My freckled gal...

swissrifles1 · 08-19-2009, 11:27 AM

Hi all, recently I traded for this K31. When I saw it for sale, I thought to myself ,"there's a jewel under all that Walnut stain". So I got it home, and started the wood bleeching process. UGG!. I tryed bleeching this thing 3 times and I could not get the dark stain out of the Beech wood fibers. Dang!. I wanted to give her a honey yellow look to her, (glistening gold in the sun). Well it just didn't work out that way. So I stained it back to dark Walnut and went with that. Here she is, my new freckled gal... (sorry bout the toe pic ).

nighthawk80 · 08-19-2009, 11:44 AM

Wow, that one is really cool looking!!

rondog · 08-19-2009, 04:05 PM

Gotta love a speckled pup!

swissrifles1 · 08-19-2009, 06:00 PM

Yes, thanks.

R5CYA · 08-20-2009, 02:19 PM

very interesting wood. too bad you couldn't bleach it. it would have been even nicer, i bet.

swissrifles1 · 08-20-2009, 04:16 PM

Ah yes, but I have to admit , that brunette has grown on me. Here are my 2 blondes I did last year.

Iron_Colonel · 08-25-2009, 01:43 AM

Those are some beautiful rifles you have there! I bet they shoot better than they look too. Congrats, looks like you've got quite a nice K31 collection

GlockMeister · 08-25-2009, 01:50 AM

Very interesting indeed. The others you posted pics of are very nice also.

rondog · 08-25-2009, 10:12 AM

I've gotta wonder...back in the days when those rifles, and the Mosins, and the M1's, etc., were all new and in service - do you think the soldiers that were issued and carried them ever sat around and admired the wood, the grain, and the esthetic beauty of those weapons? Did they ever compare them, or be envious because Bob has a prettier rifle?

Or were they just tools to them?

swissrifles1 · 08-27-2009, 04:29 PM

Thank you.
Thats a great question Rondog. I wish there were some older Swiss soldiers on the different forums to answer that and many other questions.

greenninja5150 · 09-27-2009, 04:57 AM

It looks pretty cool dark!

Billyz · 09-29-2009, 06:41 PM

What is the bleashing process?

swissrifles1 · 09-30-2009, 10:51 PM

Using wood bleech, wipe it on the stock,let sit for required time, repeat as needed,until desired bleeching effect is present.(lighting the wood to a white/grey). let dry ,rinse with what i believe is vinagar.

Billyz · 10-01-2009, 03:45 PM

Where can I find wood bleech? Im interested in redoing my stock to look as nice as youres.

swissrifles1 · 10-06-2009, 01:18 PM

Hardware store, lowes, homedepot, menards etc...

river · 10-12-2009, 09:07 AM

Getting ready to purchase a couple of k-31s. Have been wanting one for awhile now. Did they use cosmoline to store there weapons? If so you could do what I did for my mosin-nagant. Since this stinks I use the bbq. Let the coals burn down to low heat, set stock across grill put cover on wipe of every 20min. turn over and repeat. Took 3 days of this to get all cosmo out of stock and turned my flaked finish(dark red) to the natural color of a dark blonde.
Bleaching would not get out any cosmo.
River

R5CYA · 10-13-2009, 11:11 PM

mine didn't seem to have any on it at all. i could have just been lucky though. interesting way to get the cosmo out. i don't think mines big enough though.

DocAitch · 10-26-2009, 06:18 PM

Getting back to rondog's question.
Priorities are different when you are a teenager in the service.
I was issued three M14s (two regular issue, one National Match) during my Army hitch 1963-1967 and although I was gun oriented (Expert every qualification and competed on a battalion level team in NRA High Power), I don't believe that I ever looked at the grain on the stock any of those three rifles.
DocAitch

Full MeTal Jack · 10-26-2009, 09:36 PM

wonder if bleaching made the freckles come out?
Great collection

swissrifles1 · Today, 03:49 PM

The freckles are graining of the wood , they are exposed when the wood is quarter sawn. Like tiger stripes, or burl, etc.
Its all in the way its cut.

08-19-2009, 11:27 AM	#1
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	My freckled gal... Hi all, recently I traded for this K31. When I saw it for sale, I thought to myself ,"there's a jewel under all that Walnut stain". So I got it home, and started the wood bleeching process. UGG!. I tryed bleeching this thing 3 times and I could not get the dark stain out of the Beech wood fibers. Dang!. I wanted to give her a honey yellow look to her, (glistening gold in the sun). Well it just didn't work out that way. So I stained it back to dark Walnut and went with that. Here she is, my new freckled gal... (sorry bout the toe pic ). Last edited by swissrifles1; 08-19-2009 at 04:21 PM.

