Linseed oil for AK maple stock?

[High Noon]

Would some linseed oil bring out the grain in a light maple Zastava ZPAP stock?  The cool grain is there but not that visible.

Was wondering what could be done to highlight the grain.  I've read this is a very popular and easy to use option on wood stocks (or any light wood).

Is there a better choice for a "do it yourselfer" with no stock finishing experience?

It's this model....


Thanks!

[Phosphorus32]

If it has a finish on it already, even a light oil finish (like linseed oil, or boiled linseed oil) it's not going to make any difference. To get the grain to pop you'll likely need to strip the factory finish and then stain it, and finally finish with a linseed oil based top coat.

[High Noon]

If it has a finish on it already, even a light oil finish (like linseed oil, or boiled linseed oil) it's not going to make any difference. To get the grain to pop you'll likely need to strip the factory finish and then stain it, and finally finish with a linseed oil based top coat. 

It appears to not have any stain or finish at all.   That was why I thought something could be applied as is to help protect it and enhance the look.  If I use it, then dirty hands might force dirt into the grain.

Maybe I'm wrong, so I'll have to look at it again.    Perhaps it's just a very light coat...?

A better pic I found of a similar one.

[longhairlimy]

I have used Citrus stripper to take any factory coating off with good results.After wiping it down with wet water rag towel dry and go over with 0000 steel wool.No sanding!!!   The water will raise the grain.Use to 0000 to calm it down. I let mine dry for a week or two before i oil.

[Greasemonkey]

I just cheated.. a Romanian..of course.. furniture on one of my MAK90s..  I stripped the wood, went about half stupid and now have like 8 coats of red shellac on it..






The really featureless blah looking PSL stock got the same treatment..

This was just a walnut stain.. before the shellac..


only photo after.. with my NHM91 RPK..




Now... I'd love to have an Ak stock like on my Suomi.. 

[longhairlimy]

Amber shellac is a good base to start,can add colors. Can get it at any Ace hardware. If you feel the need like I did to a few SKS stocks and AK's. Got to Shellac.net.They offer Shellac flake by the pound.My last order was for "Thai SEED Lac Shellac" I mixed in some red rite powered dye.  Came out like the red on a russian Mosin Nagant.

[Dedeagach]

Might I recommend TruOil which is a wiping varnish - it coats the outside and has some linseed oil in it so is compatible with an oil finish underneath. There are other similar varnishes that may cost less at HD and Lowes etc.
Oil finishes will soak into the wood, when dry with enough coats will shine a little.They will uniformly darken the wood so may make the wood detail look better. 
TruOil will cover the top with depth and shine.

The below is fancy or exhibition walnut.  Made by user "Flypaper" on falfiles. I put a mix of BLO and Truoil for first coat, then did like 5 more coats just Truoil. No sanding in between, I think it was 225 sanded and I wanted a decent grip. My bottle of TruOil wasn't drying as fast as people say, so I assumed there might be a problem, and bought some Japan Dryer and added in which solved that.

[Dedeagach]

These are what the FAL wood looked like unfinished.

Honestly there are multiple ways to go about refinishing. Shellac also does a top layer and I believe will allow an oil coat underneath. Real Tung and Linseed oil, when dry, will make a shiny polymerized layer on top. And the more modern stuff uses Polyurethane finishes, which are probably stronger but you may need equipment to properly apply. I think poly can go on more clear. One could also look at spar varnish but it takes a long time to dry and stays yellow like oils.

FYI my brother got a can of spray on shellac from HD and put it on a stock, while shooting in AZ heat it melted an impression of shooting bag into the wood the stock was resting on. So not all products are equal.