Stock cleaning

I just purchased a couple of stock sets that are greasy. Not only a greasy feel when touched, but some areas have fresh grease that someone applied. It looks just like plain old wheel bearing grease, not lithium grease, but the plain old brown color grease from years past. I can wipe off the new grease, but does anyone have any suggestions for a general cleaning to get rid of the greasy feel? I seem to recall someone at one time suggested Simple Green. I'm looking for a method that does not employ harsh chemicals and that is friendly to me and the wood. Suggestions? Thanks!!

Start mild and work way way to harsher methods only if necessary. Mineral spirits (paint thinner) or Simple Green and rags or fine steel wool are a good start. Placing the stock in the sun or near a heat source to warm up helps loosen the oil and make it seep out of the wood.

Wrap the stock in papertowels and place it in a black trash bag, laid across the dash in a car in the summer sun will really heat it up and the towels soak up the gunk.

Some stocks will clean up easily and some will seep every time they get in the sun.

Any rags soaked in this stuff should be soak in water and laid flat to dry to help prevent spontaneous combustion.

More drastic measures can be taken, especially if you are going to strip, sand and refinish. (TSP soak in the bathtub, cycle in the dishwasher, whiting and acetone, etc)

Bert, I use acetone followed by a wash with hand dishwashing soap and a medium brush. Let dry overnight and apply BLO.

Brad

Good advice brad. I do it the same way and it works very good.

Regards

Gunner

Same or similar here. Used stocks I get from a couple of sources: I start with paint thinner to remove the bulk of the grease. Then hot soapy water with a paintbrush to get in the nooks and crannies. Dry, then usually I need to strip them with furniture stripper and refinish them but that's only if they need it!

Lou

Hi Lou,

How many layers of BLO do you use on a Stock?

Regards,

Gunner

Mostly depends on the history of the wood. Used stock which is still pretty much saturated: a few coats will usually do.

But new stocks: I have a LongBranch No4 on which I put new stocks that Brian Dick from BDL ltd sold me, and I only used real BLO, not "Danish oil" which is linseed oil with dryers. I must have taken a month to put on some 15 or 20 coats. that was last year, this summer I will strip it down completely and give a few more coats.

Lou

Thank you Lou,

i want to restore a LE No.4 MK 1* complete with a new parkerizing and the woodwork. But on the wood i want to let the "history" that means i wont have a factorynew looking wood. How do you remove the the metalclamps on the forestock? Cut off the brass rivets or is there a easier and non destructive way ?

Regards,

Gunner

If your stock is really oil soaked, a hair dryer works wonders

easy off, then stain to taste and then several doses of BLO with a little 0000 steel wool between doses, the BLO replaces any oil that might have been leeched out by the easy off. just leave most of the dings alone to maintain character. leastwise, that's what works for me. a lot of folks say it heresy and un-american to use esay off which is okay with me, being a bonafide war criminal et all.
:)

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these all was done that way and they seem to be pretty enough:
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/63...9dacc7.jpg?v=0
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/21/33...62b320.jpg?v=0
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/3...817ff6.jpg?v=0
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three mausecateers:
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/3...929e01.jpg?v=0

Thank`s goo, you`re having some nice looking rifles. Dont know anything about tradoors, is this a .45-70 caliber?

Regards

Gunner

Goo- You're absolutely right about the Easy-Off, no matter what the experts say. Just make sure to buy the
"Heavy Duty" version, not the "Fume Free" & be absolutely certain to rinse & scrub the wood w/plenty of clean water afterwards. I usually spray the wood down w/a heavy coating, let it work f/30 minutes or so, rub all the gunk off w/paper towels & then rinse the hell out of the stock w/warm water. For really grungy wood, a 2nd application may be required. Let the wood dry f/@ least 24 hours afterwards. Always wear eye protection, rubber gloves & have plenty of ventilation when doing this job, Easy-Off is VERY strong. Old clothes are a good idea, too, and lately I've even started wearing a throw-away filter mask. I've used this method on 9 or 10 stock sets over the last 10 years & have never encountered as problem with walnut, beech or mahogany & the wood usually comes out looking like new. HTH.
Donzi