Sticky Stock on M1D

A little about me, I am 64, have been a military collector for almost 40 years, mainly German but expanded my interests to Japanese, Russian, Italian, French, British and US weapons, almost any weapon from WWI through Korea, I am on some different forums as caf48 and Gunrunner, could use a little help on my latest purchase.

Thanks, Chuck


Picked up an M1D in the box with the CMP paperwork from 1997, the person I bought it from had opened everything recently, the rifle was covered with something that made the stock very sticky and everything would stick to it, cleaned the metal easily but the stock is a problem, ask for ideas for cleaning on another forum, tried different methods that were suggested (I was very careful and didn't harm the stock) and the stock is better but still slightly sticky to the touch.
Any thoughts on what to do now?

I think if you've already tried to clean it then it's not BLO. Who knows what the previous owner used. Try to strip it with a commercial stripper as if it was paint. The liquid strippers won't harm it, or for a more radical approach use Easy Off. I've used it to remove grease and residuals from my M1s with no adverse affect.. Just keep rinsing. Then oil. I'm sure you'll get the phone book on this shortly...

Jim,
The sticky stuff is what ever was put on it from the CMP or when put in storage from the arsenal, the guy I got it from just opened the original shipping/storage bags with the M1D, scope with mount and accessories, the rifle was the only thing with this stuff on it, he never put anything on it.

Thanks, Chuck

post some pics of the m1D if you can:D

Please do not use stripper or Easy-off oven cleaner.

Forby's lemon oil or Howards Feed and Wax are fairly benign but I think I would just live with it at this point and do no more. First do no harm.

Could it be a layer of cosmoline ? You can search the forum on ways to remove that.
Chris

I use a British rust proofing product for cars called Waxoyl. I mix it with oil paint thinner It degreases, removes adhesives, nourish the wood and leather, protects and lubricates the metal. google it. gary

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Originally Posted by mike radford

Please do not use stripper or Easy-off oven cleaner.

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Once again here we go with the opinions. I would never do anything to a gunstock that would hurt it. I prize them more than people. They're more usefull.

Arado and MG are right though I think. It's probably just that simple. These tidbits of un-published initial information are priceless to us in assisting you...yes cosmoline is sticky and smelly. AND simple to remove.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Once again here we go with the opinions. I would never do anything to a gunstock that would hurt it. I prize them more than people. They're more usefull.

Arado and MG are right though I think. It's probably just that simple. These tidbits of un-published initial information are priceless to us in assisting you...yes cosmoline is sticky and smelly. AND simple to remove.

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Jim, I am sure you would not intentionally nor knowingly hurt a gun stock.

I am not using my opinion but going by the combined opinions I have been exposed to in the last 30 years and many from professional wood workers, gunsmiths, serious collectors and stock repairmen. I have read dozens of threads on wood care in many different forums. There is plenty of reasons to believe that Sodium Hydroxide and water are both bad medicine for wood. Use of easy off requires both. The sodium hydroxide breaks down hemicellulose, which holds wood fibers together. If it is left in place long enough it breaks down the fibers themselves as well. The water raises the wood fibers due to swelling of the fibers and will require some sanding to bring them back down. The CMP website has an article on wood care and this is what they say, saying these "chemicals and hot water are death to wood fibers". This is a 2005 article on CMP Armorer's corner regarding wood care. The text cited in in section 6.1.

This is what I have read on many forums since, like 1911 forum, Jan Stills forum plus gunboards collector, k98 and japaneses weapons forums. Similar conclusions on MRJ K98k forum.

Anyone who wishes to use Easy Off may want to do some serious homework before using it. I am convinced it is not a good idea and know I will not be using it on a gunstock. Others are free to differ.

Mineral Spirits will not harm anything. If one application does not achieve the desired result (after drying,) then wipe it down again, and again if necessary. I got two 1903s from the North Store years ago. They were so oily and sticky that I put the wood in Kitty Litter in the barn attic for a couple of years. The heat in the summer allowed the oil to migrate out of the wood, where it would be absorbed by the Kitty Litter. Several applications of mineral spirits followed, and you can now handle the rifles without that tacky feeling. BTW, I didn't apply any BLO or anything else to the wood since. They look fine, and un-messed-with.

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Originally Posted by mike radford

Sodium Hydroxide and water are both bad medicine for wood

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Once again if you search this forum, you'll find full discussions on this. These chemicals are present in the most widely accepted strippers. I've used this method and although you have to pay attention, it works flawlessly. You have to be aware that your opinion also, like mine, is just that. It's so the OP can make a decision on his own...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Once again if you search this forum, you'll find full discussions on this. These chemicals are present in the most widely accepted strippers. I've used this method and although you have to pay attention, it works flawlessly. You have to be aware that your opinion also, like mine, is just that. It's so the OP can make a decision on his own...

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I agree. Provide info and let the owner decide. I definitely would not use a stripper on a stock but I know lots of people have, do and will.

I have an opinion to offer too... "It's not people freindly" and I used it on two collector grade K98 Mausers (for a friend of mine) who supplied it for me to use on his rifles one day... (Keytone-Acetone) I think it was, completely removed "all the cosmoline" even from inside the bolt. We immidiately oiled the stocks afterwards several times, as he had said it may dry the wood so much that they may eventually crack or something. But this worked real good, However I realize it's just my opinion, and I only did it twice, and those results were good. I know that stuff is bad stuff to get on you, so many people may choose never to try to use it. I'm just saying that "I used it" and it worked on those two rifles at that time.
Its bad stuff, I remember that, but one aplication is all it took, just be careful with it if you decide to use it, and oil the heck out of your wood with "Tung oil" or something of that nature when you are done. I was told not to let those stocks sit and continue to dry out, but oil em good with tungue oil after the cleaning is done.
(This is just my opinion)... no harm intended, it worked for me, on a limited basis of two rifles.

Try a little mineral spirits in a area that doesn't show, say right in front of the trigger guard. Someone may have used linseed oil or too much BLO.

Mineral spirits will dissolve the cosmoline. I use it to thin Alox bullet lube, which is similar to cosmoline, and I have used it to clean the cosmoline out of an old Krag I bought. No big deal, no need for caustic cleaners. I believe the old GI way, when the Krag was originally issued, was dunk the metal parts in kerosene, wipe with a rag until off. With the stock it was wipe with kerosene soaked rags until it was off. The wood absorbs some of the cosmoline over time. The Krag stock I mentioned must've weighed a couple lbs more than the other I had. It absorbed so much in fact, that the cartouche is an outtie! Hard to say how long it was in there, up to 117yrs!

"cosmoline is sticky and smelly"

I LOVE the smell of Cosmo, almost as much as Hoppe's #9 -- I wanted my wife to use Hoppe's as perfume but she refused... go figure.