As a part of this continuing saga, some might recall that I've been playing with a sporterized No.1 Mk.III Lee Enfield, with the idea of turning it into a reasonable copy of a Lee Speed sporting rifle.

While the metal is away at the gunsmith (having an SARCO express sight installed, barrel recrowned, front swivel installed on the barrel and likely re-blued), I've been working on the wood.

So far ...

I'd like to have the traditional alkanet root stain and oil finish, as mentioned above. I've mixed up the stain using 1/2 gum turps/1/2 BLO, with alkanet root powder mixed in. I've attached a photo of the results on a scrap buttstock.

Here's a test:

For the oil finish, I'm going to try the one described by John Bivins ...

More to come over time!