Stock Extension.

[GBS]

I need to get my shotgun stock lengthened and intend to have it done by my local gunsmith in a wood extension.

 

However there is already a colour difference between the stock (which is a replacement) and the fore-end wood which is much darker, probably due to the fore-end being the 108 year old original!

 

The stock is also pretty bland with very little figuring. I was thinking that, once extended, i would like to stain the stock a very dark brown to match the fore-end wood and hide to some extent the lack of figuring.

 

Any reccomendation about the best way to do this?

 

Also does anyone have any experience of adding figuring to bland wood? I have seen stock extensions "inked" or painted to match the existing wood.

 

All comments greatly appreciated.

 

George

[casts_by_fly]

if you just want the color, strip the stock of its current finish, apply wood stain from B&Q to get the color matched, and refinish with polyurethane. Pretty simple really.

 

Adding figuring? Couldn't tell you.

[Graham M]

I have added grain to a stock in the past but, it must be done to the bare wood otherwise it won’t penetrate the pores of the wood.

I use black leather dye as it is very strong, and because it is also very thin it will sink in quite well.

A small paintbrush and a lot of patience, or if you are a little more adventurous, a feather can be used to give a “Marbling†effect.

Leave it overnight to cure and then rub in the stain with a bit of steel wool followed by the varnish which should be applied with a small rag and “wiped†onto the wood. Give it a couple of days and rub down with steel wool and then apply thin varnish or “True oil†and rub in with the hand to give an almost oiled looking finish.

You can use oil but it does tent to lift the stain and the dye out of the wood, which is OK if you don’t lift too much but can leave it looking a little bit weak.

Try it and see. You can always sand it down with W&D if it doesn’t turn out right.

G.M.

[palombier]

Graham

 

A lot of gunsmiths use a couple of coats of alkanet root oil after stripping back to the wood. Done it on mine and it comes up a treat. Ask the gunsmith for some.

 

regards

 

p

[Graham M]

I had a gallon of Alkanet root oil that I made myself using root bought from the game fair. Use 1 gallon of Linseed oil and @ ½ pint of Turpentine.

Soak it for a couple of months and then strain through an old pair of tights. Much cheaper than the rip off “£5 per thimble-full†that the shops sell.

Unfortunately it will only enhance grain that is already there and won’t put anything there that isn’t.

The query was how to actually put grain into the wood when it wasn’t previously there, and the only way to do that is to do it artificially with a line of black ink/dye.

If done well it looks nice, but if done poorly looks an abomination. :yp:

G.M.

[GBS]

Thank-you for all of the comments and advice.

 

I think that staining the wood down will probably be the best option as there is less risk of making a horrible mess of it. I quite like the contrast between a dark wood and the metal of the action and it may make the extension somewhat less obvious.

 

I saw a gun recently that, once extended, had the extension painted to match the wood. It was abosolutley stunning and matched the existing, very well figured wood perfectly (this was on a near brand new Stephen Grant Sidelock). I believe that it was done by a polish chap who works for Francis Lovell in Witney. I did get a quote but they were looking for £400+ which is half of the value of the gun!

 

Anyway, need to get the gun fitted first, any reccomendations of who to use? Wiltshire/Hampshire/Berkshire.

 

Many thanks,

 

George