Lithgow refinish?

[madcratebuilder]

I have removed some grim from my newly acquired 1941 Lithgow and it appears to have a varnish like coating applied at one time. I was hoping for a minimal removal of any remaining original finish. Now I'm unsure if I should just leave it as is or strip this varnish like finish and refinish with BLO. I was hoping to keep as much of the rlo/creosote finish as possible but that doesn't look likely now.

If I strip this it well lighten up the wood considerably. Thoughts?

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[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I am sure the experts will chime in but my novice experience would say mineral spirits and 0000 steel wool would do the trick. Or perhaps 0000 steel wool alone. If it has been varnished it looks light and patchy.
Nice looking Lithgow.

[tbonesmith]

I think you would have been better to leave it as it was, but I understand the motivation. The problem is that you will never achieve a new like finish on the wood because it is old and deeply impregnated with oil. If you do something to "lighten it up", like for instance hit it with paint stripper, you will lighten 90% of it, and be left with tell tails around all exposed end grain (bands, butt socket etc). They all look refinished when you lighten them up, by any means. A while ago I had a rifle that looked much like your that had a clapped barrel, I converted it to .22lr with some parts I had, and to freshen the stock up I gave it a very light scrub with fine steel wool soaked in linseed oil, right or wrong it looked fresher but relatively unmolested. Any attempt to lighten the timber, without the rifle looking refinished is in my opinion destined to fail.

[madcratebuilder]

Any attempt to lighten the timber, without the rifle looking refinished is in my opinion destined to fail.

I agree, I was hoping it would look better after a light clean up. I'm committed now to finish this, so I well strip this varnish or what ever it is off and go from there.

[Brian Dick]

If it's varnish, you probably need to strip it with a correct chemical stripper made for removing varnish. Then just RLO as tbonesmith suggests. I use grocery store clear ammonia for grungy, oil soaked woodwork but it won't strip varnish. Use a Scotchbrite plastic scrubby pad and apply the ammonia with the sponge side and just work it a bit with the scrubby side going with the grain. Then rinse with cool water, dry it out real well in the sun and apply the linseed with fine steel wool. The ammonia will remove the old grime and dirt and redistribute the original remaining oil. The rinse will pop up little dings and dents where the grain isn't broken and the steel wool will will knock down raised grain without hurting the character or markings. Adding a few more coats of RLO will bring it right back to how it was before less the grunge.

[Brian Dick]

Here's an example of what can be done using the ammonia method. This rifle had ugly polyurethane gooped on and I had to strip with chemical stripper and then use the ammonia method and RLO. I never touched it with sandpaper although it may have been sanded before I got it.

[gbalke]

I just read the following article on line regarding refinishing a Lithgow SMLE. Take a look, it might be of interest to you.

No.1 MkIII SMLE

I might also add that I too recently purchased a war dated Lithgow, mine is a 1944; hope to have it in my hands soon.

Good luck.

[Brian Dick]

I started reading that article and clicked out of it as soon as i saw the Easy Off oven cleaner. It's a lazy man method of cleaning wood and does more harm than good, especially to Coachwood and other woods that didn't start life as the hardest, densest gunstock wood anyhow. It's got lye in it and it'll turn the wood grey if left on too long and damage it beyond repair so be forewarned. I can't even imagine what it would do to Queensland maple which is a bit softer than coachwood. I've seen so many rifles ruined using that stuff. Don't do it!!

[gbalke]

I started reading that article and clicked out of it as soon as i saw the Easy Off oven cleaner. It's a lazy man method of cleaning wood and does more harm than good, especially to Coachwood and other woods that didn't start life as the hardest, densest gunstock wood anyhow. It's got lye in it and it'll turn the wood grey if left on too long and damage it beyond repair so be forewarned. I can't even imagine what it would do to Queensland maple which is a bit softer than coachwood. I've seen so many rifles ruined using that stuff. Don't do it!!

Thar's good to know Brian. Thanks for the heads up.

Say, would you happen to know the preferred method for inhancing the original finish on a Lithgow? Is linseed oil acceptable to use on the wood?

[Homer]

I didnt read it either. To me that rifle looked better dark.