matter when the official documented material put on the Enfield rifle was raw linseed oil.
In our forums we have some people who tell you to grease or oil your cartridge cases to prevent the case from stretching and prevent case head separations and these people do "NOT" know what they are talking about.
This also doesn't change what the British said about oil or grease on cartridge cases.
There is a difference between "FACTS", fiction, myths, opinions and guesswork.
Now read about BLO that IS toxic, the company below makes knapsacks and haversacks for Civil War reenactors only to find out they could NOT use Ace Hardware BLO because it "IS" a toxic product EVEN after it dries.
(And you hold your rifles in your hands and put your cheek against the stock)
"The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) rate the health hazards of boiled linseed oil as low. But and this is a very important BUT-- that is when the oil is used in the context of the MSDS guidelines as an exterior coating for wood or metal. No one has addressed the use of boiled linseed oil for coating cloth items containing food, cloth items for transporting clothing and food and cloth items to sleep on.
When we first began to reproduce the double bag knapsack we contacted the Sunnyside Company that produces boiled linseed oil. We described how we proposed to use their product and asked about the health warnings on their container. Their response was that to ask that we find an alternative coating or if we did use boiled linseed oil we not use their brand due to the liability issue."
American made Boiled Linseed Oil contains lead, arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cadmium and nickel. These elements are toxic and carcinogens.
http://missouribootandshoe.tripod.com/id18.html
I deal in facts and I research what I write so take this for what its worth, I don't care if you put peanut butter on your Enfield stocks but "RAW" linseed oil was what was used and not BLO.
