Wood refinish on a Steel Shot Special

[Scott Smith]

Brian Dudley is honest and direct. He conducts himself in a professional manner in every respect. His work speaks for itself.

[Pa SxS]

I don't own a Parker Reproduction but my only negative about the gun is the finish. Brian showed us what a good finish applied to a reproduction gun can look like.

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Chuck Bishop

I don't own a Parker Reproduction but my only negative about the gun is the finish. Brian showed us what a good finish applied to a reproduction gun can look like.

There are many that will agree with your statement Chuck regarding the hi-gloss finish applied to most Parker Reproductions. In fact, I do too. Brian Dudley and others have shown us several examples of what one can achieve regarding the aesthetics of refinishing the wood on these guns.

But, let's play Devil's Advocate and take a look at the other side of the coin with an alternative opinion. I believe it goes without saying the durability of the Repro finish is superior to an oil finish. Get caught in a downpour two miles from the truck and you could be looking at a complete refinish of an oil finished stock. With a Repro you'll simply be looking for a towel to wipe it down -- the end results will be the finish will be as good as new.

Take a look at the question and answer at the two paragraphs in the lower left column of an excerpt taken from a Stuart Williams interview with Jack Skeuse regarding the hi-gloss finish vs. an optional oil finish offered with Parker Reproductions.

[Big D]

I've obviously been doing something wrong. When I have tried to remove the finish on a Remington 700, altho I got the majority of the finish off (LOTS of elbow grease) it seems that there is a residual amount which prohibits oil from being absorbed and the resulting finish is blotchy

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

There are many that will agree with your statement Chuck regarding the hi-gloss finish applied to most Parker Reproductions. In fact, I do too. Brian Dudley and others have shown us several examples of what one can achieve regarding the aesthetics of refinishing the wood on these guns.

But, let's play Devil's Advocate and take a look at the other side of the coin with an alternative opinion. I believe it goes without saying the durability of the Repro finish is superior to an oil finish. Get caught in a downpour two miles from the truck and you could be looking at a complete refinish of an oil finished stock. With a Repro you'll simply be looking for a towel to wipe it down -- the end results will be the finish will be as good as new.

Take a look at the question and answer at the two paragraphs in the lower left column of an excerpt taken from a Stuart Williams interview with Jack Skeuse regarding the hi-gloss finish vs. an optional oil finish offered with Parker Reproductions.

That is why I usually choose to use Pro Custom oil on repros. It is very durable for a gun that will be used in the elements (though maybe not as much as a urethane). And the high build sprayed application more replicates the original look of the repros by way of finish build and sheen (pro custom can be left satin or rubbed up to near a gloss).

I do this unless someone asks for a more traditional “at the wood” oil finish.

But the key to maximizing figure is the use of a penetrating sealer as the ground coats. Vs the original urethanes just sit on the surface of the wood and obscure the figure.


Here is another example of a Lefever B grade 16g that I am finishing up now. Someone thought it was a good idea to put a bowling alley urethane finish on it at one time. That crap was removed and a more traditional oil finish was used. (That is a factory Monte Carlo stock by the way).

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[78CJ]

Unfortunately everyone behind a keyboard can be an expert. I trust Mr. Dudley's reputation and can actually rely on my own real life experience. While not near a Parker Repro I have an American Arms Silver I that is from the early 90's that was a gift. I loaned it out one afternoon and it came back with a crack at the tang. My father was a wood worker and I grew up appreciating great stock wood. While the grain on my AA was fair, had I not stripped the finish myself I would never had believed it was the same piece of wood. The irony here is that the grain contrast is nearly identical.

[OhioC]

Looking at the pictures on page three it's amazing what lurks below the finish. Excellent job!
In the left side photo the grain structure resembles Bethlehem Olive wood, the finish is beautiful!

[Mark Garrett]

Glad I never had any work done by that other guy.

As always great job Brian !!

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

But, let's play Devil's Advocate and take a look at the other side of the coin with an alternative opinion. I believe it goes without saying the durability of the Repro finish is superior to an oil finish. Get caught in a downpour two miles from the truck and you could be looking at a complete refinish of an oil finished stock. With a Repro you'll simply be looking for a towel to wipe it down -- the end results will be the finish will be as good as new.

While oil finishes are not particularly durable when compared to urethane, they can be easily renewed without a complete refinish. I just spread a few drops of oil on the stock and then rub it off with a clean cloth. It can be done multiple times to build up the razor thin new finish and the stock will look like new. This can’t be done with urethane. If you get a scratch, it will be very hard to hide it.

I don’t have a rainy day gun. I subject all my working guns to the weather, regardless of the intensity. Hard rain will dull an oil finish but the sheen can be easily brought back. This is one big advantage to oil.

I have a pre 64 model 70 that was custom stocked by Monte Kennedy using an oil finish. I used it in a couple of days of hard rain this year and the finish dulled a bit. A couple iterations of oil and wiping off fixed the issue. It’s as simple as that.

My “oil” finish consists of tung oil filler iterations, followed by a mixture of turpentine boiled with alkanet root to color the stock if necessary. Then I finish by applying multiple coats of Tru Oil and wiping them down as I do to refresh a stock.