08-19-2009, 04:05 PM	#3
rondog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 3,296	Gotta love a speckled pup! __________________ I child-proofed my house, but they still keep getting in!

08-20-2009, 02:19 PM	#5
R5CYA Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Bruno, Republic of Kalifornia Posts: 2,079	very interesting wood. too bad you couldn't bleach it. it would have been even nicer, i bet. __________________ Badges? We got no badges! i aint gotta show you no stinking badges!

08-25-2009, 01:43 AM	#7
Iron_Colonel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington St. Posts: 3,282	Those are some beautiful rifles you have there! I bet they shoot better than they look too. Congrats, looks like you've got quite a nice K31 collection __________________ Mosin Nagant evangelist on a mission to convert YOU!

08-25-2009, 01:50 AM	#8
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 9,676	Very interesting indeed. The others you posted pics of are very nice also. __________________ "The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion." "Edmond Burke"

08-19-2009, 11:44 AM	#2
nighthawk80 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Just south of Central Indiana Posts: 478	Wow, that one is really cool looking!!

08-19-2009, 06:00 PM	#4
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	Yes, thanks.

08-20-2009, 04:16 PM	#6
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	Ah yes, but I have to admit , that brunette has grown on me. Here are my 2 blondes I did last year.

08-25-2009, 10:12 AM	#9
rondog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 3,296	I've gotta wonder...back in the days when those rifles, and the Mosins, and the M1's, etc., were all new and in service - do you think the soldiers that were issued and carried them ever sat around and admired the wood, the grain, and the esthetic beauty of those weapons? Did they ever compare them, or be envious because Bob has a prettier rifle? Or were they just tools to them? __________________ I child-proofed my house, but they still keep getting in!

08-27-2009, 04:29 PM	#10
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	Thank you. Thats a great question Rondog. I wish there were some older Swiss soldiers on the different forums to answer that and many other questions.

09-27-2009, 04:57 AM	#11
greenninja5150 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hayward, CA! Posts: 39	It looks pretty cool dark!

09-29-2009, 06:41 PM	#12
Billyz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 241	What is the bleashing process? __________________ COG #47

09-30-2009, 10:51 PM	#13
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	Using wood bleech, wipe it on the stock,let sit for required time, repeat as needed,until desired bleeching effect is present.(lighting the wood to a white/grey). let dry ,rinse with what i believe is vinagar.

10-01-2009, 03:45 PM	#14
Billyz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 241	Where can I find wood bleech? Im interested in redoing my stock to look as nice as youres. __________________ COG #47

10-06-2009, 01:18 PM	#15
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	Hardware store, lowes, homedepot, menards etc...
	1 members found this post helpful.

10-12-2009, 09:07 AM	#16
river Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: the green hills of Kentucky Posts: 9	Getting ready to purchase a couple of k-31s. Have been wanting one for awhile now. Did they use cosmoline to store there weapons? If so you could do what I did for my mosin-nagant. Since this stinks I use the bbq. Let the coals burn down to low heat, set stock across grill put cover on wipe of every 20min. turn over and repeat. Took 3 days of this to get all cosmo out of stock and turned my flaked finish(dark red) to the natural color of a dark blonde. Bleaching would not get out any cosmo. River

10-13-2009, 11:11 PM	#17
R5CYA Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Bruno, Republic of Kalifornia Posts: 2,079	mine didn't seem to have any on it at all. i could have just been lucky though. interesting way to get the cosmo out. i don't think mines big enough though. __________________ Badges? We got no badges! i aint gotta show you no stinking badges!

10-26-2009, 06:18 PM	#18
DocAitch Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Baltimore Posts: 262	Did they sit around and admire the wood? Getting back to rondog's question. Priorities are different when you are a teenager in the service. I was issued three M14s (two regular issue, one National Match) during my Army hitch 1963-1967 and although I was gun oriented (Expert every qualification and competed on a battalion level team in NRA High Power), I don't believe that I ever looked at the grain on the stock any of those three rifles. DocAitch

10-26-2009, 09:36 PM	#19
Full MeTal Jack Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,914 Images: 6	wonder if bleaching made the freckles come out? Great collection __________________ Guns and cameras don't mix

Today, 03:49 PM	#20
swissrifles1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 54	The freckles are graining of the wood , they are exposed when the wood is quarter sawn. Like tiger stripes, or burl, etc. Its all in the way its cut.