Restoring a No4 Mk1 - Your opinions please!

[Peter Laidler]

If that wood as a set came across my work bench as an Armourer as opposed to an Enfield collector, I'd scrape off the handguards to see what colour they were underneath the crud. If they were a similar-ish colour to the butt and fore-end then all is well because an hour or so in the hot linseed bath would match them fairly closely. If not, then tip the lot into the stain tank that definately WOULD match them! Overnight in the stain tank and a few hours in the linseed bath next day and they'd be good for the next 30 years.