By Leigh Bean
Designed in 1947 by Mikhail Kalashnikov, the AK-47 assault rifle was intended for military use. Cheap, tough and totally lacking in sophistication, the AK-47 has found its way into the hands of millions of people from all walks of life from lawmen to the lawless, from soldiers to insurgents. The AK-47 handguards, stocks and other wooden 'furniture' parts may be restained and refinished to make it last even longer than its near seventy years of hard use.
There are a number of different methods to approaching this task. One approach is to use a common household ingredient, food coloring. To prepare the handguard and other wooden parts, isolate them from the metal parts of the rifle itself and sand them down to the bare wood under warm water. Next, smear on the food coloring using a lint-free cloth. It may look pink to begin with; don't be alarmed. Repeat several times, allowing the wood to dry in between. Carefully wipe off any excess food coloring and leave the wood to dry for at least an hour.
There are a number of different methods to approaching this task. One approach is to use a common household ingredient, food coloring. To prepare the handguard and other wooden parts, isolate them from the metal parts of the rifle itself and sand them down to the bare wood under warm water. Next, smear on the food coloring using a lint-free cloth. It may look pink to begin with; don't be alarmed. Repeat several times, allowing the wood to dry in between. Carefully wipe off any excess food coloring and leave the wood to dry for at least an hour.
Next, smear on some tung oil with a new, lint-free cloth. Leave it to dry for between two and five hours. Buff to a smooth finish with some 00 steel wool. Add a second coat of tung oil, this time giving it about eight hours to a day to dry. Repeat as desired. Four or five coats will be sufficient, although using as many as 12 will result in a tough, glassy shine. Tung oil is used to seal out moisture and make it both scratch- and moisture-resistant. The color may darken with age.
Another approach is to apply a commercially-available domestic dye, followed by a spray-on polyurethane finish. This is the same stuff you would use to tie-dye a T-shirt. It is water based and dries within 15-20 minutes. Use light strokes, otherwise you will end up wiping it off. It looks closer to how it will turn out when it is still wet. As it dries, it goes dull but it will be rejuvenated when the polyurethane is applied.
Wiping polyurethane instead of spraying will remove some of the color. Spray the first coat from about a foot away and do it lightly to avoid getting runs and streaks. There is a bit of texturing as the light hits it.
Not everyone is a fan of sanding because it can be messy. In this case, the old finish can be removed using acetone. Work in a well-ventilated room wearing eye protection and gloves because acetone is caustic. Use a glass pan instead of plastic because acetone dissolves plastic. Scrub gently with steel wool as if you're washing the dinner dishes. You don't need a lot of pressure. Acetone really raises the grain on the wood and provides a smooth finish.
You may wish to soak the wooden parts in a solution of 25% household bleach in water. This will lighten the color of the wood and enable it to better accept the color. Next, apply a tinted shellac with light brush strokes. This dries quickly so you an apply one coat each hour. Smooth out the resulting 'orange peel' look with 0000-grade steel wool. You will end up with a lovely, satin-smooth finish.
These techniques can be applied to any ty
Another approach is to apply a commercially-available domestic dye, followed by a spray-on polyurethane finish. This is the same stuff you would use to tie-dye a T-shirt. It is water based and dries within 15-20 minutes. Use light strokes, otherwise you will end up wiping it off. It looks closer to how it will turn out when it is still wet. As it dries, it goes dull but it will be rejuvenated when the polyurethane is applied.
Wiping polyurethane instead of spraying will remove some of the color. Spray the first coat from about a foot away and do it lightly to avoid getting runs and streaks. There is a bit of texturing as the light hits it.
Not everyone is a fan of sanding because it can be messy. In this case, the old finish can be removed using acetone. Work in a well-ventilated room wearing eye protection and gloves because acetone is caustic. Use a glass pan instead of plastic because acetone dissolves plastic. Scrub gently with steel wool as if you're washing the dinner dishes. You don't need a lot of pressure. Acetone really raises the grain on the wood and provides a smooth finish.
You may wish to soak the wooden parts in a solution of 25% household bleach in water. This will lighten the color of the wood and enable it to better accept the color. Next, apply a tinted shellac with light brush strokes. This dries quickly so you an apply one coat each hour. Smooth out the resulting 'orange peel' look with 0000-grade steel wool. You will end up with a lovely, satin-smooth finish.
These techniques can be applied to any ty
Wiping polyurethane instead of spraying will remove some of the color. Spray the first coat from about a foot away and do it lightly to avoid getting runs and streaks. There is a bit of texturing as the light hits it.
Not everyone is a fan of sanding because it can be messy. In this case, the old finish can be removed using acetone. Work in a well-ventilated room wearing eye protection and gloves because acetone is caustic. Use a glass pan instead of plastic because acetone dissolves plastic. Scrub gently with steel wool as if you're washing the dinner dishes. You don't need a lot of pressure. Acetone really raises the grain on the wood and provides a smooth finish.
You may wish to soak the wooden parts in a solution of 25% household bleach in water. This will lighten the color of the wood and enable it to better accept the color. Next, apply a tinted shellac with light brush strokes. This dries quickly so you an apply one coat each hour. Smooth out the resulting 'orange peel' look with 0000-grade steel wool. You will end up with a lovely, satin-smooth finish.
These techniques can be applied to any type of wood finishing. Try different staining techniques with different finishes. At the end of the day (or days), what you will have is beautifully finished AK-47 handguards and weapon you will be proud to shoot.
About the Author:
Not everyone is a fan of sanding because it can be messy. In this case, the old finish can be removed using acetone. Work in a well-ventilated room wearing eye protection and gloves because acetone is caustic. Use a glass pan instead of plastic because acetone dissolves plastic. Scrub gently with steel wool as if you're washing the dinner dishes. You don't need a lot of pressure. Acetone really raises the grain on the wood and provides a smooth finish.
You may wish to soak the wooden parts in a solution of 25% household bleach in water. This will lighten the color of the wood and enable it to better accept the color. Next, apply a tinted shellac with light brush strokes. This dries quickly so you an apply one coat each hour. Smooth out the resulting 'orange peel' look with 0000-grade steel wool. You will end up with a lovely, satin-smooth finish.
These techniques can be applied to any type of wood finishing. Try different staining techniques with different finishes. At the end of the day (or days), what you will have is beautifully finished AK-47 handguards and weapon you will be proud to shoot.
About the Author:
Visit www.frontlinearsenal.com to find high-quality ak-47 handguards. To view our extensive selection of popular gun accessories, click the links at http://www.frontlinearsenal.com now.