Why some stocks are "black"

[Joe W]

Some of you may have also watched this video after watching the other one I posted but if you missed this one, here it is. Note how after repairing the M1, the whole rifle was dunked in what I belive was used motor oil. This would account for those real dark (black) oil soaked stocks.
Another thing worth noting is that these films were taken on D+16, when the battle was only half over.

US Marine Corps of 3rd Infantry Division Marines repair rifles at Ordnance small arms repair set up in Iwo Jima, Japan.

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[browningautorifle]

Did I see a Raider stilletto at about 1.35? I must admit, that sure did look like dirty something or other he dunked that M1 into...

[Joe W]

Did I see a Raider stilletto at about 1.35? I must admit, that sure did look like dirty something or other he dunked that M1 into...

Looks like a raider stilletto to me. The Marine removing a rifle from the "dirty something or other" is wearing it. (at about 2:26). I watched that clip a few times but missed it, thanks for pointing that out.
By the way, you must have liked the testing of the BAR's.

[browningautorifle]

I did. That one was the only one gave him trouble. Struggling and fighting. I had several and they didn't give me that kind of greif but they weren't blown up or something.

[oldpapps]

That crap is called 'cosmoline' and it is a very good rust preventive but hard to clean off. I didn't look at the video. It wouldn't work for me. My dad was in hospital during Iwo Jima with malaria, so he wasn't in the film or get killed.
Cosmoline is more like a runny wax that sets up hard and gets brittle. It does soak into wood some but doesn't seem to break down the fibers to any great extent. I have an 03-A3 that will weep some on hot days in the sun.

OSOK

[browningautorifle]

You should see the vid before telling us what it was. cosmoline isn't dark black like this stuff was. They wouldn't use cosmoline in this case because the weapons will be pressed back into service immediately. The common opinion on about three forums is old motor oil. They apparently didn't waste anything. Yuck.

[Gav]

I'm going with a quick soak in a very dirty kerosene bath.

[browningautorifle]

I would buy that too Gav. That would get the crap off but not over oil it. I personally wouldn't use old motor oil for anything.

[campperrykid]

Maybe a mix of motor oil and kerosene that became dirty with use ?

For a long time I thought that some of the Blue Sky stocks had been dipped in used kim chi tractor oil --maybe thinned with a little kerosene . Could be both and --rather than either or.

[Joe W]

I'm going with a quick soak in a very dirty kerosene bath.

I would also say that "kerosene" would be a good bet. Only thing I am pretty sure of is that it was not cosmoline.