Walnut Stocks.... are they worth the extra wonga?

[Clifftop]

I've had a few rifles over the years, they've all been bog standard beech, or ABS plastic types,

So, having seen a couple of walnut stocks a my club, I decided the colouring and depth of shine etc etc was just the thing for my 'next' twanger to be swathed in.

I am now the proud owner of a Harrier with the aforementioned walnut stock, it looks so good I could almost eat it, but in the year I've had it, I am so disappointed with the way the wood becomes easily damaged, no horrendous gouges, mind, just little dent like scratches, and I am very careful where I put the rifle at all times, it just seems a waste of money to pay extra for wood which scars so readily, despite how lovely it looks when brand-spanking-new!

Anyone else got an opinion, for or against?

[EddieP]

Good walnut is worth the wonga, but there are many nondescript african woods also passed off as walnut, and there is a lot of variation in hardness. Good walnut shouldn't dent easily, but even if it does you can usually steam it out anyway.

American black walnut is quite popular nowadays, and is much much cheaper than english. I bought some for furniture making some years ago from a guy in oregon, and for anyone who's interested his website features mouthwatering piccies of black walnut in all sorts of shapes and sizes, including gunstocks.

http://www.gobywalnut.com/

[Shaggy]

There be some nice bit's of wood there

You can't beat a wulnut Stock, they really do make a difference especially out hunting where weight is importnant it carting it round all day/night

ATB

Darren

[draftsmann]

I hate to see scratched/dented guns. I have had a couple of my guns for 20 years, and they are in better nick than guns I bought secondhand that were only a year old. It's all about pride of ownership - and a nice stock IMHO means (or should mean) taking extra care not to let anything but one's hands touch it when it is out of the cabinet.

I do like nice walnut, but some of the cheap walnut blanks used for some stocks are plainer than nice beech!

Adrian

[SteveH]

My lads had a Walnut Stock on his Daystate MkIII and I've not been over impressed with it.

I think the finish soon looks tatty and as you say marks too easily.

However ... he just got himself a stock finishing kit from here

http://www.chambersgunmakers.co.uk/ultra.htm

For £19.00 and has rubbed down the stock, stained it filled it and oiled it and it looks like something mutts are fond of.

He's done a ****** marvellous job for a 13 yr old, it's taken him many hours to do but looks fabulous, unlike his bedroom which takes him no time at all and looks disgusting.

SteveH

[tyke]

I nearly cried every time I got a slight dink on mine so my advice is for the field beech for show walnut.

[RemMag]

I hate to see scratched/dented guns.

Fair enough, but many people use their guns regularly as hunting/competition tools, so a few 'war wounds' are bound to occur. The guns that you have had for 20 years, how many times a week do you take them out into the field?

All the best

Alex

[draftsmann]

Fair question Alex, because for sure I spend more time talking about it than actually shooting these days.

The air rifle I did most shooting with, which at one time and for many years was my only air rifle, had on average at least one outing a week for a period of at least 6-7 years. At that point I started acquiring more guns, and spending more time trying simultaneously to build a career and a house, but it certainly did see a lot of use at one time.

For the same period I had an AYA Yeoman 12 bore that was used as frequently - they were my only two guns. When I sold it the bluing on the barrels had started to silver slightly either side of the forend, but otherwise it was tight and immaculate. Yes I know some shooting conditions aren't kind to guns - lamping and saltmarsh wildfowling etc - but the rule I always worked to - and I used to do a lot of rabbit stalking on my belly - is that I kept the gun from touching anything but my hands at all times. If I had to put it down, I would only do so on clean grass and check where I was laying it first.

In saying this I am fully prepared to be called every kind of anal whatever. My tin hat is ready. I still hate to see ratty guns.

Adrian

[chub]

beech is much harder than walnut,most butchers blocks are made of beech and they take some hammer
in this case cleaver
albert

[robinghewitt]

Are we talking about the same stuff? I have walnut stocks dating back over 400 years. There is the odd split, they tend to errode slightly where the flames hit, chequering eventually wears away etc., but apart from a couple that have obviously been used to hammer in fence posts there are remarkably few dings. You'd expect them to look like the surface of the moon if walnut was not among the most forgiving and resilient of timbers.

[I. J.]

I.M.O. yes.

[Clifftop]

EddieP,

You mention "steaming out" the dents,

I've heard about this method but am not sure how it's done.

I really don't wanna go sticking the (wifes ) iron on the stock, so what's the technique?

Anybody know??

[tyke]

Steaming out dents is easy and effective.
Use a bit of smooth cloth i.e. a cotton tea towel and get it between damp and wet then place it on the dink and apply a hot iron. It doesn’t do your oil finish a lot of damage if you minimize the time the iron is applied and another loving coat of oil finish wont hurt.

[Keef]

If you want to steam out a dent:

Take a piece of linen type material - rip the wifes sheets up or buy some white rag from a wood working shop.

Wet the cloth, wring out so it's damp and place over the dent.

Apply heat to the cloth so that it produces steam directly over the dent. Apply some pressure to the cloth but take care that you do not burn through it!

The heat can be from an iron, preferrable the wifes best, a large soldering iron or a smooth piece of metal that has been heated in a blow lamp flame.

This only works on real wood, so it will raise a dent in your Chippendale table but not if it came from Ikea. It will raise smallish dents and improve big ones but it does not work miracles.

Disclaimer : I am not responsible for any damage to stocks, tables, chairs, sideboards, fingers, hands, table cloths, misc furniture or your well being if you are caught using the wifes iron.

[EddieP]

I can't add much to the above excellent advice except to say that it works best the sooner you do it after the damage. If the whole dent doesn't come up in one go, then repeat until it does. The process often raises the grain a little, so it feels rough to the touch. Allow to thoroughly dry then rub down with fine wire wool.

Works wonders on furniture too!