Did Parker Bros. use stain on their stocks?

[Ed Blake]

I have been looking for information, mostly through Chapter 10 of TPS, and an article Austin wrote for Parker Pages, regarding how Parker finished their stocks. It is clear customers had the choice of an oil finish, but PB seems to have mostly used a shellac and oil finish that was fast to produce, durable, and good looking. I have been experimenting with this method and I get best results when I use a stain like the alcohol-based stains of Laurel Mountain Forge. The shellac/oil finish can be rather dull, particularly on light colored walnut. Do any of the old heads out there know if PB used stain on their stock wood? Thaks.

[Austin W Hogan]

Ed; I haven't found any evidence of stain on any shellac stocks I have scraped. I have one that seems uniformly dark but has no evidence of pigment in the pores. Perhaps it was dyed as part of an old refinish.

Generally, amber /orange shellac darkens the wood. I have some original stocks that seem dark, and others light. I have generally thought this was due to difference in aging processes.

I have darkened shellac/oil "French polish" with lampblack, but experiment first. I generally get my lampblack from the stove door, but it is available from artist suppliers.

Best, Austin

[John McKee]

Maybe the question should be: What kind of shellac did PB use? I took an class on shellac at MESDA in Old Salem; and there are about 100 different kinds (each with a name associated). From lemony clear to dark. Many are available as hard shellac chips. Which you put in a jar with some disolving agent.

[Austin W Hogan]

I did a study of this several years ago. I used 2 x 8 inch walnut blocks, finished with a variety of shellacs and varnishes. I found pre EPA Man o War spar varnish closely approximated furniture finished by my cabinet maker great grandfather. Zinsser Bulls Eye Orange Shellac, applied with a rag french polish style, most closely matches Parker stocks. This is supported by both Johnson's book, and a Parker shop order in the PGCA archive.
Note that modern linseed oil does not contain sugar of lead; it may host fungus or mildew in humid places.

best, Austin

[Austin W Hogan]

A little addition to the last post. If you remove old finish, scrape, don't sand. This will usually leave the pores sealed, and is quicker than sanding. If you do have un filled pores, add a little shellac to a spoonful of corn starch. Dab your thumb in the mixture and rub it cross grain across the pores. This fills the pores, matches the finish, and can be leveled a few minutes after application.

Best, Austin

[John McKee]

Zinsser Bulls Eye Orange Shellac

Shellac and copal varnish's deserve more study as used on gunstocks. Not just for the color, but the hardiness of finish and durability. Does anybody know what specific technique was used on these guns? Some type of reference? As time has gone on; a lot of the shellac flakes have become available. Including a hot process application.