Cleaning a wood gunstock

[ilcop22]

'Evening,

I have an old RC Mauser with a pretty filthy old stock, and I'm looking to clean it up without removing the original finish. It's full of dings, scratches, and a worn finish, but I'd like to keep it as is. What would be a good method for cleaning the stock? I'm thinking of using Murphy's Oil Soap and a rag, but thought I'd ask around and see if there's a better method. I'd appreciate any insight, save any remarks relating to oven cleaner. :kidding:

[Bren R.]

Murphy's Oil Soap or one of the new eco-degreaser sprays work well.

Don't soak the stock, use a light touch around checkering and any "cartouches" with a soft toothbrush.

Some heat is good - helps to liquify skin oils and such, a lot of heat is bad.

Dings can be steamed out if you feel like going that far... easiest if there's no broken wood fibres. Most people suggest a wet towel and a clothes iron... I use one of those steam cleaners... looks like a pull-along vacuum cleaner... you pour in a quart of water and it's got a steam nozzle on the end of a hose.

Bren R.

[ilcop22]

Awesome; great advice. Thanks, Bren.

[Bren R.]

Here are a few pics to show what steaming can and can't do:

The steaming process:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_219884f4d242b315b1.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4166)

The forend I was steaming in that pic. It had the same depth and style of ugly press checkering as the stock (minus the carving of course) - it's all gone.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_219884f4d2449ca70c.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4167)

A dent with broken wood fibres in a Baikal IJ-26 stock:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_219884f4d24cf960bd.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4168)

The dent is much less in this photo, but wasn't removed completely. Shaping, sanding and colour-sanding was required to get rid of it totally:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_219884f4d24f87e757.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4169)

Bren R.

[stubshaft]

I've had good results with WD-40 as a cleaning agent.

[Bren R.]

For heavier cleaning jobs, I personally would stay away from petroleum oils, as they can attack finishes... and I'm sure everyone's seen what happened to grandpa's Model 12's stock that he sprayed with WD-40 and stood up until next hunting season. The wood goes punky, and walnut-flavoured Jell-O makes a bad stock choice.

The part in WD-40 that does the cleaning is Stoddard solvent - so you'd be better off using a straight hexane-based mineral spirit - you get the solvent without the oil and other unwanted ingredients in WD-40.

Other useful stock cleaning products are:

- isopropryl alcohol (the 99% W/V stuff if you can find it, 70% "rubbing" alcohol isn't bad, and I've seen dollar store "Solution with Alcohol Compounds" down to 50% - half and half C3H8O and water!) - a fairly mild solvent, does reasonably well at emulsifying oils.

- naptha or white gas - works well to emulsify oils, flashes off quickly. May attack oil-based finishes

- methyl hydrate/methanol - mixes well with water and water-bases, not very effective against oil, but also safer for oil finishes.

Bren R.

[HangFireW8]

Lots of good advice here.

If you do have petroleum oil in the wood, and you are prepared to refinish, the easy to get it out is a paste of acetone and french whiting. Use outdoors and it may take more than one try. It WILL remove finish. It will not repair wood fibres broken down by the gun oil, but will leave you with wood that will accept and adhere to glues, finishes or epoxy.

When refinishing be sure and fully seal end grain where gun oil is most likely to be absorbed.

HF

[Bren R.]

Great tip!

French whiting/calcium carbonate or diatomaceous earth all work well to wick out liquids.

French whiting is available from art supply stores. Diatomaceous earth (diatomite) from farm supply stores in powdered form, or from auto supply stores in rocks about the size of rock salt or 1/4 down gravel - used to absorb oil spills from garage floors.

Bren R.

[rtracy2001]

Have you read this sticky?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55638

[ilcop22]

Thanks for the added tips. Great ideas I'll have to hold on to.


Have you read this sticky?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55638

I have, but I'm not looking to strip the wood; just clean it. Thanks.