What do ya'll use as a sealer on your long arms after stain

[jamesthomas]

Just wondering?.

 

[bpd303]

I've always used Formby's satin tung oil. Now at least a dozen folks will be along to tell you why that's wrong and what to use. :yakyak:

 

[Col. Batguano]

I use a very dilute (1 lb. cut) covering of shellac, and then cover it with my final finish, Shellac is about the best at protecting against water vapor exchange, but poor for liquid water.

 

[LRB]

Permalyn Sealer

 

[MikeyC]

I'm with bpd, I also use Formsby's Satin Tung Oil.
Right from the can.
Mike C.
Groveland, CA

 

[Hawgeye]

+1. Good stuff.

 

[Vaino]

I use 2-3 wipe on/wipe off coats of LMF sealer w/ a average soak in time of appeox. 10 mins. After the last coat is completely dry, a hard rub w/ 0000 steel wool removes any unabsorbed LMF sealer. Don't want any sealer on the wood....only in the wood......Fred

 

[galamb]

Tru-Oil almost always and if someone want's a "man of steel" coat, then spar varnish.

 

[Zonie]

I don't use a "sealer" after I've stained my longrifles maple stocks.

After the stain(s) have been applied I either apply a layer of linseed oil or I go directly to building up layers of Tru-Oil.

IMO, using a "sealer" is an unnecessary step in applying the finish.

 

[JackP]

As far back as 40 yrs ago, I used 9 part VM & P naptha to 1 parts spar varnish and soaked the wood with all that it would take, then tru-oil on top of that.

My oldest son has a mauser I built before he was born and the wood has always been stable. Could be the wood though :idunno:

Jack

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I used to use Formby's, but haven't been able to get stain anymore, so I switched to Arm-R-Seal, see:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../tid/293000/pid/1458061/post/1458061/#1458061

 

[Alden]

Boiled Linseed Oil applications and eventually finishing coats of a mixture of Mineral Oil/Bee's Wax/Carnauba Wax.

 

[ZUG]

I use the same - I keep adding until the stock stays "wet" then wipe off the excess. Tru-Oil on top - rottenstone back the gloss to what looks good (to me) - then wax it. May take a week+ to finish but I don't rush it :hatsoff: .

 

[MSW]

I'm firmly in the Permalyn camp ... always worked for me. There might be other sealers that work as well, but i'll stick with what I know.

 

[Birddog6]

Tru-Oil or Permalyn goes on after the stain. You can make either the sheen you want buy working with it & learning the finish.

Keith Lisle

 

[Captjoel]

I have used tru-oil on a couple of my first builds but found that I like teak oil much better. It dries fast and leaves a satin sheen without having to work down the gloss of a tru-oil finish. Teak oil is designed to resist the elements of nature. :v

 

[mikemeteor]

Permalyn.
...and I don't spare the burnishing tool after that...

 

[Billnpatti]

I know that there are several products and home made concoctions out there but my personal preference is Tru-Oil or Linspeed. They just give me the best looking and most durable finish. I can leave them shiny if I am doing a modern rifle or use some 0000 steel wool followed by Birchwood-Casey's Stock Sheen. If I just buff with 0000 steel wool and don't use Stock Sheen, the finish is a bit flatter and looks like an oil finish. If I use the Stock Sheen after the 0000 steel wool, I get a low luster finish that will rival any custom British stock. It is gorgeous to my eye but some consider it not to look authentic. Well, you can do it however you want but it is, in my opinion, impossible to beat either Linspeed or Tru-Oil for a stock finish. Some may equal them but none will beat them.

 

[mikemeteor]

just to be clear here, the OP asked about post-stain sealer, not the final finish or topcoats ....
Questions about the latter would beget a different list of answers.

 

[Birddog6]

The finish IS the stain sealer for me. Tru-Oil or Permalyn.

Keith Lisle