Cleaning an old stock

[cwk]

I was wondering what produces the best results for cleaning the stocks on my rifles. I am not going to refinish anything and only want to clean grease, oil and other light grime. I like the used look that they all have, they are afterall old, but I would like to have something a little cleaner to hold when I shoot without removing any finish or added paint like rack numbers that each of its owners added to it.

Information

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[mdrim13]

Clean with Krud Kutter household cleaner in a sink. Wash stock with water. Let dry and reapply linseed oil or other desired finish. You cannot clean or degrease and then not reapply an oil or finish of some type.

[Angrypirate]

For oil finished stocks, I've found that just rubbing them down with a cloth soaked in linseed oil cut with turpentine will lift out the crap while keeping the stock in original condition.

[Lazysod]

I've seen gunsmithing videos on enfields and the guy says that "simple green" works for stocks and metal to clean them. Anyone else use this stuff?

[JGaynor]

Here's a simple formula for cleaning oil finished surfaces. Some of the detergents mentioned might be better for the stocks that are heavily soiled.
Cleaning Oil Finish Wood Furniture

Regards,
Jim

[Kirk]

I use Concentrated Simple Green, undiluted, and 000 steel wool to remove grime. It's non-caustic and works quickly. It should not remove paint as it is water based. Just go over one small area at a time, work quickly and then wipe off the residue with a damp towel. Then let the stock dry.

[Lazysod]

I am always scared to use harsh chemicals like turpentine, especially on old guns, but it does come from a reputable university. I'm thinking of trying simple green, but even that scares me. You can probably tell that I don't clean stocks very often.

[Patrick Chadwick]

So what's harsh about turpentine? Nothing at all - it's a natural wood product. Natural turpentine, of course! Not the petrochemical product that is sold as turpentine substitute!

A piece of old linen or cotton sheet dampened with natural turpentine can be used to wipe down grubby areas of woodwork, and it really fires up the grain, so that you can see how good the wood would look if it was polished. Linen is a little harder and rubs/polishes more than cotton. When surface dirt has been removed, take another clean piece of cotton/ linen, dampen it with natural turpentine, pour a couple of drops of linseed oil onto the rag, and polish it into the wood. The turpentine acts as a carrier to get the linseed oil into the pores of the wood, so do not be surprised that you do not get an instant shine. Repeat after a couple of days, again and again. Slowly the turpentine will feed the oil into the wood and the wood will develop a fine surface. Do not be tempted to make a quick job by sloshing on the linseed oil, as this will result in a sticky surface that takes an eternity to dry out. But if you do overdo the oil, simply go over the wood with the turpentine-moistened rag again.

You can experiment with the natural turpentine/linseed oil mix until you are satisfied with the results, without any damage to the stock. But get the natural materials from a professssional paint supplier, not chemical imitations from a D-I-Y bodgers store!

And wood that is supposed to keep a stable form - like a gunstock - should NEVER be soaked through with water!


Patrick

[Lazysod]

absolutely right Patrick. I wasn't clear on which turp you were referring to. I'm a painter and that stuff is pretty potent so I tend to shy away from it a little. I know that I have switched from turp to OMS (odourless mineral spirits) for my paintings as it is safer to be around. Has anyone used OMS and linseed together? It's kind of interesting that the same ingredients are used for two of my favourite things, guns and art.

[mdrim13]

Has anyone used OMS and linseed together?

I usually cut my linseed oil with OMS as per directions on the can. It helps cut dry time.

mdrim13