Anyone use French Red?

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Im diggin this stuff. I went past Arts gun shop on the way to my dads this last time. Art is a 30+ year retired gunsmith who worked at Browning, specializing in A5s , hi power, and BARs. But he also owns the recipie to Herters French Red , as well as a half dozen beautiful and well trained belgium shepards. So at $9.50 tax included for whay midway and brownell gets $16+$10 shipping, it was wroth the 15 mile side trip.

Its a colored filler for wood, gunstocks in particular in this case. I sanded to 320, then dampened the wood with water. Knocked the hair down with 400 once is dried out some, and hand applied a thin coat of French Red.

After letting the solvent evaporate in the french red around 15 -20 minutes, I hand rubbed it , cross grain as per instructions, and then followed with a circular cotton cloth rub down.

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Only partially applied to show difference

This stock I'll finish with Tru-oil. First hand applied, then a final spray at 30% reduction with turpentine. I might use White scotchbrite once cured to dull the high gloss back.

Arts french red also comes in clear and walnut brown] i chose red because I like thatl redish tint old gun stocks use to have.
This is just my opinion, yours may vary and is no less valid.
- Me -

"I will never claim to be an expert, and it has been my experience that self proclaimed experts are usually self proclaimed."
-Me-

I must proof read more

Re: Anyone use French Red?

2
Stock was sanded bare, 3 laborious applications of hand rubbed French Red applied. By laborious I mean because I was distracted with my kids after school activities and left the second coat to dry overnight before the hand rub down, and that stuff gets gummy/sticky when to allowed to sit to long as a thick coat, not rubbed in and excess removed.

But here is the 22-250 stock all french red-ed.
Next step I'll use a couple coats of Tru-oil .

Than I just need the ejector and reinstall my 1940 something spring and too many knob , super long Unberti scope and its off to shoot.

Then my next major project I think I shall tackle the Mannlicher Schoenauer . figuring out the rotary magazine should be fun, but I am pretty sure my dad said it was converted to 243. Oh, and it needs wood and a barrel, so this build could take forever. But I have others to fill the spaces of boredom.
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Last edited by dandad on Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
This is just my opinion, yours may vary and is no less valid.
- Me -

"I will never claim to be an expert, and it has been my experience that self proclaimed experts are usually self proclaimed."
-Me-

I must proof read more

Re: Anyone use French Red?

4
Bisbee wrote:Honey, only every night...

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Do you hand rub it? They say cross grain is the best.
This is just my opinion, yours may vary and is no less valid.
- Me -

"I will never claim to be an expert, and it has been my experience that self proclaimed experts are usually self proclaimed."
-Me-

I must proof read more

Re: Anyone use French Red?

5
Well this sucks. 2 coats of tru oil in, and discover damn dog hairs in it.
Since tru oil doesnt actually blend with previous but attatch to the top of it, you get hallos when you sand through each layer, and it doesnt seem to blend well. At least not from what Ive tried. So I sand all thr tru oil off and will apply another coat of french red to even out the color before attempting to top coat again.

Damn dogs.
This is just my opinion, yours may vary and is no less valid.
- Me -

"I will never claim to be an expert, and it has been my experience that self proclaimed experts are usually self proclaimed."
-Me-

I must proof read more

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