Simple Hackberry Stock Refinish

[Ripton]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1At...T-4NNr6G-zF5Zd

I sold a Hackberry stock recently and had a lot of people ask how I did the refinish. It's simple.

Sand off the existing finish, DON"T go too deep (see photos) let the grain still retain some of the original spray finish. End with a nice high grit sandpaper.

Chestnut Ridge stain. It's the best I know of and alcohol based. Give it a lot of coats until you are happy. They come in 2 bottle sizes, 1 month supply, and 10 year supply.

Raw Linseed Oil (I am sure you can use BLO too).

Wax. Garand Gear makes a good way, you can use beeswax for wood too.

That's it! Obviously if you have a stock with any real value this is not your best course of action. I refinish those as well, but it's an entirely different process, and it never involves sanding. This is quick, and makes a nice looking stock from a "giveaway" stock.

[Jakeroub]

Thanks! I'm saving your method on my hard drive. Now I just need to cross my fingers and hope my next rifle comes with a Hackberry stock!

[Ripton]

You are the first person to ever say those words Jake! "Now I just need to cross my fingers and hope my next rifle comes with a Hackberry stock!"

[Jakeroub]

Originally Posted by Ripton

You are the first person to ever say those words Jake! "Now I just need to cross my fingers and hope my next rifle comes with a Hackberry stock!"

Yes, I know! I was joking, but that stock you did came out very nice.

I believe that there are two different shades of finish that have been seen on the Hackberry stocks. It looks like yours had the darker shade, and I'd guess that the same method on the lighter stock wouldn't come out as well.

[Ripton]

I know you were I think so on the color, almost all of the Hacks I have seen have been this spray finish. This one was dated on the inside 0ctober 2018 I believe.

[Desertpete]

Originally Posted by Ripton

I know you were I think so on the color, almost all of the Hacks I have seen have been this spray finish. This one was dated on the inside 0ctober 2018 I believe.

Ripton- do you think substitute of tung oil for blo would work well? Thanks for posting your method.

[Ripton]

I have used tung oil on a lot of other furniture projects. It's worth a shot it you don't have RLO or BLO. That's the best thing about these stocks, it really does not matter if you really screw it up, you can always sand and start over, no history to erase. One thing I would consider not deviating from is the stain, if you can use an alcohol based stain.

[Zorba]

That came out very nice. Mine was similar, although I was going for more of a "Golden Oak" look using an alcohol based maple stain followed by a TruOil finish. I just stripped with citrus strip, little to no sanding needed. There's no accounting for taste, but I think the Hackberry stocks - as evidenced by the OP's as just one - can look really good, albeit non-traditional.

I don't know of anybody who thinks the spray on stain/paint/whatever as they come from the CMP is a "good thing (tm)". Hackberry isn't Walnut, and no amount of weird finishing is going to make it look like Walnut. Embrace it for a beautiful wood in its own right, and results such as the OP's are achieved! Frankly, Walnut isn't the prettiest wood out there in the 1st place!

[Ripton]

Originally Posted by Zorba

That came out very nice. Mine was similar, although I was going for more of a "Golden Oak" look using an alcohol based maple stain followed by a TruOil finish. I just stripped with citrus strip, little to no sanding needed. There's no accounting for taste, but I think the Hackberry stocks - as evidenced by the OP's as just one - can look really good, albeit non-traditional.

I don't know of anybody who thinks the spray on stain/paint/whatever as they come from the CMP is a "good thing (tm)". Hackberry isn't Walnut, and no amount of weird finishing is going to make it look like Walnut. Embrace it for a beautiful wood in its own right, and results such as the OP's are achieved! Frankly, Walnut isn't the prettiest wood out there in the 1st place!

Zorba, Just saw your write up in the newest GCA, stock came out great, and great article!

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by Ripton

Zorba, Just saw your write up in the newest GCA, stock came out great, and great article!

Thanx for your kind words. They should have included the pix I sent of me in costume! But seriously, with a little bit of work, the Hackberry stock can look fantastic, just not traditional.