Finishing SKS stock

Dale · 03-26-2002, 07:21 AM

Considering the stock on my SKS looked like someone drove tent stakes with it, I decided to refinish the stock.

I filled in the serious indentations with Elmers Exterior Wood Fill (gawd that stuff is good!!!) and I sanded the stock down to the wood with 100 grit working to 400 for fine sanding. I have no idea what kind of wood they used. It's not pine, fire or hemlock but it's real light colored and soft to sand.

I plan on painting the stock and gas tube handguard flat black followed with several coats of flat urethane.

I think it'll look half way decent.....can't hurt considering the original condition.

I also wonder what the two metal pins are for in the fore stock. Perhaps to design it to keep the stock from splitting in that area.

Has anyone else done what I'm doing? And, if so, your impressions?

Big Dog · 03-26-2002, 10:34 AM

Years ago, when I got my Norinco it had a very poor stock. I sanded and painted it black, and it was alright. But, I finally put it in a synthetic stock which I painted camo, and I liked it better. My current Yugo SKS has some decent wood, and just needs a good sanding and refinishing. I always thought the Chinese wood seemed rather flimsy.

skstex · 03-26-2002, 11:18 AM

I recently refinished a chinese sks stock I bought. It was so thick on the stain and polyurethane that you couldnt tell anything about the wood, much less what the grain looked like. It was what I used to see at shows for $75--course I paid $150. Anyways, after sanding, I steel wooled it (highly recommend) for further smoothing. I then used Minwax Provincial (a dark stain) on the handguard and stock. Loved the results! I then applied two coats of boiled linseed oil. Most of the stock took the dark stain, but it has some blond streaks which really look nice. You can paint it, but for a really nice (to me) look, try staining (you can always paint over it). I will try to get some pictures posted soon. To each his own.....

Big Dog · 03-26-2002, 12:47 PM

Yeah, staining can work nicely. When I got my Romanian .22, the stock had a heavy coat of brushed-on bad varnish, no wood grain visible. There were no dings, so I took a chance. Took two days to strip it to bare wood (took my time) but it came out a nice blond with beautiful grain. I used Minwax's "Redwood Mahogany", which gave it that nice eastern European orangy color. Similar to the Chinese SKS color.

SC PigPen · 03-26-2002, 05:32 PM

[SIZE=3][FONT=century gothic][COLOR=red]

I did my Romainian SKS with minwax walnut 'cause I prefer darker stocks, but don't care for the paint. I started with 100 grit then went to 200 grit. It came out looking nice but that didn't help my shooting ability!!

stead · 03-27-2002, 06:33 AM

russian stocks are made from birch.chinese stocks are made from catalpa wood.

Dale · 03-27-2002, 06:35 AM

I agree, reworking the stock might not improve even MY shooting ability. Let's see....oh, the muzzle touching target might though, lol.

I opted to go with the paint because it should match the metal and the stock was in really, really rough shape. I used a lot of Elmers Wood Fill and my past experience is that if you stain over that stuff you can see a marked difference in those areas whereas the paint hides the fill.

This is only a test run too. I eventually want to put a Monte Carlo stock on it anyway.

Since I had little to lose I just wanted to see what the end result of flat black would look like.

So far, it looks pretty dern good, I must say.

Now, I need to find a stock extension to put on it to add some shoulder length to it. I saw some recoil pads but not sure if that will make the difference my long arms need.

stead · 03-27-2002, 06:43 AM

check with www.cheaperthandirt.com has butpap extension part # sks090 $5.97 this will add 1 inch to wood stock using existing butplate screws

LOBO · 03-27-2002, 11:36 AM

My Chicom SKS paratrooper has that soft light wood too. I sanded it smooth then gave it a few coats of BLO. then after that dried I covered it with a Black Walnut stain. The dang wood is so pourus it just absorbed the coats like a spong. Its still light but it looks real nice.
I added the 1" rubber butt extension and it's an improvement for ME. But my 12 year old like it beeter without it.

Calvin · 03-27-2002, 05:14 PM

I have one Chinese SKS that I refinished with tung oil. Took about a week to finish, but it sure looks good. I've seen/had too many firearms with dark stocks, and wanted to swim against the current. The tung oil looks great, and it really filled in the grain......

Dale · 03-28-2002, 05:40 AM

Well, I'm nearly finished with my flat black version....looking pretty dern good, if I must say so myself.....but to expound on an earlier post, the soft porous stock sure ****ed up the paint just as fast as it hit.....but coming along fine now.

