Printable View
Just got a GEW 88 in great shape, it looks like the the previous owner put a coat or two of linseed oil and quite posssibly stain over the stock / hanguard. Any suggestion on how to possibly remove this finish? and bring it back to its original glory.
I wouldn't know how to un-stain a stock. As for the oil, wrap the stock in paper towels wrap inside a black trash bag. Put it on the rear deck of your car under the rear window and sweat out some of the surface oil.
T
I'm pretty sure I will have to live with the stain color, which isn't bad but the shine on the wood I'd like to undo.
The bag thing works in the summertime and usually for cosmoline. I'd steam then bleach the wood then re-stain with spirit based stain to my liking then use BLO anyway. If your not up to a complete refinish I"d leave it alone because there's no easy way to do it.
Why do you say BLO? real glossy?. I could show two rifles, one with a 75yr finish and one I did two months ago with BLO and you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.
Whatever finish you have if it's too glossy take 0000 steel wool and rub it down. For the rifles sake I hope your not dealing with the dreaded Bubba Goo!!!!...:eek:
Yes, its very glossy for a military rifle, I don't think its varnish I just have seen some linseed oiled rifles that dried that looked the same....I'm no expert. I was considering the steel wool option. I really do like the rifle (obviously, I bought it) just wanted knock the sheen down a bit and not cause any harm to the rifle. If I could figure out how to insert a pic I would.Quote:
Originally Posted by WarPig1976
If you think it is linseed oil, but looks too shiny, like a varnish, then maybe someone put it on with a trowel.
In which case...
No need to cook the stock - and maybe warp it.
Just take a roll of paper kitchen towelling and some natural turpentine. Moisten a piece of paper towelling with the turpentine and rub down the stock. Quite possibly, it will take off a lot of gunk. And dull the shine. Keep at it until the wood has a "normal" appearance for an oiled stock, and polish off any traces of turpentine. Adequate ventilation is advised, so that you don't get too happy on turpentine fumes! If natural turpentine has no effect whatsoever, then the finish is not linseed oil!
That sounds like the ticket and I'll try it in an inconspicuous spot and see what happensQuote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick
I post pictures through Tapatalk,,, much easier.
Be careful with solvents since you suspect the wood has already been stained, probably oil based, since you could unintentionally rub spots right through.
OK - anyone find it odd his gew88 has a handguard?
Turked 88/35?
Not seeing the pics...
T
There aren't any...at this point.Quote:
Originally Posted by majspud
OOps....Slip of the tongueQuote:
Originally Posted by mtoms
---------- Post added at 08:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 AM ----------
I wouldn't know how to post them to save my life....I don't even know what tapatalk is (I'm Old)Quote:
Originally Posted by majspud
You could Email them to me and I'll post them for you...Quote:
Originally Posted by hammer62
I tried to send you an email with pic....could not figure out how to add the attachment......excuse my ineptitudeQuote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
Check your PMs...
Here's Hammer62's pics for you guys to check out...
Thank the good Lord, not Bubba goo!!!. Looks to be a legit aged oil finish OR BLO from the receiver ring closeup. I like the look,,color and all,,if it where me I'd leave it but hey it's a free country...
I'd probably leave it alone too.
The pictures don't do the sheen justice. It is very glossy. I was just looking for some re-assurance either way on what to do with it before I acted either way. Thanks guys for all your suggestions, I'm still on the fence. But alot of good suggestions
Hmmmm????
The receiver ring looks rather too shiny to have just been covered with linseed oil. The original metal surface becomes increasingly dull - even rusty - with age. It does not become shinier! There is something on top of the metal. It could indeed be some kind of varnish. I have seen several old rifles that were varnished, and in many cases, removing the varnish showed up a much better looking surface underneath. However, it is necessary to proceed carefully...
1) You will have to remove the barrelled action from the stock.
2) Does the shiny surface of the wood go round the top of the stock into the barrel channel or handguard? If so, then the stock was "painted" - but with what?
