Muzzleldrs Advice Please - Fixing Cracks in Enfield Stock

Ummmm...I am not exactly wearing period uniforms but here is the repaired Enfield in action....
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. I have put almost 150 minies through it at 68 grain load and the stock repair has held up! (and its shooting fairly accurate too) Mission success! I could not have done it without Forum members help. A huge thanks to all of you that contributed your advice!!
 
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I think you've done well so far. The repair looks solid and should last.

Since you've removed some of the old varnish, I'd remove all of it. Some sort of a stain would help hide the repaired cracks, but common stains of the Home Depot/Lowe's variety tend to be cloudy and obscure grain if that's a factor. Birchwood Casey has a walnut stain that's a nice brown with red tones. It's water based, but can be cut with denatured alcohol. Laurel Mountain Forge has a range of stains that can be mixed to provide a wide range of colors. They're alcohol based, too. If it looks too dark, wet a rag with denatured alcohol and wipe it off.

I don't know what Enfield stocks were finished with when they were manufactured. Personally, I refuse to use boiled linseed oil (BLO). It never fully dries and provides zero protection against moisture. Formby's Tung Oil works great and dries. There are other finishes out there, but tung oil looks good and is easy to apply. Let us know what you decide to use.
Been a while since I updated this post. After about 350 minies fired, the stock repair is still holding. But the real reason I am posting toxay is because I have finally tackled the varnish "problem" that my Enfield has. I REALLY HATE the glossy varnish somebody applied to the stock years ago. Worse still, wbkever applied it di so in a messy area where fine brass dust was lying around. The varnish is full of glinty specs of brass....UGGGHHHH!

I found a great way to remove the varnish without affecting the original finish or wood grain below it....I am using a Dremel plastic bristle brush at high RPMs. it takes off the varnish quickly. The thick varnish was not coming off easliy using alcohol and a rag to wipe it off...it was taking memforever with little progress and much brain damage inhaling alcohol. i didnt want to use a paint strippper.because it wouod harm the original.finish.

Here are a few pics to show the progress:
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This first pic shows the cleaned stock on left, varnish on right.
 
This pic shows the technique.
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This shows the finished product.

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If you look carefully you might see small bits of varnish. I'll clean those up later, then wipe it all down with alcohol. Final step will be to apply Kramers Best.

The Dremel plastic bristle brush works really great, but you will burn through about 8-10 brushes to do the entire stock.
 
Doesn't kutzit strip everything? I didn't want to use harsh chemicals because I was worried about ending up with a bleached stock. I only wanted to remove the varnish, not the underlying colour which I presume was from the original boiled linseed oil finish. How deep does kutzit strip?
 
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{from the web}
For refinishing fine furniture and antiques, Kutzit® is the professional refinishers' choice. It is excellent for horizontal surfaces, and its liquid formula cuts fast and penetrates carved detail. Kutzit® is gentle on the patina of fine wood and veneers and will not raise wood grain. Surfaces can be cleaned with a scraper and washed with a cloth and paint thinner. Kutzit® is flammable, and is recommended for use outdoors. Extremely Flammable. and Despite the fact that it is incredibly flammable, it will not damage these surfaces and works fast even when used on detailed carvings. Perfect for removing several layers of paint or varnish rapidly and efficiently and can be cleaned up fairly easily. Although it is a little expensive, the reviews and the size of the container speak for themselves, so it’s a sound investment. Just take a look at the various reviews shouting its praise.
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The 2 guys who I get to do my stock work both use this exclusively.
 
Ya, i read that online, but wasn't sure how harsh it might actually be. The 1st hand experience of others is very important...thanks for providing it. Well, I am too far along with the current job, but will be sure to pick up some Kutzit and test it on some finished pieces of wood for the next stock job. Thanks!
 
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It looks great! I personally would use boiled linseed oil as the finish. It takes quite awhile to dry, but it's durable, and it's what the original finish would have been. I refinished my euroarms Enfield with linseed oil, and it turned out pretty nice!
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Wow that looks great!

Any other opinions re finish...BLO then Kramers, or Kramers then BLO? or just one and not both?
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I'd use BLO as the top coat. It acts differently then most other finishes, it needs to be exposed to the open air to dry properly. You also need to apply it in very thin coats to ensure it dries completely. I let each coat dry for three days before applying the next one. It does make a beautiful finish when done right. I used a light coat of minwax dark walnut oil stain, followed by a coat of BLO and mineral spirits mixed half and half. All coats after are straight BLO. I applied five very light coats over a period of about three weeks, and it turned out quite nice if I may say so.
 
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