Czech Vz24 Mauser_AIM Surplus - Refinish Stock/Hand Guard?

[bf109]

Hi, I got a Vz24 from AIM Surplus and am thinking of refinish the stock and hand guard.

Last weekend, I removed the cosmoline from the wood stock and hand guard. To my surprise, not much cosmo came out of it. The stock was reddish and the hand guard was reddish brown when I got the Vz24 – mismatched colors.

Now after “baking out” the cosmolines, the stock is more darkened/blackened reddish and the hand guard is more yellowish brown. The difference in color is apparent to bare eyes, which doesn’t look very good.

Has anyone refinished the stock/hand guard after removing the cosmo? If so, how did you strip down the original reddish stains from the stock? Some people use hot water with soap while others use acetone (a kind of chemical).

What’s the most effective method of stripping the reddish stains, which won’t have adverse effect on the wood?

For refinished, what do you use to restore the finish on the Vz24? Mine was a Russian refurbished. What would be the original stock finish on the Czech Vz24? How about Boiled linseed oil or Tung Oil?

Please share your experience. Thanks.

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[Calif-Steve]

Could you wait until July/August? Put the stock in a box and place in the front window of your car on a hot, sunny day. Lock up car and let sun cook the stock. Oil will roll out of it like crazy. Then try a wood stripper. Good luck.

[bf109]

Thanks. As mentioned in my post, I already "baked" the cosmoline out of my Vz24 Mauser using a metal bin I built.

Now I want to refinish the stock /hand guard since they're mismatched in colors - Reddish and Browning.

What's your experience in dealing with the mismatched color on AIM's Vz24?

[onlycrimson]

Try a finish stripper first to see what else can come off. There is a good foaming one that I like to use. In my experience, it is difficult to match the colors because the wood already has deep coloring that is very hard to get out.

[rich v]

Well here is my concoction and it works great not only for milsurp stocks but vintage wood furniture >You will have to get 0000 steel wool pads for this proceedure > 3oz gum turpentine, 3oz boiled linseed oil, 2oz denatured alcohol, 2oz white vinegar. i use a 16oz plasric soda bottle to pour this magic elixer into; then shake well until your sure the liquids are thouroughly mixed. now saturate a steel wool pad and start to scrub using medium pressure and watch the years of funk come out of the fine milsurp stock, after your sure you didn't miss any spots wipe off with a wet rag of denatured alcohol, when dry do it again, let dry overnight and then wipe stock down with boiled linseed oil. This has worked for me over the years . Plus it smells good while your doing it...