Rotten Stone finishes out a stock like nothing else

[JDHasty]

We’ve always had it around. My mother used it to take a water ring off a beautiful end table when I was about five years old and it could be bought at Monkey Ward or Sears Roebuck, but the only place that seems to stock it these days is Rockler.

I let the final coat of Tru Oil cure for a month or more and then go after it with mineral oil and rotten stone before giving it a couple coats of Ren Wax and the result isn’t a gloss finish, but it presents the figure in the wood as well as a gloss finish. It isn’t quite a “matt finish,” like you get from a 4-0 steel wool rubdown either, but it does away with the reflections the way a steel wool rubdown does. I think maybe it is best called a lustrous finish and such a finish really pleases my sensibilities.

To the best of my knowledge Rainbow, the company that makes Thin Set, grout and concrete cement pigments is the only company packaging it these days. The last three or four times I’ve bought it it has been Rainbow brand. Here’s a hint if it’s a new product for you, they package it in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box and they fill the bag and then twist it closed and put it in the box such that the twisted top of the bag is at the bottom of the box. So, open the box and turn it over so it sits on your bench and then gently lift the box off the bag. That way it doesn’t end up all over the floor and you can re close the bag by twisting it and putting a bread bag clip or twist tie on it.

I have a couple 3/4 inch thick wool felt pads I use to rub finishes out with mineral oil and rotten stone. I am not sure where/if a guy would get them these days. I grew up with them. My aunt used wool felt pads on chairs she reupholstered fifty years ago and my little pads were cut from the scrap by my mother. I’ve tried other things, but the thick wool felt is far and away the best if you can come up with it.

I try and rub with the grain, but rotten stone and mineral oil is really forgiving and maybe it really doesn’t matter. Making sure the finish is sufficiently cured before rubbing it out makes a difference though.

I really can’t put into words what it is, but the resultant finish has an apparent depth to it and it always looks to me like it’s “old.” Not old as in deteriorated or failing, but old like well aged. Maybe like I’ve seen on antique marble.

[Daryl]

When I was doing that sort of thing, I found Rotten Stone and Pumice to be about the same for reducing the shin0e of True Oil to a glow.

[Hog Patrol]

Sixty some odd years ago, I decided to refinish the stock on my father's Stevens 325A in 30-30 with multiple applications of rotten stone and Linspeed. Except for a few dings from deer hunting, it still looks the same.

[17CalFan]

Brownells still sells it. I bought some a few years back but haven't tried it yet. Don't even remember my plans for it but I'm anxious to try it out.

[17VLD]

It has been ridden hard and put up wet so to speak.I have always wondered the best way to go about getting it back to its original beauty,it’s a VE so I think it will be worth the effort.Perhaps rotten stone is something I should try.The stock has a few water marks on the forend.

Matt