Oil Soaked Stock

[charliex]

I take it into the shower with me, gojoe hand cleaner,liquid hand soap and an old wash cloth. raises the dents and gets a lot of the oil out.

[Rick the Librarian]

I know there are several "options" out there that work well for individual members (mine is borrowing [with her permission] the wife's hair dryer and doing patch at a time.).

I would suggest if you are new to the game, that you avoid an "aggressive" oil removal product (like oven cleaner) until you feel more confident. Also, don't pick a valuable stock for your first project.

JMHO, of course.

[Emri]

I take it into the shower with me, gojoe hand cleaner,liquid hand soap and an old wash cloth. raises the dents and gets a lot of the oil out.

thats just wierd.

[KarlKW]

I seem to recall in prior discussions over its use, that in some cases, oven cleaner caused the stock to turn a nasty shade of green or black. Does anyone have pictures that they can share of such color changes? To me, it wasn't worth the risk of ruining a good stock. I always had good luck with mineral spirits first, and if that didn't clean up the stock, I would wipe it down with acetone. The mineral spirits didn't really effect the finish too much, a quick wipe down with 0000 steel wool only cleaned off the dirt and accummulated grime. Acetone however, would strip everything down to the bare wood, and afterwards you would need to apply your choice of Boiled linseed oil, Tung Oil, or some other finish on the wood. As for the really oil-soaked stocks, I belive that the best way to go is with heat - sun, hair dryers, heat lamps, PVC Pipe ovens, or whatever. Cook the oil out, then clean the wood, then re-apply BLO, Tung Oil, etc. HTH, YMMV, KarlKW

[Dollar Bill]

I'm on day 9 of my "cook the cosmoline out" project. A 1928 C stock that seems to have been in cosmoline since 1945 or so. Every day, when I get to work, I put the stock, wrapped in a plastic trash bag, on the dashboard of my Jeep. When I get home, take it out and remove all the cosmoline that has seeped out. It seems like the dashboard method is working alot faster than just leaving it out in the sun.Yesterday, there was very little left, so I think today will be the last day. Then I plan on cleaning it with a mix of ammonia, mineral spirits, acetone and raw linseed oil (4/4/4/1) (got the formula from a guy who used to sell it) using 4/0 steel wool.

[Donzi]

never ever use oven cleaner on wood. it will destroy the grain at best.
iv stripped over 300 stocks and handguards by my method, not one has come back or has leached out grease after its been refinished.
iv posted many before and after pics of stocks in the past.

Chuck-I highly respect the valuble info you have posted here in the past, but what you say re oven cleaner( at least Easy-Off Heavy Duty) is just not true, @ least in my experience. I have personally cleaned eight of nine old military stocks, both walnet & beech, using Easy-Off with absolutely no harm resulting to the wood, grain or otherwise. The wood looked "as new" when I finished. Each of them has taken a new finish (BLO, raw tung oil or varnish) with no problems. I think that the trick may be to not let the cleaner remain of the wood f/too long, & to rinse w/lots of water. I usually rinse 2 or 3 times and then allow the wood to dry for several days before proceeding.
Donzi

[goo]

i done these with easy off. didn't seem to hurt them none as near as i can tell.
i'm guessing that the BLO replaces any oil the easy off might have sucked out.
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/...d0f649.jpg?v=0
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/3...929e01.jpg?v=0
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besides,my shooting coach likes them.
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/4...e48b17.jpg?v=0

[Rick the Librarian]

I know of people who have had excellent results with oven cleaner. However, I still recommend to those new to stock refinishing that they pick something a little more benign, just to play it safe.

JMHO, ofcourse.

[snell]

Everything you could possibly want to know:

http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearm...-cleaning.html

and then some

Art

[Donzi]

I know of people who have had excellent results with oven cleaner. However, I still recommend to those new to stock refinishing that they pick something a little more benign, just to play it safe.

JMHO, ofcourse.

Rick- Based on my own experience, I'd agree that it's always best to start with the least destructive course of action. You can always try more agressive means, but you can't back up once you've started. Save the oven cleaner as a last resort, but save it. JMHO.
Donzi