This is what my stock looks like now:

 

 

 

I like the beat up look but I want to get rid of the major dents and dings where the bare wood is exposed. I also want it to better match the handguards (less orange, more brown)

 

I am looking for the path of least resistance (read: lazy)

 

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or advice

 

P.S. This is a field grade M1 from the CMP with a Winchester receiver and a Springfield trigger group

Why not just buy a boyds? Looking to do it as a cheap project?

here is a fw good tips! For the dents wet towel and an iron.

part 2 dents

Thank you sir!!

http://www.boydsguns...d=7151&cat=1227 stock

http://www.boydsguns...d=7143&cat=1224 front hand guard

http://www.boydsguns...d=7148&cat=1224 rear hand guard

 

Sand stain and enjoy!

 

the easy way!

or just buy the stock finished and spend your time watching tv or drinking beer!

no prob! love old battle rifles!

Yes, looking for a small project. Now need to figure out what stain to apply to get the same color as the handguards

 

Edit: that will work too, won't have to worry about matching them up if I buy all new wood

you could experiment with small amounts of a dark walnut stain and dilute it for what ever parts are darker. Or It may look more even after striping and sanding. only time and elbow grease will tell. Good Luck! post progress or finished result would like to see how it turns out.

do the stock yourself and spend 100.00 and have the metal re parkerized. http://www.garandguy.com/store/en/gunsmithing/55-reparking-dark-black.html

 

I bought my garand from this gut and he is awesome and here in nj

I recommend going to walmart and getting some dawn power dissolver, it is a dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray it on and scrub immediately with a soft scrub brush, and rinse. I keep scrubbing when i am rinsing. I use the hotest water out of my deep sink and it does a good job of removing dents and dings. Then sand the raised grain with no coarser than 220 grit sandpaper, and finsih with a steel wool rub down. For stain I like using Rit clothing dye. I think my mix is chocolate brown with some crimson. Mix it up with alcohol and it comes out nice. Then Use some boiled linseed oil. A coat a day for a week minimum, then top it off with some gunny paste and you're done. Remember GI wood is 10x better than repro wood any day.

Also if you are anywhere near north west jersey give me a shout and I'll walk you through it.

For stain I like using Rit clothing dye. I think my mix is chocolate brown with some crimson. Mix it up with alcohol and it comes out nice.

 

Excellent information, this really works great If you want to take, if you were interested in a complete restoration I use the following process, it goes quickly there is just a good amount of time between each step. Since your looking for a walnut look for your rifle you can go 15-30 min with the leather die or go with the dark brown leather dye since it will have more black in it and will not convert to a

heave reddish tint.

 

1. Coat of Dark Brown RIT DYE let it dry for an hour, you will know when it's done it will look like a chocolate bar.

2. Lite buffing with 0000 steel wool, then rub in a coat of BLO, Wait 30 min then give it a wipe down with a soft cloth.

3. 1 coat of Medium brown alcohol based leather dye. You can let that sit for 30 minutes to 24 hrs, the longer you wait the darker red it will be. I recommend 1 hour.

4.Wipe it down with a clean soft cloth and then rub a good coat of BLO into it.

5. Let it set for 48hrs without any contact to it then I applied 3 coats of Tom's 1/3rd military gun stock wax with 8 hours in between each coat.

 

Everything but the toms wax can be done in one afternoon. No real sanding should be done use wood stripper to remove all of the old finish, let it sit for 15-30 min then a plastic scrapper to get it all off. Wipe down then a very light sanding with 220 grit paper or block then start with the above process.

Thank you both!

 

I'm off to Walmart and Home Depot to get the supplies now

 

The top back of the rear handguard has a a longitudinal crack that goes half way to the band clip (approx. 1 inch length). So I need to be careful removing and handling it. I need to investigate which is the best glue to use -- any recommendations?

 

I'll post some photos after I attempt to raise the grain this morning

 

Thanks again

http://www.gorillatough.com/index.php?page=wood-glue

Cool, I've got that in the house already. Wasn't sure how well wood glue holds up to concussion. Was initially thinking of trying an instant glue

for handguards I like to use CS glue that is available in hobby shops. I have fixed about 20 handguards that way and holds up good. There are members on here that actually have some of my fixed handguards on their guns and they couldn't find the cracks until i showed them. A little glue and wrap in surgical tubing and you are good to go.

I have been to several Walmarts tolday looking for the Dawn Power Dissolver with no luck. I'm reading that it may have been discontinued and possibly repackaged as a grill cleaner. The hunt goes on!

 

Edit: Finally found it at 1800 at a Home Depot labeled as Dawn Grill Cleaner. Last one on the shelf too.

I scrubbed the stock and handguards down with Dawn Grill Cleaner (Power Dissolver) and hot water today.

 

Before:

 

 

During:

 

 

Immediately after:

 

 

An hour after:

 

 

I put the wood in the boiler closet to dry overnight.

 

The wood still smells like Dawn a little bit so I plan on scrubbing it down again with just hot water tomorrow.

