Originally Posted by
Wayne Smith
Start with BLO (Boiled Linseed Oil) on the stock. Get some liquid lanolin or soft lanolin or mink oil and slowly work the leather soft. Don't use anything abrasive until you know what you have, and probably not then. Pull the action out of the stock and see what it is like - you may have rust or oil softened wood. Rub the BLO on with nothing more aggressive than burlap bag cloth. Get some light machine oil and rub down the metal - keep it off the wood. Machine oil is what causes oil softened wood. Use a nickle on edge to rub off rust with the oil. In other words, use original natural materials and go slow and easy.