My Schmidt Ruben K-31

[neilwest]

1. Just came in from AIM today. It is the shooter quality. Beautiful bore and 90% original metal finish. Markings and serial # match. :D

2. I plan on refinishing the stock in Golden Oak stain this weekend.

http://album.gunsnet.net/data/neilwest/88_p1304.jpg


REFINSIHED
http://album.gunsnet.net/data/neilwest/88_p1461.jpg

[Schuetzenman]

I've got an idea but maybe it won't appeal to you. 000 steel wool and mineral spirits might be able to soften and scrub away much of the original finsish without changing the original stock color. You could then steam any dents and then go back with tung oil. That's what the original finishes look like. Basically clear finish and no real coloring of the wood. Most of these rifles are sort of yellow to amber colored. I don't know if the more amber (brownish yellow) colored ones are because they colored the finish or it's just a matter of aging of the finish causing the color shift.

[neilwest]

1. Thanks, I had got some minwax maple to match, but i think I'll try your idea first. Thanks old friend.:D

[awp101]

According to the Swiss Rifle Forums and swissrifles.com, the color difference is due to different wood being used.

Prior to 1946 or 1949 (I forget which), the stocks were walnut.

After that they were beech which is a much lighter colored wood.

Check your date under the butt to see when the stock was made.

I'll see what else I can dig up in a bit.:D

[neilwest]

1. The buttstock had a VX 53 stamped into it. I was thinking of going back with a maple stain which matches what it is now.

[Schuetzenman]

Yes you want to match the color of the wood to keep it as original looking as possible.

I had a customer that talked me out of a near mint K31 five years ago from an earlier Century Arms import run on these. He kept upping the price until I weakened and sold it to him. Then a month later I learned he stripped the perfect beech stock finish off and then stained it walnut colored and ture oiled the stock afterwards. :mad: If I'd known he was going to rape a perfect orginal finish stock, I'd never sold him that rifle! Man that pissed me off! :mad: The ones we are all getting now are so worn, even the select ones, I think refinishing them is no big deal and doesn't hurt the weapons value. But please people if they ever import perfect ones don't frigg with the finish. Just lemon oil them and let em be.

Someday, if my K31 I purchased in Switzerland EVER gets here, I'll post some better pics of it. To verify what AWP101 said, it's a 1943 manufactured rifle and the stock is walnut. IMO they look much better with the walnut stocks.

[awp101]

Originally posted by Schuetzenman
But please people if they ever import perfect ones don't frigg with the finish. Just lemon oil them and let em be.

Mine's far from perfect, but that's all I'm doin to mine.

Just enough to preserve the finish that's there.

[neilwest]

1. this one is a shooter and prety dinged up. I steelwooled and purple stuffed the grease off, but their was no finish left on it. I did match the color back so you might not be to upset:p