Refinished AK stocks

[86k10]

Here is a couple of pics of the AK stocks I refinished. Maybe to give you some motivation to do some of yours. This is my first time playing with shellac. I have done the dyeing wood and Polyurethane and Tung oil finish. I have to say when it comes down to Soviet wood, shellac is the only way to go.

When I first got all the wood in its original finish

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt339/mak1986/ukrainstock002.jpg

Both sets refinished

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt339/mak1986/74completed004.jpg

The 74 stock alone

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt339/mak1986/74completed006.jpg

[sneakerd]

They look good- nice job.

[blacklabel]

Those do look great. Awesome work.

[zteknik]

those came out real nice!!!
i never got around to playing around with shelac,but after seing how yours came out i just might hve to :)
i usualy stain,use polly and then shoot some clear laquer on them
ive done a few sets for 68charger and jreifsch80 with good results [Tooth]
7137

[CrufflerSteve]

On some of the AK boards you'll find threads about Fun With Swedish Pine Tar. I thought they looked great and I used it. Then I used flakes from shellac.net and put multiple coats on. It really is a great finish. I found it a bit too glossy and knocked it down a bit with some 0000 steel wool.

I do have more pine tar and shellac than I can use and would be happy to share with local folk. Justin already has some.

Steve

[86k10]

On some of the AK boards you'll find threads about Fun With Swedish Pine Tar. I thought they looked great and I used it. Then I used flakes from shellac.net and put multiple coats on. It really is a great finish. I found it a bit too glossy and knocked it down a bit with some 0000 steel wool.

I do have more pine tar and shellac than I can use and would be happy to share with local folk. Justin already has some.

Steve

I did read the pine tar threads and had them chime in but I wanted to do straight shellac.

[86k10]

Here is a pic of the straight garnet shellac on the AKM stock. I really like the chameleon affect in the sun light.

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt339/mak1986/doneakmstock004.jpg

[jreifsch80]

very awesome wood!!

so all the northern guys know, Steve was nice enough to give me plenty of swedish pine tar and some garnet and thai shelac flakes, i also have some amber shelac. so anyone who want's to use this stuff for refinishing just let me know. i think i'll go fiddle with some pine tar today if i have time ;)

[CrufflerSteve]

Here's some pictures of a couple of Romy G's. I soaked them in denatured alcohol, sanded to 400, applied the Swedish pine tar and then applied a mix of Garnet and Thai Seedlac. I dulled them quite a bit since they were too shiny for my taste. Most of the darkness is the dark tar.

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k629/OldGeezerStuff/AK%20Kits/Romy_G_kits01s.jpg
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k629/OldGeezerStuff/AK%20Kits/Romy_G_kits02s.jpg
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k629/OldGeezerStuff/AK%20Kits/RomyG2/k_romyG2_13s.jpg

Steve

[86k10]

What color does the thai seedlac end up being if applied by itself?

[jerrymrc]

I like red.

[CrufflerSteve]

What color does the thai seedlac end up being if applied by itself?

Shellac.net describes it as: "Rich Red Amber
Thai Seedlac (a/k/a Siam Seed lac) has rich warm Red amber tones, excellent for use on rosewoods, mahogany, or redwood. Intermix with other shellacs to adjust color or impart warm tones."

It is pretty subtle. I've only used the blend and it is pretty light. I tried a piece of poplar to see how it works and it didn't darken it much but looked good.

Steve

[CrufflerSteve]

I like red.

I do like it also, just was making more of a Russian look here. I have a Romy underfolder in the queue. I'll experiment with less brown and more red for the handguards.

Steve

[jreifsch80]

those pictures of steve's romy stocks don't do them justice, in person they are beautifull, looks alot like russian izzy finish, for the blood red tula type finish i've seen where guys use the pine tar and then i think just many many coats of garnet shelac. i am going to experiment with that on a romy stock i sanded down and a virgin polish hg set.

edit: blood red might be lots of coats of thai seedlac after the "dark" version of pinetar instead of garnet tough i'm working from memory from some threads on the ak forum i've been studying so cut me some slack if my memory is not correct ;) also i have experimented before with staining a stock set with iodine and after a million coats it got a very deep blood red color too with orange hues looked awesome with some coats of amber shelac