I am rebuilding an old Sportmodell 33 with a stock made of elm wood. I had to mend a couple of places on it, and also, make a new foreend - it has been cut off at the barrel band. I'll need to make a new handguard for it too. Do any of you know what the original finish was? I know my Sportmodell 33 Junior has shellac on it. The finish that was on my elm stock looks a little like shellac, but alcohol doesn't seem to dissolve it well. It also clogged my sandpaper, in a way similar to how an oil finish would. The finish has also penetrated deep into some of the pores.
What do you gentleman think the original finish might have been? "French polish" of shellack and oil? A Nitrocellulose varnish, like Cellon? Simply shellack? Tung oil, perhaps?
There seems to have been some stain on it. It was very dirty when I got it, so I am not sure what was dirt and what was stain. And advice obout what was used in the 30s will be most appreciated.
Dave