Cleaning the wood

[PhillipM]

The M1 I shoot in competition is getting pretty funky with sweat and dirt on the linseed oil finish. What's your favorite method to clean up a stock?

Also, can I put tung on top of the linseed or should I strip the wood first? I need to seal it better, this gun works for a living, it isn't a safe queen.

[p246]

I wrap mine in Toilet paper and put it my green house which is empty this time of year on days outside temperature is 80 I sh. You can do outside also. At the end of each day I wipe it down with a rag and acetone. New TP new day. Three to five days later the stock is noticibly lighter. I then apply BLO or Tung oil depending on what the gun does. Military guns get BLO. Sported guns get tongue because they hunt. I've put Tung Oil over sported stocks that had BLO on them in the past. No issues. This is not my method. Candy an on Milsurps passed this method on. It works really well and I want to give him credit.

[StockDoc]

I make a solution if 1/3 turpentine, 1/3 ammonia (unscented) , and 1/3 BLO or TO. scrub it with a gray scotch brite pad the wipe with a clean cloths. You can leave it at that, or reoil, but not necessary.

So if make a 12 oz solution in a bottle use 4oz of each. You could use Steel wool, but it reacts to the blo/to and can leave dark specks.

You could also finish it with a "Finn 1/3 wax"

[StockDoc]

Putting in a green house may cause an increase in moisture content on the wood. requiring you to dry out the stock. acetone dries the wood fibers and removes the natural oils from the wood. Were as Turpentine is a not a petroleum Distillate and does not dry the wood like acetone.

[p246]

The stocks I've done this to are all cosmo soaked and needed some drying. I'll try Turpentine on the next one as I'm always open to trying something new, but I've been pleased so far. My greenhouse in the summer here has no moisture I assure you. That's why it goes from growing things to drying things...in July and August I try and air dry some native cedar every year.

[StockDoc]

No moisture no problem, kind of like putting it in a black Trash bag then. That would work, my mom's green house with a sprinkler system and always fogged up in the summer.

[p246]

Mine is a little 8 x 6. Wife bought it for me then took it over Lol. I don't have anything inside it but a heater. She uses it from Feb to May and then its done for growing purposes.

[PhillipM]

Thanks guys. It's not like one of the greasy Greek returns, the wood is nice.... I think I have a grey scotchbrite around here somewhere.

[Rick B]

All I can say is "WOW" Try this and I guarantee it works for linseed oil and sweat like you said you have. GO JO grit-less hand cleaner. Rub it on and set it aside for 20 minutes. Take a tooth brush while rinsing it with warm running water in your stationary tub. Brush until it is void of GO Jo and let dry. Repeat once dry until happy.

i have been using this method for 20 years and worked on stocks worth upwards of $7,000 with superb results. Hope this helps. Rick B

[Liam]

I made a tube out of 8" galvanized duct, capped on one end. Put in greasy, cosmo stock/pieces and add kitty liter (unscented). Duct tape the open end and left in hot car for a few days. The litter soaks up anything that "bleeds" out of the wood and is reusable. Done 4 stocks this way so far. Only dry dust in small crevices to be removed after the fact. Good "green" way to go if one is hesitant about chemicals and its effect on the wood. On my M1903A1, Mosin Nagant, Finn M39 and Swede CG63 I followed up with BLO with a drying accelerant to speed things up. Product called Lin-Speed.

[p246]

Trying to bring some of these old oil soaked stocks back is a hobby of mine. Although Phillips sounds like its not to bad all the other ideas thrown out are interesting. Will have to try a few.

[Orlando]

If you want to do a complete strip and refinish heres how I do it.Takes maybe 10 -15 minutes for a completetly clean bare stock ,its a really simple and easy
I first take Purple Power degreaser full strength and put it in a spray bottle.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Garandlover/misc/MVC-013S.jpg
I then spray down the stock with full strength degreaser, immediataly you will see years of grease. oil and dirt start to roll off. I do this in a utility sink but you can do it outside in a bucket etc
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Garandlover/misc/MVC-008S.jpg
I then take a soft nylon bristle brush and quickly rub over the stock.
Then rinse very well with hot water while rubbing with brush .
I will usually do procedure one more time except the last time wipe dry with cotton towel.
If stock is very oil soaked it may take one more cleaning .
I then let the stock set to dry out of direct heat source .

