Refinishing AK Wood

[IUHoosier429]

Spending this Hoth-like weekend indoors, staining and sealing some Yugo handguards, For this particular set, I took the following approach:

• Since the wood didn't need much pre-work, I gave it a light sanding with 100-grit paper and then wiped down with tack cloth.
• Diluted a mixture of scarlet Rit liquid dye/alcohol to darken the wood just a bit before staining. Two coats.
• Sanded with 220-grit, then with 0000 steel wool, and then wiped down with tack cloth after both dye coats.
• Applying five coats of medium walnut Danish oil. Wiping down with an old t-shirt between coats (I'm on coat #3 right now).
• Will apply at least two coats of wipe-on polyurethane finish, sanding with 0000 and wiping with tack cloth between coats.

I've used a few different methods with dyes and/or stains on AK and milsurp furniture before, but just wanted to know if you guys have a method you particularly enjoy. Anything you've been especially proud of? Anything you've flat-out hated?

Feel free to post pics of your work

 

[Lawless]

I used some red Rit dye on a pretty Hungarian once. I built these from SA85Ms using Romanian parts and Bulgarian furniture.

 

[Dave951]

One thing I've tried to wrap my limited mental power around is why do many AK guys want a gun that looks like it just left the factory? I'm perfectly OK with the BFPU look on my stuff, that way I don't cry or even sniffle if it gets a scratch. That said, my "beater" looking AKs run like nobody's business and if I drop something, meh.... more character.

 

[IUHoosier429]

Very nice! Two beautiful rifles right there. That RIT work turned out well.

 

[IUHoosier429]

One thing I've tried to wrap my limited mental power around is why do many AK guys want a gun that looks like it just left the factory? I'm perfectly OK with the BFPU look on my stuff, that way I don't cry or even sniffle if it gets a scratch. That said, my "beater" looking AKs run like nobody's business and if I drop something, meh.... more character.

For me, it's really just a matter of color preference. I like the look of darker shades of wood over the blonde stuff that came on a few of my guns. If/when it gets scratched up, so be it.

Picked up a BFPU dong kit for a WASR and left it as-is, because the wood and shellac were already dark enough.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

I used some red Rit dye on a pretty Hungarian once. I built these from SA85Ms using Romanian parts and Bulgarian furniture.

Just came in here to post about the Rit dye, thanks for saving me typing

 

[NCLivingBrit]

One thing I've tried to wrap my limited mental power around is why do many AK guys want a gun that looks like it just left the factory? I'm perfectly OK with the BFPU look on my stuff, that way I don't cry or even sniffle if it gets a scratch. That said, my "beater" looking AKs run like nobody's business and if I drop something, meh.... more character.

I like both. I'd love a nice battered BFPU underfolder but I also like a pristine set of refinished Commie wood too.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

One thing I've tried to wrap my limited mental power around is why do many AK guys want a gun that looks like it just left the factory? I'm perfectly OK with the BFPU look on my stuff, that way I don't cry or even sniffle if it gets a scratch. That said, my "beater" looking AKs run like nobody's business and if I drop something, meh.... more character.

For me, it's really just a matter of color preference. I like the look of darker shades of wood over the blonde stuff that came on a few of my guns. If/when it gets scratched up, so be it.

Picked up a BFPU dong kit for a WASR and left it as-is, because the wood and shellac were already dark enough.

Nice! I think the underfolders with the donkey-dong wood look badass

 

[Lawless]

Very nice! Two beautiful rifles right there. That RIT work turned out well.

A guy from here called DitchDoc got one of them and ParacordJoe got the other one.

I went through my AK time.....

 

[Dave951]

My favorite is my Polish underfolder. what wood there is on it has.... character. However, with commercial brass case ammo, it will shoot into 2moa easily. I did have one fluke group at 1.5moa. Pretty cool when it happens, but not an easily repeatable thing. The normal stuff shoots into about 3moa so this gun with irons runs great for me.

My Romy has BFPU wood as well, but that dong thing still doesn't get me going. I really hate it and it will go away.

 

[IUHoosier429]

Would love to see that Polish UF in the photo thread. Folks over on the Files have shared some great pics of "trench art" and other well battle-worn AK furniture.

 

[IrishCannon]

Johnny556 down in Charlotte does some damn fine work. Most people ship to him but if you're local I'm sure he'd let you just drop it off.

www.ComblocCustoms.com

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[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.combloccustoms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Russian-Rust-PSL.jpg"}[/IMG2]

I've messed around with some refinishing on some Romanian furniture I have. Came out pretty good, not like that though.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

Oh that's purty.

 

[Majicmike]

molonlabe is a resident expert

 

[IUHoosier429]

Very nice stuff. Loving that Russian Rust.