Help restoring my enfield

[beachhead1973]

hi, i'm new to the forum and i have a serious question.

i am restoring my first gun, a MKIII* SMLE which has been, you guessed it sporterized.

i have all the wood stock parts, but they are kind of beat up, i've cleaned them up the best i can, butthey are full of dings and divots and i think i should re-do the finish at least for the sake of presreving the wood.

so basically i have two questions;

1. what kind of stain/varnish/shalack/laqure should i use?
2. what's this i hear about putting wooden gun stocks in the DISHWASHER?

Information

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[Claven2]

DO NOT USE THE DISHWASHER. It may split, the fibers will raise and it almost certainly will warp the forestock.

If you MUST strip it clean, but some TSP soap (hardware store) and get a bucket of HOT water. Mix in some TSP and use a scrub brush dunked in the solution to repeatedly clean the stock. Dry it with a rag periodically and try to avoid getting too much water on the end grain. Let it sir dry. If it gets hairy, smooth the wood with #0000 steel wool lubricated with boiled linseed oil.

The proper finish is boiled linseed oil, no stain.

[beachhead1973]

should i strip it then?

this really is my first restoration foray and i am very lost in the woods

[sdh1911]

Claven2 gave you the same advice as I would and I do that for a living. Take your time and make sure your surfaces are dry before oil and you'll be in great shape-SDH

[thumperpaul]

I restored my #4 MK1* Sporter as well. I ended up using Acetone to completely remove all of the old varnish and finish from the wood, and then put 3 coats of boiled linseed oil on it to bring back the original look. It's what they used during the war-gave it a very durable, waterproof finish. BLO also brings out the grain of the wood nicely, without a "varnished' appearance.

[K31]

I have cleaned MANY old military stocks, and have tried all of the above treatments. The BEST treatment I have found is to scrub the stock with a strong solution of MURPHY's OIL SOAP in warm water. If the stock is extremely filthy, use a green scouring pad with the soap. The only stock that this didn't work on, was a laminated K98k stock. The MURPHY's soap is also a LOT safer and more pleasant to use than acetone, oven cleaner, witches brews, etc. Scrub until the wood looks really clean, then stand in a warm room to dry for a few days. Then use boiled linseed oil as your finish. Please don't sand the wood, most of these stocks have already been sanded, and in the future you will kick yourself for doing it. TRUST ME! I have done it! Also, the cleaning will reveal all sorts of neat markings that you couldn't see before.

[LSU Tiger]

Some time ago, I spoke with Scott Duff about M-1 rifles and the subject came up about cleaning wood. His answer: 409 and paper towels. The 409 cuts the grease and oil and the paper towels will soak up the gunk that floats out of the wood. I tried it and it works. Simple Green works well also, and isn't as hard on the hands.

I firmly believe that plain BLO is a useless finish for a stock as it never dries and offers no real protection from the elements. Rain or sweaty hands will dissolve it off of the stock. I know, we won't purposefully take our rifles into a rain storm, but, we've all been caught in the rain while shooting! I use Formby's low gloss tung oil finish. It's really more of a thin varnish, but applied with a rag it gives a near perfect finish and it dries (!). Three or four coats gives a beautiful, water resistant finish.

[happydude]

I firmly believe that plain BLO is a useless finish for a stock as it never dries and offers no real protection from the elements. Rain or sweaty hands will dissolve it off of the stock. I know, we won't purposefully take our rifles into a rain storm, but, we've all been caught in the rain while shooting! I use Formby's low gloss tung oil finish. It's really more of a thin varnish, but applied with a rag it gives a near perfect finish and it dries (!). Three or four coats gives a beautiful, water resistant finish.

I don't know what kind of Boiled Linseed Oil you're using, but the BLO finish I put on two of my rifles, as well at the finish that came standard on my Enfields, isn't anything like what you've described. In fact, I have a Mosin Nagant with a BLO finish that has been swimming and has come out unharmed.

[Oatmeal Savage]

Sounds like raw linseed oil?

I firmly believe that plain BLO is a useless finish for a stock as it never dries and offers no real protection from the elements. Rain or sweaty hands will dissolve it off of the stock. I know, we won't purposefully take our rifles into a rain storm, but, we've all been caught in the rain while shooting! I use Formby's low gloss tung oil finish. It's really more of a thin varnish, but applied with a rag it gives a near perfect finish and it dries (!). Three or four coats gives a beautiful, water resistant finish.

[LSU Tiger]

I don't know what kind of Boiled Linseed Oil you're using, but the BLO finish I put on two of my rifles, as well at the finish that came standard on my Enfields, isn't anything like what you've described. In fact, I have a Mosin Nagant with a BLO finish that has been swimming and has come out unharmed.

Sounds like raw linseed oil?

I used the BLO sold at Home Depot. I wound up using it to make an 18th century cooked oil varnish, for that it works great. After I discovered tung oil, never again will I use BLO.