How to "freshen up" an old but very good condition stock?

[John in WI]

About 2 years ago, I took an old Marlin 60 off a friend's hands. It's a cool old 70's era rifle. Excellent steel, beautiful bore. It dawned on me today that I hadn't fired a shot out of it.

It has a hardwood stock, with a squirrel in the woodwork around the grip.
The steel is almost perfect. The stock has just a touch of wear around the sharper areas where it looks to be worn through. Overall, the varnish is complete and undamaged. It's just developed a very fine roughness to it. It's hard to describe, and the photos I took can't capture it.

What I mean is, I'd like to freshen up the wood, without actually stripping and refinishing it entirely.

Is there a product you can you, with a little elbow grease, to bring back an old wood stock? I was thinking maybe buffing and waxing, like I would an old maple floor.

It's such a beautiful rifle. I saw it and fell in love, because it's an exact replica of the first firearm I ever owned. One I foolishly parted with in my 20's. Those old Marlin .22's are some tack drivers.

[LAGS]

I have sanded stocks like that very gently with 400 grit sandpaper.
I also restore them without stripping by Wet Sanding with the 400 or 600 grit sandpaper using True oil or Linseed Oil as the wetting agent.
Just dip the sandpaper in the fluid.
Then keep the stock wet with the same liquid as you lightly sand.
Don't sand too far into the original finish.
What you are doing is just wet polishing the stock.
When done.
Wipe the oil off evenly with a soft cloth and let it dry overnight.

[36g]

You could try some OOOO steel wool to smooth out the finish. Apply enough pressure to smooth to your satisfaction.

[LAGS]

You can also use the steel wool wet with finishing oil if the stock is not too rough.
Using the wet method leaves a new smooth finish.

[Rockingkj]

You might try Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen & Conditioner. I had good results on a Parker Double. If that does not do what you want can always get more aggressive later if you don’t get the look you want.

[LAGS]

I agree with starting off with the simple methods first.
If I could hold the stock , I could give you the exact method right away.
But that stock conditioner is a good starting point.

[uscra112]

Dittos for "wet" sanding using linseed oil, but let the first iteration cure without wiping it down - leave the slurry where it is for a few days. Doing this will fill the holes. The second time around, you can wipe it. If there are still little pinholes, repeat. There's nothing magic about little 4 oz. bottles of oil costing $10 and up. Boiled linseed oil from the hardware store is quite sufficient.

[schutzen-jager]

try fine non metallic scouring pad + paste wax like Johnsons or Butchers -

[waksupi]

I would start off with a soft cloth and mineral spirits, to clean the surface. A toothbrush for nooks and crannies. Be sure to use your wife's, it tastes terrible. If that doesn't cure the problem, 0000 steel wool. If that solves the problem, then wax.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Pics would help, but my imagination recommends Tre-Wax applied with 0000 steel wool. in a circular motion almost like "Spit Shining" it. You've got to get some wax build up and then buff it with a Terry Cloth Towel. There is also a Dark Tre-Wax product which will darken the wood a small amount. That is what I have on my bench.

Randy

[Electrod47]

Save........

[JimB..]

First step is to try cleaning it. I’d use a cloth and mineral spirits as @wasksupi suggested. If it’s kinda working but slow, maybe burlap and mineral spirits. If it needs more than cleaning then it really helps to know what the current finish is.

[John in WI]

Thanks for the ideas. I've used 800 grit sand paper and linseed on wood before, but that was to fix a damaged oil finish. I was not aware that you could use it on other finishes too.
I will start with a mineral spirits cleaning just to make sure it's not storage grunge (the rifle is in beautiful shape--but the previous owner didn't even remember where it came from, or how long it had been in a closet). Then, try to hit it with hard floor wax. I don't need a high gloss or anything. It's just in such beautiful condition, I want to put it back into routine service. It would be good to bring it back. It's just that the stain and varnish is probably 95+%. I really don't want to strip it, because there's no way I will ever get it back to that evenness in color. From the places on the edges where it's worn through, the wood underneath appears to be very light in color with a redish/tan stain over it.

[Shawlerbrook]

There was a Formsby wood restore product for furniture that also works well on old stocks.

[Rapier]

Birch will require a bit of doing to stain, that is what that stock probably is, a sprayed walnut colored birch wood stock. Read up on making a birch stain from white vinegar and steel wool in a glass jar for a four day to a week soak. When applied to raw birch it changes the color of the birch by chemical reaction. Usually turns a dark yellowish brown. It ain't walnut, it is a "hard wood " stock colored walnut.

[GregLaROCHE]

Be very careful when sanding a stock to preserve all sharp edges and angles.

[GhostHawk]

I have a Yugo SKS with a lot of history in the wood. I wanted to save and seal everything. I used 0000 steel wool and true oil. Kept polishing with the steel wool until I was happy with the smoothness. Then every other day for a week I put a very light coat on with my fingers, rubbed in. The next to the last coat it was starting to shine. So I gave it a light touch once more with the steel wool to bring it back to more of a matt finish. Then applied the last coat and let it dry.

I'm happy with it. I know its safe and protected, it looks and feels good. The original finish is still there, contributing color and look. I just micro encapsulated it.

[uscra112]

You're close to the old rule for the London Oil Finish so treasured in the days of yore: "Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year for the rest of your life." Using nothing but raw linseed oil, burlap and rottenstone. I'm still following it for guns I restored fifteen years ago.

[GhostHawk]

That old rule was in my mind as I was working on it. And yes I did give it a couple of coats a week or 2 apart.

What impressed me was what taking your time and paying attention to the details could accomplish.

[W.R.Buchanan]

OP,,, Sure would like to see some pictures? We all live vicariously thru the pictures that are posted here on this site. We need pics to sustain our lives. Please help us Live Long and Prosper.

Randy

[sparky45]

Ditto what Randy said!!