Cosmoline blead out on 1903 stock

[oldbenn]

Interested in your best method of removing accumulated cosmoline in my old 1903 (low number). This one was returned from Greece and I've never imagined such a mess. New Member and anxious to Try this site out.

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[browningautorifle]

Most use some method of heat to bleed it out or a wash of varsol or even citristrip... Anyway, it's going to take a bit. Don't over do the heat...a bit of sunshine.

[jond41403]

Putting the stock in a large trash bag and exposing it to the sun will sweat alot of it out and the trash bag will collect the run off cosmoline. A hair dryer and a rag will remove some of it also. I have a mosin nagant stock that I believe will never become 100% cosmoline free. The biggest majority of it has come out, but it's still sweats a little no matter what I do to it.when I take it to the range, I just wear an old shirt that I don't care about

[usabaker]

Everyone has their own way it seems and the results are near the same. I'm in no rush when I do mine and like to try and keep as much of the original finish as possible. I don't use heavy solvents or water-based cleaners on the wood. I wipe what I can off then pack the stock gauze/cotton balls and wrap it like a mummy with a nice layer of gauze or washed 100% cotton rags. I expose the wrapped stock heat between 130 and 140 Fahrenheit overnight. I use my bluing box for the heat source but a tall cardboard box and a 120 watt incandescent light bulb would work just fine. Just make sure to cut a vent and place the bulb so that you don't cause a fire hazard. Depending on the results, I might process it again it as the gauze/cotton can only absorb so much at a time, sort of like redressing a wound.

Once that is done. I go over the wood with a 50/50 mixture of linseed oil and Limonene or Turpentine, I like the Limonene better less toxic and smells way better. You could also use mineral spirits but results will vary.

[browningautorifle]

Another way that no one seems to use that I used to is...if you can find someone that strips furniture for business, they will have methods of stripping garbage out of wood. they do it all the time. I used to take mine to a guy that would add our gunstocks to the day's business and would do cash for his work. He just stripped, liquid methods, and let it dry after rinse. The wood was completely done as if it was a new piece waiting oil. He could take off the hardest Remington varnish or just a military stock full of crap... Have a look and see.