Stock c;eaning

[imarangemaster]

I picked up a Quality Hardware marked stock for $70 on ebay. Fairly decent looking. I am thinking of doing a light cleaning with Ballistol and a fingernail brush. I don't want to take away its character by doing the dishwasher trick, just surface grunge. Maybe hit it with a fresh coat of Linseed or BLO after. What says the hive? Charley, any insights>

thanks in advance.

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[Brian Dick]

Ballistol will probably work but I think I'd just rub it out lightly with a good coat of raw linseed oil and some fine steel wool. It'll clean and preserve it without removing the original patina.

If you want to really clean the wood without damage, use Dollar Store clear ammonia and a Scotchbrite sponge/scrub pad carefully, rinse with water, dry thoroughly and oil with raw linseed as original. The patina will come back PDQ with several coats of RLO.

[mr.e moose]

I like to use turpentine with some brass wool to clean the grunge off. After that a few applications of 50/50 Turpentine and RLO. Finish it off with straight RLO. I do not use steel wool, if moisture gets in the steel wool reacts and will create black spots.

[imarangemaster]

Will mineral spirits work mixed with RLO or does it need to be turpentine? It seems to me last time I did it about 4 or 5 years ago I used 50/50 RLO/mineral spirits.

[Brian Dick]

Turpentine is the thinner. I never use it but some folks like to cut the RLO with it for quicker penetration into the wood. I'm blessed living in the south where I can just put the wood out and warm it up before applying it straight. It soaks in perfectly and makes for a lovely finish after several coats. It is more work than using BLO but the result is better, (and original). I used BLO for many years before I was educated about it and have never looked back.

[Bruce McAskill]

Formby's furniture cleaner/stripper will take all the old dirt, grease and oil off the stock with no damage to it. Then you can apply what ever finish you want on it. Of course the original is as Brian said, RLO. Oils like Tung or BLO seal the stock and don't allow any other finish to be applied and to penetrate the wood.

[imarangemaster]

Thanks guys. I too used to use BLO, but stopped. The last time I did a carbine stock, I used ROL, but I thought I mixed it with mineral spirits. I might try a green scotch-bright pad also. I think I may just try cleaning it with thinned RLO, and give a couple coats. I will wait until summer to do a thorough job on it though, as the sub-freezing temps and incessant rain and snow we are having makes it tough. We are at about 180% of normal precip so far this year. Flooding everywhere. In fact the power is out at my house. I had to go to my office to use the computer.

[Sunray]

"...on ebay..." Funds the people who want to take your firearms away from you.
Murphy's Oil Soap is made for cleaning wood. Stock wood is no different than any other wood. Use the same products and techniques used on fine furniture.
Mineral spirits will clean wood without damaging the wood. Probably a bit gentler than turpentine. Read this.
Renew Wood Finishes with Mineral Spirits - Quick Tips - Bob Vila
"...the dishwasher trick..." Isn't a trick but it'll raise any cartouches in a heart beat.
"...or BLO..." BLO does NOT seal out anything. Tung oil does though.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Add one vote for turpentine for light & Murphy's for moderate cleaning. There is a ZEP floor stripper (see youtube) that works amazingly well on a cosmo queen.

[painter777]

IMR,
I'm not jumping in to a 'How To' vs 'Every Other Opinion'.
My advice would be since you have the old FAT stock, experiment on cleaning it... Before doing anything to your new stock. Or maybe just the Hand guard.
If mine I would use Goop or Go-Jo hand cleaner WITHOUT The PUMICE.

Step 1: Wipe down with Mineral Spirits until rags no longer show grime.
Step 2: Hand lather Goop or Go-Jo in to cover all wood. Give it about 15-20 minutes, then using a soft bristle brush for large area and toothbrush for tight spots Lightly brush back and forth with the grain. Limit this complete step 2 to 30 minutes.
Step 3: Give the entire stock a warm water rinse to remove initial residue. Repeat right away while stock is still damp, but now include lightly brushing as you finish up 2nd warm water rinse.
Step 4: Use a regular towel to wipe/soak up any water you can from the stock. Wipe off with the grain. Give 24 hour dry time minimum. After it has dried, you can wipe the wood with a damp Mineral Spirits rag to get an idea of what your 1st RLO application would look like at this stage.
Step 5: You may need to repeat Steps 2-4 if not as desired.. If happy with results move on.
Step 6: If you feel any standing fur, use a Scotch brite sanding pad equal to very fine grit- 180-200. Use long light strokes.

This shouldn't need stain, unless you desire a color change. This is just a deep cleaning to remove old oils, grime etc.
If Black spots are seen they can be tended to before moving on to your RLO applications.

BTW,
Turpentine or Mineral Spirits were both considered acceptable (depending on which was available) for reducing RLO when being used on gun stocks.
I don't have the mix ratio on hand when using Turpentine as the reducer.
TM 9-850 calls for 1 part Mineral Spirits mixed with 6 parts Raw linseed oil.... with the 6 Parts RLO containing 2% of a Fungicide*

* TM 9-850 paragraph 135, page 72
TM 9-850 Abrasive, Cleaning, Preserving, Sealing, Adhesive, and Related Materials Issued for Ordnance Materiel : United States. Department of the Army : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Lastly,
Whether your using Turpentine or Mineral Spirits for your RLO reducer.
Usually most will reduce the RLO 50-50 for 1st application though this varies widely among us. I prefer to warm my thinned RLO which can call for a little richer reduction.
Methods of warming vary. A thinned RLO put in a baby food jar dunked in a pail of hot water works.
For more than 1 or 2 stocks I have a tank I submerse them in.

Have also used a painted black PVC pipe... Linked here, see Reply # 9:
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=66882