Thoughts on stock sanding

Roundovers are a quick way to detect inexperienced sanding in previous attempts. What we show here is what you need to go learn, not a tutorial. If you do not posses the skills to perform at this level, do NOT attempt.
Music: 320 grit quartet

[reggaetonjones]

The first time I restored a milsurp rifle, a carcano, I did the scraping technique by "accident." I was using a piece of stamped metal from an old PC to scrape off the cosmoline and grime. The process still retained all the stamped imagery, but the gunk was taken off. Now, I'm watching this video seeing an expert using the same process. Thank God. Thanks for the tutorial, the information you provide is beyond valuable.

[SlowrideSteve]

Thank you for teaching me just how many mistakes I have made

[trschreck]

thanks yet again for doing what you do. it seems at the time of my writing this, two of the "never sand a stock" gang have done their drive by poopings..

[FrednDeeDee]

Hey Mark, I followed your steps A through Q and wound up with a beautiful walnut stock that is still proud and yet 100% gunk free. Thanks for the

[robertos]

Insights! This is the kind of stuff a sorcerer's apprentice is allowed to learn after wet mopping the workroom for 6 months. Thanks.

[danbusey]

Winchester really had some stunning wood. Some of the really good stuff even ended up as M1 Garand stocks in WWII. Those are amazing.

[ridelife]

Amazing work as always, look forward to your videos every time!
Thanks

[krockpotbroccoli]

Good tip on the scraper. I do a lot of stock work (as well as restoration on other old wooden objects) and this is gonna come in handy. Many thanks. I'm of the same school of thought on the sandpaper. No point going above 320. Although i have been known to go down to 80 grit but that's only for my lack of scrapers.

[dozer]

“It looks like ASS”

You sir, are my hero.

[TylerSnyder]

A cabinet scraper is definitely a beautifully simple tool that's indispensable.

[grumpyoldtaters]

I can't get enough of your videos.

[davidforrest]

Thanks for another great video!!

While i'm not a gunsmith, I too find going much past 320 grit on any of my woodwork projects is a hinderance to finish application and its not worth doing until the finish has been applied and cured.

But once the initial finish has cured, the hardness the finish imparts to the wood does all kinds of magic in making things look even better when you go through the grits towards 800, after which diminished returns make it, not really worth the effort.

Sadly while many people love the look and feel they just aren't willing to invest the time or money.

[brucemccreary]

I go to 1500 grit Silicon Carbide papers then raise the grain with 70 percent alcohol and when dry and fill with clear epoxy filler. After the epoxy cures I wet sand with the 70 percent alcohol which leaves the grain filled and the stock ready for oil polishing. Since I live in California and can't legally buy or use True Oil or JB Linspeed for many years, I have been using Tung Oil with dryers added for speed. I rub it in as I would Linseed Oils and use 1000 grit to 1500 grit Silicon Carbide papers. It takes time to very nicely finish stocks but it is worth the effort. I employ this finish on micrometer boxes and fine furniture also. As an aside, the oil finish allows for precise edge control of laser engraved lettering and graphics burned into the wood.

[ColburnFreml]

I've got a stock that needs refinishing. I'm glad I watched this video before starting. Also, I'm afraid as soon as I start another video will come out showing some other example of my ignorance that this one did and I will regret a portion of the work.

Maybe I need to just dive in and see what's what.

[chikinkieven]

While attending woodworking college i never saw a use for scarpers, seeing them used in this context is very interesting.

[jacktheaviator]

This may sound like a weird source, but Ed Feldman and Joe L' Erario had a show on PBS in Philly in the early 90's called "Furniture On the Mend" where they repair and refinish tons of antique furniture while making jokes and references to very obscure pop culture. But the refinishing and wood repair segments are invaluable, I have used their techniques more times than I can count to repair gouges and dents. And I learned french polishing from them, which is a misleading term, it's actually a finishing technique that involves applying finish, such as shellac, the polishing the surface using rags soaked with finish and solvent. It results in a shine that looks incredible, I used it on a Rigby double rifle that had seen better days and needed a complete refinish of all furniture.

[perihelion]

This is about rifle stocks, but it certainly applies to any woodworking. Great tips! Thanks for sharing.

[deno]

I'm so lucky to find these videos a few months back. Your videos are the best thing on youtube hands down. Even my wife watches them, good entertainment for the both of us.

[SS-hqnf]

Hi Mark.
You are right about the grit. I just refinished the stocks on a brand new 1873 Winchester (Miroku). Up to 400 grit wet sanding with boiled linseed oil was filling the grain just nice. I went 600 then 800 grit still wet sanding and it was exposing the grain again instead of filling it. So from my experience if you’re finishing wet sanding with oil and want the grain filled, no higher than 400 grit.

[williamsullivan]

My father used to use a piece of glass as a scraper. About 2"x4". Worked great.