3) Caution - irreversible action! Try dabbing and rubbing a test area inside the barrel channel or handguard with a cloth well-wetted with turpentine.
4) If the turpentine soaks into the test area and you can feel it rubbing on the wood fibres, indicating that the surface finish is being softened, then it is a linseed oil finish. Proceed as described in my previous post.
5) If the turpentine just swims on the top and the cloth just slides around with practically no friction, i.e. no softening, then you have a "treacle rifle".
- Do not be disheartened! For "before" and "after pics of a treacle rifle, go here:
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....=treacle+rifle
and here
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....=treacle+rifle
Whereby you will discover just what I mean by a treacle rifle. And how to deal with it!
Unless he oiled it...Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick
... well I'm assuming that if it was simply oil, he would have wiped it off!
Thers nothing on the metal, it is just as it is supposed to be.... I assume, after 124 years I am just confused over the reddish color of the wood and of course the sheen.
OK, got that. It's very difficult to judge a surface from photos.
As to the red colour, this could, for instance, be caused by the use of a finish involving shellac.
Enough of speculative musings - Why not simply try the turpentine test I suggested?
Try Patrick's method. If the turps cuts the finish, you'll know it's linseed. If it doesn't, you need to get the correct chemical strippers for both lacquer/varnish and polyurethane and test those too. I've got a couple of SMLEs here now in polyurethane and it's a job to get it off but your wood will be much healthier and nice looking when done.
I plan on it this weekend.......thanks for your helpQuote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick
3 possibilities:
On a suitably discreet test area:
1) Rub with turpentine. If that takes off the shine, it is an oil finish.
If not...
2) Rub with alcohol/methylated spirits. If that takes off the shine, it is shellac.
If not...
3) It is some kind of varnish, and the jelly-type paint stripper is the best way to remove it. GOOD NEWS: as shown elsewhere (if you followed my links) after stripping and removing any stripper residue, you can go straight to linseed oil application.
Please note: old wood needs to be treated with a bit of respect. Follow the order above.
At NO TIME do you need water, caustic soda, oven cleaner or sandpaper!
Thanks for the sound advise Patrick, (and everyone else) the shellac and reddish tinted finish came off with alcohol and left me with some beautiful wood underneath with some slight tiger striping all I had to do was apply a few coats of BLO and I was left with a beautiful finish.......I couldn't be more pleased. thanks again!Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick
"Thanks for the sound advise Patrick, (and everyone else) the shellac and reddish tinted finish came off with alcohol and left me with some beautiful wood underneath with some slight tiger striping all I had to do was apply a few coats of BLOhttps://www.milsurps.com/autolinker/images/link6.gif and I was left with a beautiful finish.......I couldn't be more pleased. thanks again! "
So how about a photo?
I was hoping someone would ask.........I'd need to email my pics to someone as I still have no idea how to post them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick
Here's the pics for Hammer62...
Well, that's lovely!
And it demonstrates, once again, that you should not be put off by a "treacle" rifle. In fact, go for them - the underlying wood is often better preserved than on un-Bubba-ed originals!
I'm sure that there are several ways to refinish, but I just wanted to add a product I swear by called 'Formby's Antique Refinisher. It is designed to refinish old antique wood removing stain, gunk, etc, but not 'strip' the finish. I've used it on several old gun stocks and it always worked very well, leaving the original finish of the wood.
Here's an internet link that I just came upon with a simple search showing a can and how well it works.
AOL Image Search result for "http://twinoaksstudio.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/formbys.jpg?w=590&h=747"
I've easily restored several rifle stocks that had been varnished and darkened over the many years. I just searched my computer and found 'before and after' photos of a nasty old smoking stand I refinished easily. It only took about an hour or so and with just saturated rags soaked with Formsby's the final finish was amazing. I didn't even need to do anything else...
Note the hinges covered with varnish buildup, nicotine, and all kinds of nasty crap. They melted and wiped clean and didn't harm the metal at all.
You can find Formsby's at most any hardware store, and I bought it the first time from an antique shop.
I hope this helps, as I've found this product amazing.
~ Harlan