How to reduce the shine on stock

Stock Sheen by Birchwood Casey is a product meant to do exactly what you are looking to do to Birchwood Casey's TruOil finish. It evens out the surface. Then if you do want a high shine, use their Gun Stock Wax and buff the snot out of it. TruOil is a very versatile product that does a good job of protecting the wood.

And, no, I don't own stock in the company, lol. I've just finished and refinished a lot of gun stocks with their products.

Automotive rubbing compound and a little water. For faster action use it with fine steel wool, or scotch brite , and dash of soap in the water. IF the steel wool sticks in the grain you have not finished the stock. It works fine with a built up finish.

torpedo said:

I agree, will not do that again. I did use steel wool to knock of the shine then applied a light coat of Danish oil and wiped it off immediately, It actually worked pretty darn good, I can live with it now, thanks to all who chimed in.

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Well then we need gun pictures.

torpedo said:

I recently finished applying several coats of tru-oil to my maple stock. It is a bit too shinny for my likens. Is there a way to reduce the shine?

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I have tried everything including rottenstone, emery powder, and more than the methods mentioned above and found problems with all of them. I will never, Never, NEVER use Steel Wool on stock finish again as steel wool "hairs" get embedded and ruin a finish.

About 20 years ago, I hit on something that is relatively easy and cheap and I have used this method on many dozens of stock and handguard sets since.

Go to Home Depot, Lowes, etc. to the Paint Section and look for the GREY Color GM Abrasive Pads like the one in the link below. This is supposed to be the equivalent of 000 Steel Wool as far as abrasive quality, but in fact is a bit finer than that. (I don't recommend the finer White Color 0000 equivalent pads as I've tried them and they won't work well for what you want.)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-3-7-...shing-Hand-Sanding-Pads-2-Pack-7448/301118025

You merely use somewhat light rubbing pressure with the Grey Pad and go over the whole surface of the stock to get a sort of lightly frosted look to the finish. Then get a piece of terrycloth dish rag or towel and rub the dickens out of the surface all over the stock. This will result in a sort of "warm glow" to the finish that many people really like.

Gus

Pete G said:

Well then, tell the rest of us poor ignorant souls.

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I think I'm too stupid to know any better. I rarely use steel wool on raw wood, I use it only after I have finish on the stock. The only thing that hits raw wood for me is sand paper or a scraper.
I also use steel wool on it on brass.
I do use scotchbite pads with fresh finish in it to rub out freshluy applied and blushed acid stain to get the stock color I'm after, sort of a wet scrub with finish. Kinda does the final whiskering and mellows the stain to the level I like it.

ZUG said:

I've also never had a issue with steel wool leaving particles behind -- I guess we are the only two that know how to use the stuff!

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I use rottenstone and olive oil. Leaves a sheen, not a shine. If you work on unfinished wood and raise the grain and buff it off with steel wool, it can stick in minute particles and will leave marks (slight) when you apply finish. I'd use bronze wool for that.

The only time I wouldn't use steel wool is rubbing an unstained stock if AF is to be used.

After the alcohol based stains are dry, I remove any unabsorbed stain w/ steel wool and also to lighten up the normal wear areas...eg...wrist, etc. After the first 2 coats of finish are dry, I also rub the stock w/ steel wool to remove any surface finish. After all rubbings w/ steel wool, the stock gets a good vacuuming

Have never had steel wool imbed itself in the wood.....

Brokennock said:

Well then we need gun pictures.

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Took these indoors so there not so good but....

torpedo said:

Took these indoors so there not so good but....

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That looks pretty darn good to me!

Looks pretty mello. Nice, might not be my style of rifle, but, I like it. Well done sir.

Some good suggestions here for a 'I need it now' solution. Another is using it and cleaning it, including wiping down the stock and waxing it with good paste wax after every session, it will show honest wear and eventually get you to where you want it to be.
Robby

This is a modern firearm but I put it here to show the stock, not the rifle. This is wipe on poly rubbed out a little with pumice and linseed oil.