K98k refinish (reposted due to popular demand)

[XO3319]

Here she is again

bought for 250 in my local gun shop and range. byf 42 with all markings, stock matching receiver and Interordnance importers marks

Didn't take any pictures before I did this, sad to say but it looked rough. Upon taking it apart I found a corroded rear band that necessitated painting with duracoat and baking. The parts and bolt received a thorough bath in Ed's Red and then refinish if necessary with Duracoat Enamel plus baked for 2 hours at 350 degrees.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98Kpaintingparts.jpg

painted and drying on the magazine and trigger guard and rear band-- Oxpho-Blue Creme just couldn't get the job done

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98kbakingparts.jpg
baked in my old toaster oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours

The stock got a close inspection and then treated with old fashioned whiting (calcium carbonate and degreaser) for about 3 days, and then cleaned thoroughly with mineral spirits

that got it pretty clean of the old grease. Then I used 120 grit through 800 grit progressively on the stock until I thought it was about ready, then I hit it with a damp cloth and then sanded the burrs clean with 800 grit again.

after that I let it dry for a night and then rubbed a coat of Formby's Tung Oil (low gloss) into the stock with my fingers until it was almost dry and nearly warm to the touch. Then I left it for the night.

1st coat
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/k98k1stcoatTO.jpg

[XO3319]

Each day I did the same thing...use 0000 steel wool on the stock to take down the finish, wipe the stock and handguard with a clean cloth and apply another coat of tung oil with my fingers as before. Letting it dry overnight

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98k4thcoatTO.jpg
4th coat

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/k98k8thcoatTO.jpg
8th coat...time consuming but very worth it

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98k10thcoatTO.jpg

10th coat...letting it dry

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98kcompeterefinisha.jpg

finished with tape off

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/k98kstockrepairJan07.jpg

I also had to repair a crack in the stock near the trigger-- it had broken clean through. A bit of Acra20 into the crack and held together with surgical tubing did the trick...done after I had cleaned the stock but before the sanding-- you can see the finished results here

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/12Feb07completea.jpg

finished and assembled

[XO3319]

completed with accessories

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98kwithaccessories1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/K98kwithaccessories3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/k98kcloseup.jpg

close ups

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/k98kcloseup1.jpg

last one

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wray71/k98kcloseup2.jpg

still working on the M91 Finnish Mosin Nagant-- the stock is ready for peanut oil the hand guard has been soaking for 6 days

More to come

[Seattlefungus]

Is your bayonet a repo? I see the frog is. I was looking at that same one. An exact copy of the original. I like the work you did:thumbup:

[SSwee]

XO3319,
I've done a bit of wood work and refinish. I have used several types of oils for different reasons but haven't heard of using peanut oil. Can you tell me why peanut oil and is it an old way?
SS

[XO3319]

The bayonet is not a repro-- it's a 1943 with bakelite grips, the frog is a repro from IMA

I was hesitant the first time I heard about it too-- the peanut oil that is, but my gunsmith in NC swore by it. After final sanding he soaked the furniture in peanut oil until it wouldn't absorb any more, then applied the final finish. It works really good so far...despite the obvious frying jokes. My WInchester Model 12- custom 1949- needs a refinish bad and after sanding I am soaking it for a week in peanut oil, then B_C Tru-Oil...which my friend at Griffin and Howe uses to refinish stocks, then 2PF Pumice, 4F then Rottonstone, applied with linseed oil. It depends on what you are refinishing and what results you want.

For the M91 I will soak it for about a week, then I apply about 10 coats of tung oil by hand.

I did not use the peanut oil on the K98k, mainly because I did not think of it in time. It merely soaks more oil into the stock as a base coat and really deepens the grain.

[Longhorn789]

Never heard about Peanut Oil soaking..What the heck..I'll try it...

I've tried Formby's Low Gloss Tung Oil Finish on several rifles so far. I've found it to be a very nice finish. Milsup altruists might wince, but for a low gloss, hard finish, it's great.

I've never used 10 coats however. I've only gone as far as three, thinking that it would cake up too much if I did more than that.

[my-rifle]

Why can't I see any pictures? Did you link any?

[XO3319]

Some guys use as many as 20 coats of tung oil. Formby's I like because of the drying agents that allow it dry faster but it remains a great oil based finish

tung oil and Linseed were two old time great finishes for military rifles. The peanut oil (whose main attraction is that it is cheap and helps deepen the grain of the wood) is a base.

[Norton]

It looks very nice, you do good work. I like the detail brought out on the markings. Putting the duracoated parts in the old toaster over is a smart trick. After reading about the peanut oil, I want to try it on somthing. I guess I may have to buy a rifle just to use the peanut oil on.

[A.D.A.]

It looks very nice, you do good work. I like the detail brought out on the markings. ... After reading about the peanut oil, I want to try it on somthing. I guess I may have to buy a rifle just to use the peanut oil on.

I want to try the peanut oil too. I am hoping my whole K98 turns out as well as XO's. I am using his formula.