large ordinance wheel

[Bob Seijas]

The very best method for bringing up marks is washing soda. You can buy a box of it at any supermarket, make sure you get SODA. Fill the bathtub with about 8" of very hot water and dissolve as much soda as it will take. Immerse the stock and weight it down, leave for an hour. This will leech out every bit of oil and dirt (and also leave the mother of all bathtub rings).

Drain the tub and refill with clean hot water, dunk the stock for another hour. Remove the stock and air dry. It will be a fishbelly gray, and you will be sure you have ruined it. Do not despair. LIGHTLY wipe with 0000 sandpaper to remove any raised hairs, then oil it. The color will come back, dings will be gone, and every mark will be enhanced.