Let it dry on its own away from any kind of heat source. I just let it sit in the basement for about 2 days. It normally takes two scrubs

Thanks -- will do

---

Not going to keep bumping this thread up to post minor updates so I'll add them here

Tuesday, 5/7:

I scrubbed the wood down again. I used only hot water on the handguards and the majority of the stock but scrubbed with Dawn on a few darker spots (top and bottom of the grip and the last inch of the foreend).

Now it's dried there are just 2 small problem areas left to scrub harder

 

Wednesday, 5/8

 

I scrubbed the stock and handguards 2 more times.  All of the dark spots are gone now except a very small one underneath the grip.  I'll get that with light sanding.

 

I have 0000 steel wool, 220 grit sandpaper and Klean-Strip BLO.  In the post are Fiebings medium brown leather dye and Rit Dye in dark brown.  Still need to find glue

 

Thursday, 6/9

 

Picked up CA glue, cheese cloth, hanging wire.  Still need surgical wrap

 

Tomorrow I will repair the crack and then lightly sand with 220 grit paper followed by buffing with 0000 steel wool.

 

Incoming:

Buttstock & HG set: http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_garand_complete_buttstock_and_handguard_metal_set.htm
Band clip: http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_garand_rear_hanguard_clip.html
Rolled band pin: http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_garand_lower_band_pin_rolled.html
Band clip pliers: http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/handguard-tools/m1-m14-m1a-handguard-clip-pliers-prod1385.aspx
TE/ME gauges: http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/measuring-tools/barrel-throat-erosion-gauges/throat-erosion-gauge-prod8761.aspx
M1 parts breakup gun mat (why not): http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/bench-mats/gun-mats-prod41971.aspx
Gas cylinder wrench (why not): http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/gas-system-tools/armory-m1-garand-gas-cylinder-wrench-prod16744.aspx

 

Undecided:
Gunstock wax: http://www.thegunstockdoctor.com/Products.html or http://www.garandgear.com/m1garand/detail/28-wood-stock-products/flypage/68-gunny-paste?sef=hcfp

Excellent information, this really works great If you want to take, if you were interested in a complete restoration I use the following process, it goes quickly there is just a good amount of time between each step. Since your looking for a walnut look for your rifle you can go 15-30 min with the leather die or go with the dark brown leather dye since it will have more black in it and will not convert to a

heave reddish tint.

 

1. Coat of Dark Brown RIT DYE let it dry for an hour, you will know when it's done it will look like a chocolate bar.

2. Lite buffing with 0000 steel wool, then rub in a coat of BLO, Wait 30 min then give it a wipe down with a soft cloth.

3. 1 coat of Medium brown alcohol based leather dye. You can let that sit for 30 minutes to 24 hrs, the longer you wait the darker red it will be. I recommend 1 hour.

4.Wipe it down with a clean soft cloth and then rub a good coat of BLO into it.

5. Let it set for 48hrs without any contact to it then I applied 3 coats of Tom's 1/3rd military gun stock wax with 8 hours in between each coat.

 

Everything but the toms wax can be done in one afternoon. No real sanding should be done use wood stripper to remove all of the old finish, let it sit for 15-30 min then a plastic scrapper to get it all off. Wipe down then a very light sanding with 220 grit paper or block then start with the above process.

 

 

Ok I'm getting ready to do the finish so I have a couple questions on your steps, Hodgie:

 

1)  Should I mix the Rit dye with alcohol or apply it as is

 

4)  Rub with wool again after alcohol based dye but before appying BLO again?

 

And then merging this with Eric's advice I plan on applying BLO every day for week.  Should I buff with steel wool prior to each new application?  And should I buff after the final BLO but before applying the gunstock wax?

 

My biggest question: what is a good strategy for applying the 2 dyes differently on the stock compared to the handguards since I want them to end up the same color (as close as possible).  I believe the stock is birch and the handguards are walnut

 

Thanks in advance!

I mix the rit dye with alcohol in a water bottle.  I coultn't even come close to telling you my ratio's because it is a "eh looks close enough" recipe.  To make the finish look like it has been there for a long time do a full stain on the wood and let it dry, then buff with 0000 stell wool.  The first coat of BLO I use steel wool to put it on.  Wet the wool and scrub away and for the first coat I remove it almost right away after finished and let it sit for 24 hrs.  After the first coat do another quick stain on the wood.  This will give you an aged oil finish look.  After the stain is dry (almost immediately since it is alcohol) follow up with another coat of BLO with steel wool.  After that It is just a matter of applying once a day, let sit for half an hour and then wipe off the excess.  I tend to get a little involved when oiling the stocks.  The more you work it and massage it in the better it comes out.  So I normally put a movie or music on and start oiling and working it up.    Good luck and remember  rags and steel wool that have BLO on them should be disposed of outside.  BLO can spontaneously combust when drying so I take my rags and set them in the lawn over night, just to be safe.   As for the TE, ME, and handguard pliars you are more than welcome to borrow mine. 

I make a mix of fieblings leather dye. Brown with a taste of red mixed with BLO. On a cleaned stock. brush on let set for 30 minutes then wipe off and use BLO as Eric stated.

Make my own Gunny paste after correct color is found.

Thanks Dave

 

I'm just about done amassing consumables and planning to start finishing it early next week

 

I also picked up some Tom's 1/3 mix gunstock wax