Fairtrimmer's Military Ox

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Toddbike	Fairtrimmer's Military Ox	Lead	[-]
Posts: 508 (10/13/08 07:20 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None In one of my previous CMP M1 Garand purchases there was an insert advertising Fairtrimmer's Military Ox finish. So, on my latest CMP M1 acquisition I tried it. It was easy to apply and the finished product looks good. What is it? Anyone ever used it? Any thoughts?
Cabinetman		#1	[-]
Posts: 5219 (10/14/08 02:26 PM) Host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hi Todd. From what I can determine, it is really nothing more than a proprietary BLO formula or a combination of BLO/Tung oil. I have not used it but from the description I was able to locate, it's a "plant-based" curing oil. They probably have come up with a formula specifically aimed at stock usage rather than your typical off-the-shelf BLO or TOF. So it's probably a fine finish for your Garand or any other military stock with an oiled finish. Can you report about the color and it's "smell". Does it smell like BLO? Also, is it really dark in the can or does it look like BLO or Tung, i.e. a pleasent amber color? If it's dark, then it may also have a colorant in it as well to help. Thanks for the heads-up. Rome A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.
Toddbike		#2	[-]
Posts: 509 (10/14/08 02:49 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The color and consistency of it out of the can is much like rust water out of a hand pump at the farm! It is a brown red color. Thin consistency. Very little odor. Matter of fact, my wife commented that "It doesn't stink like that other stuff you use." It does look nice on the stock. It has no sheen and gives a nice grippable surface.
Cabinetman		#3	[-]
Posts: 5220 (10/14/08 03:04 PM) Host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Surpirsed it doesn't have the same smell as BLO or Tung oil. Also sounds like it does have some color added to it. There are ways to mitigate the odor of finishes and sounds like they found one there. My rail against finish makers continues, however, as I'll bet that you can't find a list of ingredients on that can. The paint and finish industry still is exempt from having to list ingredients on their cans for some reason. What you'll most likely find is a simple description but no list of contents. Rome A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.
Toddbike		#4	[-]
Posts: 510 (10/14/08 05:02 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	There is no list of ingredients on the can. I was surprised a MSD sheet didn't come with it as well. It does have a faint odor of BLO. Call it BLO lite! Here is a picture of Military Ox on plastic and the can top: Here is what it looks like on the stock (a beat up H&R stock): Last Edited By: Toddbike 10/14/08 06:07 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cabinetman		#5	[-]
Posts: 5221 (10/14/08 06:20 PM) Host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Very nice. Proper color and sheen. The MSDS only has to show the "harmful" ingredients. Even if you obtained one, it would only show the ingredients that will/can affect your health. Inert ingredients (boiled linseed oil/tung oil) would not be listed. That causes some confusion sometimes. Rome A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.
Fogtripper		#6	[-]
Posts: 17 (10/18/08 12:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	It has a sealer in it. This is mainly why I avoid it myself. AFAIK you cannot use BLO or Tung on it after it's use. I see most people attracted to it because it reportedly dries quickly, but I kind of grimace every time they mention how "sticky and oily" BLO is. Most of the pictures shown of it's usage on a new stock are identical to what you'd expect to see using straight BLO or a BLO/OMS mix. It's a shortcut, no better IMHO than a Tung Oil Finish.
Toddbike		#7	[-]
Posts: 511 (10/18/08 05:00 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Ok, it has a sealer in it. But I have no intention of putting BLO or tung oil on it anyway. It has three strong points going for it. It is very easy apply. It looks good -- very authentic for the rifle -- on the stock. And it has a good feel on the rifle. I have many Garands. I like the feel of this finish the best. I typically shoot M1's in matches. For a rifle used like this I would use this product again.
Fogtripper		#8	[-]
Posts: 18 (10/18/08 05:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Toddbike wrote: Ok, it has a sealer in it. But I have no intention of putting BLO or tung oil on it anyway. shrug You asked for thoughts. My thought is it is about the same as Tung Oil Finish (sealer). I personally do not like using a sealer, and enjoy working with oil over time.
Cabinetman		#9	[-]
Posts: 5227 (10/19/08 10:47 AM) Host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	One of the big problems with "off the shelf" stains (Minwax for instance) is that they are not just color but color and oil mixed. You swab it on, let it dry, and that's that. The oil in the stain does, in fact, seal the surface from accepting additional coats of color. Some guys have sworn that they can apply second and even third coats but really what's happening is that any subsequent coats simply lay on the surface and don't penetrate at all. That's because the oils in the first coat cure and seal in the colorant trapped in the finish. In that light, any oiled finish will preclude most other colorants from ever penetrating. An oil finish, be it tung or blo in any interation, seals the wood. This is why I've always suggested the use of "pure" dyes or combinations of dye/stain before the oil goes on. Pure colorants (those that have NO oils added to them) can be adjusted to help arrive at the desired color of the lumber before oil or any other finish is applied. The Fairtrimmers finish you've asked about obviously has some color added to it and has combined it with an oil base. Once it's applied and has cured, subsequent coats will layer on, just like typical BLO or Tung Oil finishes will. This new stuff has stain added and can make the stock darker and more "muddied' whereas a typical blo/tung oil finish won't. What you might find attractive is to put on the first coat and if you're happy with that color, swap to blo or tung at that point. That will help build the appropriate cured-oil finish we all strive for without continuing to darken or obscure the wood and colorant below. So, if this Faritrimmer's stuff worked for you, great. I'd have to experiment quite a bit on scrap before I tried it on a Boyd's stock I just spend lots of money on, however. Still, from your photos, your stock responded well to it. Rome A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.