What is it? 🤔 

Historically used on UK Rifles, Red Oil is a traditional, deep, warm finish for wood stocks, created by steeping alkanet root in boiled linseed oil (for months), then layering it repeatedly into the wood grain (sometimes 60+ coats) with other oils, waxes, and driers, building depth and enhancing the wood's figure for a classic, lustrous look. It involves staining the wood with the coloured oil (red root oil) to develop colour and then using clear finishing oils and fillers to achieve a smooth, durable, satin sheen.  

Why it is used:

• Develops deep, rich, warm colours in walnut and many other wood stocks.

• Enhances the natural grain and figuring of the wood.

• Creates a durable, classic, satin sheen favoured by many high-end gun-makers.

• "Red Oil" is a traditional, ‘soft’ oil finish that sets in the wood, rather than on it. These finishes are far more long lasting. They age with the gun, weather nicely and can be replenished from time to time without the need for stripping.