03-26-2002, 07:21 AM	#1
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,288	Finishing SKS stock Considering the stock on my SKS looked like someone drove tent stakes with it, I decided to refinish the stock. I filled in the serious indentations with Elmers Exterior Wood Fill (gawd that stuff is good!!!) and I sanded the stock down to the wood with 100 grit working to 400 for fine sanding. I have no idea what kind of wood they used. It's not pine, fire or hemlock but it's real light colored and soft to sand. I plan on painting the stock and gas tube handguard flat black followed with several coats of flat urethane. I think it'll look half way decent.....can't hurt considering the original condition. I also wonder what the two metal pins are for in the fore stock. Perhaps to design it to keep the stock from splitting in that area. Has anyone else done what I'm doing? And, if so, your impressions? __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

03-26-2002, 10:34 AM	#2
Big Dog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 14,118	Years ago, when I got my Norinco it had a very poor stock. I sanded and painted it black, and it was alright. But, I finally put it in a synthetic stock which I painted camo, and I liked it better. My current Yugo SKS has some decent wood, and just needs a good sanding and refinishing. I always thought the Chinese wood seemed rather flimsy. __________________ "A bold spirit embiggens the smallest man!" Jebediah Springfield

03-26-2002, 11:18 AM	#3
skstex Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1	done some I recently refinished a chinese sks stock I bought. It was so thick on the stain and polyurethane that you couldnt tell anything about the wood, much less what the grain looked like. It was what I used to see at shows for $75--course I paid $150. Anyways, after sanding, I steel wooled it (highly recommend) for further smoothing. I then used Minwax Provincial (a dark stain) on the handguard and stock. Loved the results! I then applied two coats of boiled linseed oil. Most of the stock took the dark stain, but it has some blond streaks which really look nice. You can paint it, but for a really nice (to me) look, try staining (you can always paint over it). I will try to get some pictures posted soon. To each his own.....

03-26-2002, 12:47 PM	#4
Big Dog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 14,118	Yeah, staining can work nicely. When I got my Romanian .22, the stock had a heavy coat of brushed-on bad varnish, no wood grain visible. There were no dings, so I took a chance. Took two days to strip it to bare wood (took my time) but it came out a nice blond with beautiful grain. I used Minwax's "Redwood Mahogany", which gave it that nice eastern European orangy color. Similar to the Chinese SKS color. __________________ "A bold spirit embiggens the smallest man!" Jebediah Springfield

03-27-2002, 06:35 AM	#7
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,288	I agree, reworking the stock might not improve even MY shooting ability. Let's see....oh, the muzzle touching target might though, lol. I opted to go with the paint because it should match the metal and the stock was in really, really rough shape. I used a lot of Elmers Wood Fill and my past experience is that if you stain over that stuff you can see a marked difference in those areas whereas the paint hides the fill. This is only a test run too. I eventually want to put a Monte Carlo stock on it anyway. Since I had little to lose I just wanted to see what the end result of flat black would look like. So far, it looks pretty dern good, I must say. Now, I need to find a stock extension to put on it to add some shoulder length to it. I saw some recoil pads but not sure if that will make the difference my long arms need. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

03-26-2002, 05:32 PM	#5
SC PigPen Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Great Nation of South Carolina Posts: 1	[SIZE=3][FONT=century gothic][COLOR=red] I did my Romainian SKS with minwax walnut 'cause I prefer darker stocks, but don't care for the paint. I started with 100 grit then went to 200 grit. It came out looking nice but that didn't help my shooting ability!!

03-27-2002, 06:33 AM	#6
stead Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: northern mn Posts: 16	russian stocks are made from birch.chinese stocks are made from catalpa wood.

03-27-2002, 06:43 AM	#8
stead Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: northern mn Posts: 16	check with www.cheaperthandirt.com has butpap extension part # sks090 $5.97 this will add 1 inch to wood stock using existing butplate screws

03-27-2002, 11:36 AM	#9
LOBO Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: SO. CAL. Posts: 28	My Chicom SKS paratrooper has that soft light wood too. I sanded it smooth then gave it a few coats of BLO. then after that dried I covered it with a Black Walnut stain. The dang wood is so pourus it just absorbed the coats like a spong. Its still light but it looks real nice. I added the 1" rubber butt extension and it's an improvement for ME. But my 12 year old like it beeter without it.

03-27-2002, 05:14 PM	#10
Calvin Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 2,072	I have one Chinese SKS that I refinished with tung oil. Took about a week to finish, but it sure looks good. I've seen/had too many firearms with dark stocks, and wanted to swim against the current. The tung oil looks great, and it really filled in the grain...... __________________ If you don't like cops, call your local crackhead for help next time!

03-28-2002, 05:40 AM	#11
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,288	Well, I'm nearly finished with my flat black version....looking pretty dern good, if I must say so myself.....but to expound on an earlier post, the soft porous stock sure ****ed up the paint just as fast as it hit.....but coming along fine now. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me