I find the Timberluxe less temperamental than French Polish and less tendency to streak. I put on several coats with fingertips, using 0000 steel wool between each coat. On the final coat, I rub the finish in hard with my palm , that creates a more satin finish rather than a gloss. I end up with about 5 thin coats.

The downside of French Polish is that being lacquer based, it will cloud with heavy moisture and with rain, the finish can erode. The Timberluxe is waterproof. I hunted for ruffed grouse in MN in light rain and at the end of the day, the finish on a little DHE 20ga was cloudy and worn. It eventually dried out and became clear again, but sometime this winter I will put a topcoat of Timberluxe on it to resolve that problem. The finish works for me and I know some of the big name stockmakers are using it.

On the DHBP, I think will try some RIT dye to see if that works and is more than just a surface treatment.

So now I have refinished the stock, cleaned and oiled or greased the action and reassembled. The stock brightened up when the dirt and oil finish was removed. What you see is the result of six thin coats of Timberluxe finish. I glued the few cracks with Super Glue.

I dyed the browned DHBP with Rit dye, and thought it was warm enough when I started to put the buttplate back on the stock, but as you can see, it cracked through the lower screw hole. These old buttplates get brittle as the plasticizers leach out over 100 or more years. Warming them makes them more pliable, but it wasn't enough. I have a new one ordered that is a replica of the original.

What is left to do is to re-brown the barrels to bring out the Damascus pattern. I'll take this gun to Pheasant Fest Feb 14-16 in Milwaukee and after that, the barrels will go off to Dale Edmonds.

Bruce, have you though of repairing that butt plate with Acraglass dyed black? Then dye the whole butt plate black. It may be almost be invisible. What have you got to lose!

You think it would have sufficient strength? The whole plate has to flex to fit back on.

I don't know how sturdy it would be. When I was fitting a new recoil pad (without the peak), I used Acraglass dyed black to make the peak. I drilled small holes in the pad, inserted a small length of toothpick in the hard plate of the pad, then filled in with Acraglass. It gave added strength and it's still holding in place. I don't know if you have enough width to do the same to both pieces of the butt plate. Just a suggestion, again, what have you got to lose?

Very well done. The wood looks great. Too bad about the DHBP

I really like the finish on the wood. Nice job Bruce.

Thanks, Eric, and that is the point I was trying to make. About anybody can do a finish like that. No sandpaper was used except to sand off a little glue overrun, and no loss of detail was caused to the stock. Anybody can do this.

Nice job. Shame about the butt plate. Acraglass sounds like it would be worth a try. Thank-you Bruce for sharing your work.
Erick

Bruce, The pattern on those barrels looks great. Why refinish them?