Proper period finish

P

Paradude54

Member
Okay, this is going to be considered heresy in at 2 ways.

I just bought a Mitchell Mauser, heresy number 1, but I got it for a great price, I was looking for a shooter, not a collectible, and I ran a bore scope down the barrel to check it first. I know all about Mitchell's reputation for debatchery. So heresy number 2 is that I want to refinish both the stock and metal to make it at least appear proper, that's for my own benefit as I most definitely will not try to pass it off as all original and sell it. So maybe 1of these heresy makes up for the other, maybe. Afterall, Mictchells has already undone any collector value.

So after committing heresy number 1 and about to commit heresy number 2, I want to find out how to get the proper finish on both stock and metal. I do not want to age it. I am never going to sell it or try to pass it off as collectible. Does anyone know where I can find this information? I've looked all over the internet and can't find what I'm looking for. If it makes any difference, I'm a schooled gunsmith but I do not have access to bluing tanks.
 
The problem is what did the trained monkeys at Mitchell's do to the rifle? This will probably have to be removed before anything is done.

Flaxseed oil which is similar to Raw Linseed Oil on the stock. You have to heat this stuff up to get it to dry or hang it up outside somehow in the sun on a hot day, better yet hot week. This stuff dries very slowly. Boiled Linseed Oil will work but I'd cut it pretty good with mineral spirits or Pure Gum Turpentine to take the varnish look out of it when it dries. Make sure you buff the excess off after a few hours.
 
Mitchell did pretty much everything that is ranted about the internet, so as I said, it's no longer collectible. Removing finish isn't that difficult. This I've done on a number of horribly finished guns. Going back to Mitchell, I haven't looked it, and really don't care about this part, but I would bet that the serial numbers don't match, or may have even been re-marked. That I don't really care about either, as I'm really all about a shooter, I just want it to look, from 10 feet or so away, as a German K98k should look and not like a Mitchell does look.

Thank you very much for the advice. I've worked with coiled linseed oil on muzzleloaders before, and while a bit time intensive I don't mind working with it. For the majority of wood stocks that I've don't I've used Permalyn. It really brings out the grain in a nice English or French walnut stocks, same for maple. I have no idea if it wold look right on a Mauser, or just look like Mitchells did it. Aren't original German K98ks darker in color wood wise? Should I apply any stain to darken the stock or just use a good oil, boiled linseed?
 
You can put a few drops of colors in oil or 844 industrial colorant in your linseed oil with some thinner and make a fine stain. Remember as linseed oil oxidizes it darkens especially in a dark place like a safe.

Might hit it with a wash coat if you take it down to bare wood. This will help the stain to take evenly. 1 part wood sealer 3 parts mineral spirits. Brush on and let dry then do the rest.
 
Hello paradude,I recently bought a laminate stock for a shooter that had been ruined like a mitchells by being chemically stripped bare and sanded and all I did was give it a light coat of boiled linseed oil and it turned out great,it went from a very light blonde to a chestnut brown.I finished it off with beeswax and after a good rub with a soft cloth it had a pleasing sheen to it.Hope yours turns out good whatever you do:thumbsup:
 
What year is the rifle? Pretty sure in 1944, the Germans switched from bluing to parkerizing. The bolt should also have the same finish as the rifles. Those white bolts on Mitchell's K98s are hideous...
 
sheepdog said:
Remember as linseed oil oxidizes it darkens especially in a dark place like a safe.
Click to expand...

^ This.

When I stripped-down one of my RCs to totally bare wood, I was kind of scared at how "beige" it looked: it was "albino-like", in fact! However, with a few rubbings of BLO, some range time, some more BLO, etc. it has darkened-up nicely and is back to looking 70+ years old :happy0180: . The stock also feels great now, very smooth without any hint of greasiness. So, just try the BLO first and see what you think after some "soak-in" time.

To the OP: I like your approach of trying to "fix" the Michell's Mauser to look more period-correct. Some would say, "Why bother?" but I'm a big proponent of trying to get Michell's, RCs, and any other "misfit" guns looking as close to what the Wehrmacht ordered as possible. :thumbsup:
 
I'm not sure of the year, but I believe that I'm going to go with blue instead of parkerizing it. What blue product, preferably one that doesn't use tanks, is available at close to the original earlier finish? Regardless of the year that mine actually is, it's already been Mitchelized, and since I like the look of blueing over parkerizing I intend to go that way.

So boiled linseed oil it is for the stock. I used to use boiled linseed oil when I built muzzleloaders and when I apprenticed with a builder of custom Jaegers, so it's something that I'm used to doing, or was.

Thanks everyone for the help.
 
Just remember to cut the BLO like a third with mineral spirits or even better pure spirits of gum turpentine and to buff off any excess after an hour or two.. Today's BLO has a way of looking like varnish after it sets up when applied full strength and not buffed. Don't get carried away and put eight coats of it on either. Two applications will probably be fine, one might do it.
 
sheepdog said:
Just remember to cut the BLO like a third with mineral spirits or even better pure spirits of gum turpentine and to buff off any excess after an hour or two.. Today's BLO has a way of looking like varnish after it sets up when applied full strength and not buffed. Don't get carried away and put eight coats of it on either. Two applications will probably be fine, one might do it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, great advice, and I'll even remember to follow it! :)
 
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