This is what the wood looks like after drying, completly clean bare wood
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Garandlover/misc/MVC-012S.jpg

I let the stock dry for a day or two before refinishing.

[Rick B]

Have been using the purple power on the Barn wood as it is gummy from the linseed oil break down and dust from 67 years sitting. Rick B

[Orlando]

Have been using the purple power on the Barn wood as it is gummy from the linseed oil break down and dust from 67 years sitting. Rick B

You better buy it in 55 gal drums:)

[StockDoc]

Sorry, Rick and Orlando the Finn wax and cleaner has been used for centuries and still is used on furniture and other wood work that cost considerable more the $7000.00. Just because it is called Finn wax, does not mean that just the Finn's used it, it was used by other cultures as well.

Soaps give way to a whole different problems in wood, Go- Jo has lanolin in it and is like putting hand lotion on the wood. Purple power soaks into the wood.

BTW, Orlando, great tutorial on fitting a Garand sock.

[Rick B]

Absolutely wrong StockDoc. Been using it for years and have thousands of happy customers. Rick B

[StockDoc]

Go jo also has a high PH factor( 8), that is bad for wood finishes. So I will live it at that.

Purple power 11ph

You want a PH neutral cleaner, which is what Finn cleaner is. A high ph cleaner will destroy a nice piece of walnut and not allow it to acheieve a natural sheen.

Been wood working since the 60's, .

[Rick B]

A PH of 8 is darn near the same as Natural wood is. It is rinsed off also and not left on so no harm done besides. Rick B

http://www.wbpionline.com/features/ph-and-why-you-need-to-know-it/

[StockDoc]

you are wrong, read your own article. besides why would you ADD to a woods acidity.

[PhillipM]

Found some Murphy's oil soap under the sink. My M1 smells lemony fresh now.

[PhillipM]

I'd still like to know if it's okay to put tung over linseed or if I need to strip it first.

[Mike Josephic]

There have been a number of methods mentioned that include cleaning with water based products
like ammonia, for example. Won't this raise the grain of the wood and if so -- how do you deal with that?
I fear using sandpaper to level the surface since it will tend to erase all of the important stampings.

Any hints?

[Orlando]

There have been a number of methods mentioned that include cleaning with water based products
like ammonia, for example. Won't this raise the grain of the wood and if so -- how do you deal with that?
I fear using sandpaper to level the surface since it will tend to erase all of the important stampings.

Any hints?

Use 600 grit wet drypaper to apply BLO ,etc. This will remove whiskers create a slurry and fill grain. The paper is so fine it wont remove enough wood to harm any stamps

[StockDoc]

I'd still like to know if it's okay to put tung over linseed or if I need to strip it first.

no, no need to strip. You can apply it over the blo. You can even mix it. very compatible.


Ammonia, when mixed with Gum Spirit Turpentine and BLO, will not raise the grain at all.

[StockDoc]

I do not like using Wet And Dry on a USGI stock, I like the scotch brite pads, they don't load up quite like paper. Sometimes if the paper loads up, and yo do not notice it it can leave a scratch. Some collectors say they can see the fine scratching, I have even seen some of these collectors produce a mag glass and look for the scratches.

[Rick B]

no, no need to strip. You can apply it over the blo. You can even mix it. very compatible.


Ammonia, when mixed with Gum Spirit Turpentine and BLO, will not raise the grain at all.


Awwww heck now I am really confused as Ammonia has a PH of 11. Rick B

http://www.ehow.com/about_5505219_ph-level-ammonia.html

[p246]

Awwww heck now I am really confused as Ammonia has a PH of 11. Rick B

http://www.ehow.com/about_5505219_ph-level-ammonia.html
My general state of mind.. At least yours is just part time:-).

[StockDoc]

You are always confused Rick, it's neutralized by the Turpentine. something you don't do with your, go jo

I can see why you have problems Rick with some, you are an arrogant SOB aren't you? and like to stick to primitive techniques. aawwww heck

besides it is basically an apply then wipe off, unlike the Gojo (which you have a problem of Lanolin) or Purplepower, which you allow to soak in.

