1942 Savage No4 Mk1* bright blonde wood color/type

[gou]

Hi everyone, new on the forums.

I'm currently looking to buy a no4 mk1, and I found one, but I am not exactly sure about the wood furniture. Everything is fine on the rifle, but the stock is very bright, almost yellow. I want the rifle to be as original as possible, that's why I'm asking you guys. I've searched the forum but I couldn't find any information about this stock style (except for the No4 Mk2's).

Could it be an original, or is it refurbished? Thanks!

Information

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[Bindi2]

That furniture has been cleaned and is mostly the colour as it left the factory except in the dings where the dirt still is. It could have been sold out of service like that. Don't fret.

[Peter Laidler]

Birch and beech ARE naturally pale woods...... that's what you'd expect! Whether it's refurbished or original is open to question. But in the REAL world you can bet your last dollar that it has been through an Armourers shop MANY times in its life so you can say it has been refurbished

[gou]

Alright, but is a pale stock unusual? I've seen many pictures of differents rifles but very rarely this pale. Is it a rare sight?

[Bindi2]

No not unusual I have a blonde No5 that is getting darker with handling.

[Roger Payne]

The stock is birch but has either been cleaned off back to its natural colour, or is unstained. Savage rifles were mostly stocked up in birch from the factory, but are generally stained a nice reddish-brown colour. If it is of Savage manufacture & has been cleaned off, you might still be able to see the squared off 'S' on it somewhere, so long as it hasn't been taken down too much. Hope that helps a little.

[browningautorifle]

That stock has been sanded and most of the darker dye has been lost. Once that happens, the wood is hard to return to dark. You can sand them to glass and white but not the reverse...good luck getting it dark again. Yes, it's been overhauled and worked on. Original? How could that be after 70+ years? It's now a good clean example and that's that...a nice rifle as is.

[Peter Laidler]

There was an official mix of stain powder, linseed, denatured alcohol, powdered dynamite and gelignite that definately stained anything that went into the stain bath overnight. If you dipped your hands in it, they came out like Al Jolson' when he's singing 'mammy....., mammmmmmmmy'. To be honest, we didn't bother too much about the stain bath but DID bother with the Far East wood savior. 8 hours in the Hot linseed oil bath.

[browningautorifle]

stain powder, linseed, denatured alcohol, powdered dynamite and gelignite

I did however recently use a mix of acetone and Watco Danish oil, medium walnut with good effect. I didn't mention it as I thought I'd be burned for heresy...it soaked right in and the acetone evaporates...