Enfield Wood Work

[Stuck]

Hi all,

Does anyone know from what type wood the wood work on a '47 No.5 was made?

More importantly does anyone know how they were originally finished? (i.e. oiled or varnished?)

Thanks in advance,

Mick.

[saddler]

Look in THE BOOK

Enfield Story, by Ian Skennerton

All your answers, plus the answers to the questions that you have not yet thought of...

[Gaz]

Usually beech on post-war new build rifles, oiled with linseed oil. Do you have a picture?

[Stuck]

guys,

Beech sounds about right, havent got a picture of how it is at the moment as im sanding away a dozen layers of varnish.

Saddler, that looks a cracking book but I'm not paying £150!

[ukrifleman]

guys,

Beech sounds about right, havent got a picture of how it is at the moment as im sanding away a dozen layers of varnish.

Saddler, that looks a cracking book but I'm not paying £150!

Henry Krank has the Skennerton book in stock at £49-95, it is 608 pages of brilliant information in hard back.
ukrifleman.

[Alpha1]

Try ABE books they deal in second hand books.

[Rearlugs]

Most No5s built by BSA and Fazakerley were stocked in beech, however the earlier pattern wood without a nosecap was often walnut.

India later made a very large number of replacement wood sets for their No5s, and this wood is a dense grain type that also resembles walnut.

[huntervixen]

Just to add my bit to the wood refinishing, make sure you use raw and not boiled linseed oil, raw is the correct military finish.