I will leave it at that Rick, you don't know what you are talking about and go ruin some more stock.


Bazinga!

[PhillipM]

Larry Taylor has long since retired and his site is dead, but I used his stock finishing method on a new Dupage 1903 stock with great results. I cut the sandpaper into 1.5 inch squares and cut the linseed oil (the expensive stuff from the art supply store) with turpentine and added chestnut ridge's military stain to the mix. Very happy with the way it came out.

https://web.archive.org/web/20090331064402/http://www.winrest.com/oilinstructions.html

FINISHING THE WOOD WITH PRE-64 RED-BROWN STOCK OIL

To prepare your stock for a refinish job, use paint stripper to remove the old finish. DO NOT sand the wood !!!!!
Next we give the stock a bath with Mineral Spirits or warm soapy water. This wet bath causes the wood to swell. Small nicks and dents can miraculously disappear to this welling, and a stock that is fifty years old or older will look more to life with a few small nicks and dings left in it. Let the stock dry for 24 hrs. before you start to finish the stock.

At this point you must determine the type of finish you want, or what grade of finish you want, because we all know that the wood preparation is everything. I have done wood finish's from a 120 grit sanding (for an older look) and as high as a 1500 grit sanding (for a show type finish). So the following must be applied to what type of finish you are looking for. The 320 and the 400 grit are for instructional prepossess only.

I use my fingers to apply a sloppy wet coat of oil. Then sand with 320 sand paper into the oil, and start to sand lightly with finger tip pressure. The oil will act as a lubricant, and you will not be cutting much wood with this wet sanding. You will be making wood flour from your stocks wood, and using that wood flour to fill the pores. The wet sanding will cause a black paste to form from the sanding dust, the oil and oxidation.

By the time the paste forms, you will feel the paper wear out, and quit making sanding dust. Get a fresh sand papered continue. Apply a wet coat of oil over the black paste, let set for 20 to 30 minutes, wipe off with a paper towel. LET SET FOR TWO DAYS TO DRY! Then repeat with another coat of wet sanding and let dry. Then switch to 400 grit wet sanding and due two more coats. Now the job gets a lot easier, there is no more sanding. Put the stock aside for a few days, even a week, it does not hurt. JUST MAKE SURE IT IS DRY.

For the finish coats use only a very small minute amount of oil, apply with your finger tips, and rub in with the heal of your hand. There should be no oil left to wipe off from the finishing coats, because it's all rubbed in. Let set until it is DRY! Your wood may not look like much for the first few coats, but the beauty will soon start to show. Your stock will get more beautiful with each coat. You will be the one to say when in is done.....

The original RED-BROWN STOCK FINISH, is the same as it has been for many years, but if you are like me, I like the deeper darker reds, blacks and browns. So I have come up with a stain that you can use on your stocks at any time in the oil finishing process, it is better if used at the start, but may be applied at any time. This is a stain not the oil finish. You will get a 3 OZ bottle with the powered stain in it. Just fill with 100% Mineral Spirits and shake well. You take a cloth or cotton ball and apply to wood before you start your wet sanding. The wood will turn a very dark red-black. Let dry over nite and then start your wet sanding. As you do your sanding the red-black will turn to a very nice dark red-brown......
The stain can also be added to your oil as you do your finishing coats with the oil finish.

[Rick B]

You are always confused Rick, it's neutralized by the Turpentine. something you don't do with your, go jo

I can see why you have problems Rick with some, you are an arrogant SOB aren't you? and like to stick to primitive techniques. aawwww heck

besides it is basically an apply then wipe off, unlike the Gojo (which you have a problem of Lanolin) or Purplepower, which you allow to soak in.

I will leave it at Rick, you don't know what you are talking about and go ruin some more stock.


Bazinga!


WOW the new guy comes in and has all the answers. :eek: Again I will say I know you are the fella who was banned from CMP for this exact garbage. I have been doing stocks for 25 years and no issues with Go Jo and all happy customers whose markings are all saved and wood is fine.

One side note so you do not start saying I am trump up business. I am not taking in any more work as I have a few thousand stocks to work on now. Orlando and I will continue wrecking stocks and you can now be the go to guy for all the answers on stock work :icon_salut: Rick B

[Jeff L]

I think we're done here. Closed