Swede '96

Hi all, I just acquired a '96 Swede, it's in good-very good condition, but the stock is a bit dry and crusty looking. I'd like to tidy it up a little. If it was an Enfield I'd give it a wipe over with boiled linseed oil and some steel wool (0000) , and then a rag. Is this appropriate for a Swede, or is there some other wood conditioner that I should use to clean it up and stop it looking so dry?
Can post pics a bit later.

T-bone,

I've had a number of swedes, plus a Ljungman, and they had a couple different wood finishes. I had two early walnut stocks with an oil finish. The rifles with beech or white wood stocks seemed to be finished in a sort of shellac that sat on top of the wood, rather than penetrating. That stuff can be cleaned off with solvent. Unless you are dead set on complete accuracy, cleaning the old finish off and redoing the stock with oil will bring out whatever beauty is in the wood. If you want complete, museum-quality accuracy you can use old finish as a base for more of the same. Use thinned shellac as a cleaning solvent, then shellac over it when it dries.

Good luck!

jn

I've seen on alot of the really nice new looking ones, in Beech I presume, a reddish finish, similar to Savage No4's. This rifle is stocked in beech, and I just wanted to refresh it and preserve rather then refinish it. I could easily wipe it with turps and give it a wipe with shellac, I just don't want to end up with an obvious "re done" looking rifle. Just clean, tidy and maintained.