doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stock refinishing help needed.....

Recently purchased a Webley 700 made in 1957 and in nearly mint condition. Beautifully actioned gun but they really fell down with the wood finish. Open wood pores all over and dull finish. Nicely stained so I don't want to do any sanding. Have been trying to fill the pores by applying LinSpeed, letting it dry for a few hours and then a second coat. After sitting overnight I have been cutting it back to the wood with French made 4/0 steel wool using a circular motion to cut. The pores just are not filling the way I want. Almost think the steel wool is pulling the finish out of the pores. If I wait any longer to cut off it becomes so hard it is very difficult to remove. Any suggestions?

Use the traditional employed by Webley's them self's . French polish . Apply several coats flatting down with 400 wet or dry paper in between using thinned linseed oil as a medium this will give a nice "gunge" that will fill the grain prior oiling and buffing . Wire wool is OK but it dose tend to lift any fill out of the grain , I only use it to flat down between coats when using a "tru oil" type finish .

Sounds like your new finish is having a problem getting any traction on the old finish. Look at it this way 50 years of surface waxes and oxidation have made the old finish too slippery in the pores for your new finish to stick to the old finish surface. I would try a rotten stone slurry to remove the surface finish down in those pores. Or perhaps a mineral spirt or lacquer thinner rub down. It is all a mater of surface prep and getting a new finish that will bond to the old one.

A hearty "thank you" from the collector community.

For doing your level best.

To devalue another original English gun.

Bilious
Have you EVER made a postive comment?
If so, I would like to read it and give you your deserved praise.
Mike

I'll bet you can save it....make him an offer.

Oh, I do that regularly.

I positively despise everything Obama does.

And post to that effect.

(no praise needed)

Joe, since your 700 seems to need to be refinished anyhow why not give Mark Larson a chance to work his artistic magic in grain painting and have him refinish it. Most of the W&S 700s I've seen including my own Abercrombie and Fitch imported 16ga have markedly plain wood. Mark could do wonders; come to think of it I may have him do mine...Geo

Hi Joe gunman has given you the correct finish used on 1950s 700s at Webley�s the French polish used was �Garnet French Polish� and Linseed oil. The idea of the French polish was the shellac stopped the oil from soaking to far in to the surface so speeding up the finishing process and the Garnet colour darkened the wood a little. In the photograph are two Webley 700�s of the 1950s each with the standard type factory finish the stock on the left has a �Blond French Polish� as the base fore the finish the stock on the right has �Garnet French Polish base with a little red oil added to the finish top coats.
Webley & Scott 700s in the 1950s where a sound basic English boxlock shotgun made to a price with sound but plain timber and a finish to match.

lmii.com, a luthier's supply house in CA sells shellac flakes in 5 shades and also gives french polish information. The flakes are mixed into alcohol to make the amount of shellac you need for a project.