another no4 mki* refurb project

[ssgross]

I let the stock soak in a tin foil boat while I worked on everything else. I stock was truly disgusting and I was bummed out whether or not it would come clean. It must have certainly seen some wet. All the stock furniture was very well rusted.
The rear band was not salvageable. I got a new one for 5 bucks, although its square sided and the original was rounded.
The front larger band came clean on the brass wire wheel with slight pitting that match up with the dings. The handgaurd clips weren'tt too bad, but the edges (as can be seen in my pics) were crumbling. Wire wheel on a Dremel removed the crumbling bits. Sling swivels in bad shape too, but salvageable after the wire wheel
I just finished re-bluing everything - pins, screw heads, stock furniture.

The stock came clean! beyond all my expectations. However the inboard side (for right-hander) butt is considerably darker than the outboard and everything else. I suppose this was monthly of right-handed-doug's sweat and grime.
I gave all a light sanding with 320 - just enough to even things out, but leave all the stamps in tack. Next, I used birchwood Casey walnut stain at full strength on all the wood, with second coats of stain or a damp piece of cloth with water, until the entire stock parts matched up real nice. After drying, I rubbed in several thin coats of linseed oil.

Wow I am impressed at how this old war horse is coming back! My first scrub of the stock took off the layer of cosmoline and grime that was hiding the grain, leaving only blotchy wood underneath. I was careful with a q-tip to stain inside all the dings and deep scratches. Now the color is very uniform whilst still showing it's decades of use and abuse.

Pictures coming as I re-assemble - including the bore.

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