How to clean a "Trapdoor" stock

[218bee]

I have been bit by the blackpowder bug and found a beater Springfield Trapdoor to play with. I would like to clean the stock as it is very dark/black all around the "cheek" area. I really don't want to refinish it but would like to clean it up a bit. Someone suggested rubbing with linseed oil. I know "whiting" from brownells can be used to remove oil from a soaked stock, but I think this is more dirt and grime. Any ideas??

[shooter575]

Try mineral spirts.ie paint thinner. I use a kitchen scotch brite to scrub with. Then finnish with a rag. Once it is clean enough I use boiled linseed oil cut 50% with turps as a finnish.
The Jouster site has a lot of good info on redoing stocks.
http://www.jouster.com/Bulletin/refinishing.htm
I use the beeswax/turps/BLO all the time.

[floodgate]

218bee:

From work on old looms and spinning wheels (well, I've gotta have a backup hobby, just in case!), I'd strip off all the metal (be careful easing the barrel band retaining springs out of their slots, not to pull up any splinters; scribe along both sides first with an X-Acto blade, and tap on the back ends of the pins with light mallet and punch; leave the side-screw washers in place if possible), I'd start with PLAIN, HOT SOAPY WATER and a soft rag and/or scrub brush. Don't soak it; just scrub the surface, rinse quickly, and let it dry thoroughly in the sun or a warm, dry spot in the house for a couple of days. You'll be amazed how much grime and crud will come off. Then you can assess how oil-soaked it is, and deal with it accordingly.

Floodgate

[Rustyleee]

Soap and water (detergent) to start. A mild bleach and water solution next if it's still nasty looking. For getting the oil out also try a heat source like a hair dryer and heat up the wood. the oil will start to come to the surface like beads of sweat. I've used the heat on M1 Garands and carbines. You'd be surprised just how much oil is in that wood. Get it as clean as you can before you start putting more finish back on.

[P Patcher]

I've had good luck with Murphy's oil soap, warm water and a fine steel wool pad to shake thing's up a little. It's all I've used for years and it's never failed me.
Addison

[13Echo]

Cleaning the stock while still leaving the patina and not messing up the cartouches requires some finesse. For my Springfields I've used half and half terpentine and boiled linseed oil on a lint free rag with a bit of 4-O pumice. Gentle rubbing will remove the grime and, if you don't overdo it, leave the reddish stock color/patina that rifles from Springfield Armory are famous for. I also hear the Murphy's oils soap regimine as suggested above works well. I like the terpentine- linseed oil method because it will remove the grime and replace oil in what is usually a dry stock.

Jerry Liles

[uscra112]

If it'll fit, run it through your dishwasher with a heavy dose of powder-type detergent. That stuff is mostly trisodium phosphate, which has been the best oil-extractor known to man for many, many years. I do this regularly. Just wish I had a bigger dishwasher.

[Razor]

I'll probably get holler'd at for this, but..
I use gasoline and a worn out 3M pad..
a paint brush for the nooks and crannies.
let it dry a couple hours then give it a coat of KIWI brown shoe polish..
Fast, cheap, easy and comes out looking real good.
I've done this to several old Turks.

Razor
:castmine:

[405]

Lots of good ways to do it as have been posted.

I usually use 0000 steel wool with alcohol. Rub with the grain and wipe with cloth. Repeat as necessary. Heat does help "lift out" oil. Repeat as necessary. Then use only a light coat of linseed- thinned with mineral spirits. After dry- rub with rag and that's it. The old warhorses should be left to look "right". Some of the arsenal rebuilds were scraped with a blade then slop coated with some type of shellac or varnish. While more or less original for some of those rebuilds, not recommended for a simple cleaning/preservation job.

[boommer]

Nick this is what I would try heat,lemon juice and small bristle brush and a micro-fiber towel. I would not mess with bleach unless I was going to re-finish. IF you like you could try at the same time sweating some of the dents out of the stock by taking a wet towel and heat gun never tried it on that old of dents but had some luck on newer stocks. I think heat and a natural acid will do the best just a place to start.