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Does anyone know how to recreate the finish of the early russian sks? I want to my sks with a similar finish. Thanks!
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Shellac, clean first then slap it on. it dries fast and is durable. get the amber shellac from the big box store. most do not like it because they want that custom deer rifle look. you will not be sorry with the results. like all finishes if you do not like it you can strip it off and start over.
i just bought a 1944 mosin PU sniper and the original shellac was flaking off. i wanted to shoot the rifle but did not want to deteriorate the finish. i put a thin coat of shellac on it. it sealed to finish so no more flaking and i can use the rifle. it still looks like a WW 2 rifle. i also put it on my Chinese SKS which did not come with shellac on them as far as i know. -
Like this?
(Note: photos from the web. Not my rifles)
Black shoe leather dye for the dark accents topped off with garnet shellac flakes mixed with denatured alcohol to the appropriate "weight" or trans-tint reddish brown dye #6003 in Zinsser Amber premixed shellac. After the last coat, let the shellac fully harden for a few days, and you can cut the gloss with 0000 steel wool dipped in BLO or Tung oil.
Practice applying shellac on scrap wood first. It's very easy to work with and any mistakes can be repaired on the next coats, but is totally different than any other wood finishing product. It dries extremely fast. It can be sprayed, brushed or wiped on with a cloth. Try different "weights" by small changes in the amount of added denatured alcohol.Last edited by hifiguns; 09-09-2013, 8:24 AM.Comment
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my biggest problem was it dried while i was applying it. the above photos look very nice indeed. like he said give it a few days to really harden than use the 0000 steel wool.
i bought a replacement stock for my PU sniper and used shellac on it. why not use what the Russians put on it.Comment
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YOU NEED A GUN TRUST.
TLCGunTrust@gmail.com
Nothing I post here constitutes legal advice, nor can it establish an attorney/client relationship.Comment
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i have not had a problem with it ?Comment
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the above pic is mine of some of my Soviet SKS rifles...Like this?
(Note: photos from the web. Not my rifles)
Black shoe leather dye for the dark accents topped off with garnet shellac flakes mixed with denatured alcohol to the appropriate "weight" or trans-tint reddish brown dye #6003 in Zinsser Amber premixed shellac. After the last coat, let the shellac fully harden for a few days, and you can cut the gloss with 0000 steel wool dipped in BLO or Tung oil.
Practice applying shellac on scrap wood first. It's very easy to work with and any mistakes can be repaired on the next coats, but is totally different than any other wood finishing product. It dries extremely fast. It can be sprayed, brushed or wiped on with a cloth. Try different "weights" by small changes in the amount of added denatured alcohol.
Here is a pic of the other side of the same rifles....
A close up of the color of the stock.
If your interested in recreating this finish you will need to tint the shellac... Some have used "rit" dye......No need to use any black shoe dye... The mottling comes from the underlying color of the wood, which has different colors absorbing the shellac and becoming darker.....The shellac is pretty dark to begin with so there is no need to use any coloring other than the dyed shellac....It's also just brushed on.. No need to get real picky withy having a smooth application. In fact the more you mess with it the worse it will look.... Just brush it on and leave it be.Last edited by SVT-40; 09-09-2013, 12:41 PM.Poke'm with a stick!
Originally posted by fiddletownComment
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Beautiful SKS's SVT-40, did you freshen the shellac finish up on them or is that how you bought'em ?Thank you for your donation to The Calguns Foundation!Comment
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That was exactlyy what I was looking for. Thanks so much for the information all. How many coats of shellac needed to be put on?the above pic is mine of some of my Soviet SKS rifles...
Here is a pic of the other side of the same rifles....
A close up of the color of the stock.
If your interested in recreating this finish you will need to tint the shellac... Some have used "rit" dye......No need to use any black shoe dye... The mottling comes from the underlying color of the wood, which has different colors absorbing the shellac and becoming darker.....The shellac is pretty dark to begin with so there is no need to use any coloring other than the dyed shellac....It's also just brushed on.. No need to get real picky withy having a smooth application. In fact the more you mess with it the worse it will look.... Just brush it on and leave it be.Comment
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SVT-40: I put "Russian SKS" as a search term in Google images, and there they were. Perfect examples. Those are some of the nicest Russian SKS's I've seen. I think we all want ours to look like yours.
gretcsh: number of coats depends on the "weight" of the shellac (amount of shellac per volume of alcohol). I would go on the thin side. Don't apply it too thick, because it doesn't look authentic. You can always add more coats.
It's not a durable finish like varnish or polys, but it's impervious to grease and oil and many solvents even acetone. It's water resistant, as long as water doesn't sit on it (turns white, but that can be fixed with alcohol). It's easy to get a beautiful finish. It's easy to apply. Easy to repair. Dries super fast. You can't duplicate the look with modern finishes.Last edited by hifiguns; 09-09-2013, 2:34 PM.Comment
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WOW !?!?! I almost drew back a bloody stump there. Sorry for speaking such herasy Sir SVT-40
I was just looking for a little guidance on how to make my SKS Letter Gun and the '54 Izhevsk I am expecting in the mail by the end of the week look as good as yours sir. No harm ment and please don't tar and feather me
Last edited by yatzee982; 09-09-2013, 9:58 PM.Thank you for your donation to The Calguns Foundation!Comment
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Your best bet is probably a good quality flake shellac cut with high proof alcohol
No need for dyes, and definitely no need for shoe polish. The tiger striping occurs naturally in the birch wood. You can blend shellacs to achieve a tone. A ruby would probably be close. (shellac.net)
Shellac is simple to work with, but its a bit tricky. It takes some technique and practice
I wouldn't advise stripping an original finish just to try to make it prettier
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i used shellac on my chinese SKS and am happy i did. i have tried mini wax and other things and they all work ok.Comment
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