As it happens I’m finishing a pepper laminate stock at the moment.
The stock was raw and hadn’t been finished, but I’ve been using Feast and Watson Fine Buffing Oil, available at Bunnings about $16 for 250ml.
The first couple of coats applied with a fine 1/2 inch artist brush, drying in between then rubbing back with 0000 steel wool, then the next 4-6 coats applied with a piece of old bed sheet about 100mm square with some cotton wool balls inside, wrapped up like a ball applicator, just wipe on then dry and hit with 1200 wet and dry in between coats, about 24 hours between each coat.
Then I used Gilly Stephenson Carnauba paste wax, 3 coats and buff like crazy with some soft cloth in between, 24 hours between each coat, has come up nicely, will try and post some photos tonight.
Yeah Cavallino it looks good mate , its similar to colour and grain as mine. I tried for some of that Feast and Watson buffing oil but couldn’t find any the shop was out ‘’ Bunnings’’ and had to reorder so I went for some marine varnish they reckon would be better but it completely destroyed the finish and began to peel so I stripped the stock right back to wood and went and tried to get some bees wax and linseed oil but both places were out of oil and one was also out of bees wax so cracked the poo, poo’s and headed home , on the way the gun shop rang and said they had found some Tru Oil which they had previously said they had sold so I detoured and bought it, got home about 2pm tidied the stock up after 3hrs to dry and put a layer of Tru oil on so all night from 2pm to 10 am next morning it was still tacky which I was told to be wrong so cracked the poo, poos at midday to-day stripped the stock right back to wood and some ,removed all the checkering ( didn’t like it anyway ) and it was causing problems in cleaning . Anyway took it back to completely dry wood ( LAMINATE) 3hrs of sanding ,a lot with orbital sander then hand, then started to use finer sand paper got the stock really nice then put a layer of Tru oil on within 2hrs it was touch dry but it says 24hrs so tomorrow lunch time i’ll check the progress.
I haven’t used Tru Oil, but it is a similar product to the Feast and Watson stuff, sounds like whatever the old finish was, caused your problems.
Couple of things to think about - make sure any sanding is done with the grain, if you haven’t already, also apply the finish with the grain as well.
Did the first coat raise any “whiskers” from the wood? Normally with bare wood you would wet it with a damp cloth, wait for it to dry and sand again for a smoother result, progressing with finer sand paper each time.
Also what did you apply the finish with?
And of course photos are a must for bragging rights!!
I found, fingers are the best applicators… Apply, really thin layer. Dry, steel wool, wipe all the dust off, re-apply, steel wool, wipe, re-apply. Third time you’ll see it pop. But for best results, 4-6 layers…
Yeah the first coat they put on was the cause it started peeling so this makes me think I hadn’t taken it back far enough or the pressure pack marine varnish may have reacted with the old coat then to make it worse I again should have taken it right back then, but only rubbed it back after stripping it ‘‘BUT’’ this last time I absolutely sanded the feken hell out of it right back checkering gone, dints gone ,it even felt better and looked better , I think the stuff they used originally was deeply embedded into the stock and should have been taken out in the first place . The first sanding sanded back smooth and now I believe because of the old coat was still there because bare wood would feather a little I presume but all sorted now I hope and if it comes up good you’ll get a few pics
Yes JS that’s what I done but this last time today I used a small fine piece of cloth ( fingers were feken sore from sanding) and a lot thinner coat than the first failed shot and it’s looking a lot better so only 5 coats to go. (how long between coats do you leave it?)
Last time I did it, during the day it was 3 hours. Towards the evening when it got colder, it remained tacky after 3 hours, so overnight and started again. Some were 4 and 5 hour brakes. Min 3 hours. Some were 4 hours, 6 hours and overnight. As long as it’s not tacky to touch, to avoid steel wool sticking, you’re good.
I’ve put the second coat on at 3pm ,I used steel wool on the first coat then recoated just had a look and it’s looking not too bad ,I picked up a couple of scratches but you have to look hard to see then also 2 small dents or more like little chips i’ll fiddle with them tomorrow and see if I can cover them. Thanks everyone for your input .cheers. I’ll put some pics on when i’m done
I think I have some type of OCD because every time I think ‘‘Yep this my last coat ‘’ I find a blemish and have to remove it even though I have to look hard to find it, ‘’ but I do’’ I’ve put 5 coats on so far the fifth will dry overnight so here’s hoping all goes well , but 6 coats is the limit , the finish is good, better than I expected but the blemish is stuck in the back of my mind
When I was doing one stock I was finishing with a furniture polish and I found myself oiling it and giving it a rub down with 2000 wet and dry every night for about two weeks. It wasn’t about the finish really any more, I was just enjoying fondling it every night with that beautiful smelling and silky smooth oil. Fetish over Finish
Hope ya talking about the stock mate yes I understand mate and yes this rifle is my pet 22-250 the one I use all the time at the moment i’m waiting for an exchange barrel and action to turn up from the GS , rather than rebarrel I bought a new barrel and action and traded the old one , I wanted to keep the stock as I’ve modified it to suit me perfect , so now looking forward to the finished product
I’ve put 5 coats on so far the fifth will dry overnight 
so here’s hoping all goes well , but 6 coats is the limit , the finish is good, better than I expected but the blemish is stuck in the back of my mind 
yes I understand mate and yes this rifle is my pet 22-250 the one I use all the time at the moment i’m waiting for an exchange barrel and action to turn up from the GS , rather than rebarrel I bought a new barrel and action and traded the old one , I wanted to keep the stock as I’ve modified it to suit me perfect , so now looking forward to the finished product
