Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Cleaning wood stocks

BowGunHunter
A customer brought in a 1903 (from the cmp) to be cleaned up. It looked like it had been draged behind a truck and then coated in cosmoline. Wood compleatly grease soaked, hardly and metal finish and what was there didn't match (blued action/parkerised barrel, ww2 rebuild). And naturaly he didn't what to spend a lot of $$ on it. I figured I could clean the metal parts, run them through my rust remover tank and reblue them without any buffing. the stock was sound but soaked with grease... well I had my cleaning solution hot(brownells dicro-clean 909) and I intended to mix a new batch for my next bluing run and way so in went the stock and I let it boil for about 1/2 hr. Let it dry in the sun for a couple of days, sanded with 60 & 120 grit paper and a couple of coats on boil linseed oil. I've let it sit in the sun for hours and NO bleed out of grease.1903.jpg
0

Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • BowGunHunter
    I just received a gun that has been stored in a wool lined case for a long time and guess what. The gun is covered in wool...the stock and metal. The wool is stuck all over the gun. What is the best way to clean this gun? Thanks.
    0
  • nmyers
    It would help if you identified the gun, as there are many different types of wood finish. Better yet, post a photo.

    In general, steel parts can be quickly cleaned with Kroil & 0000 steel wool.

    In general, you probably want to start on the wood with a Dobie & Simple Green.

    But, it all really depends upon the gun.

    Neal
    0
  • perry shooter
    Try some Balistol it is safe for Wood leather and all steel . if this is just wool stuck to surface of the wood However if the original finish has gotten soft with age then you need to strip this finish . For that you will need to remove all metal /plastic from the stock and use something like FOMBEY'S refinisher this will not raise the grain like paint stripper or hurt the wood.
    0
  • BowGunHunter
    The gun is a 1940's Winchester Model 70. I don't think the stock has been softened so I think a mild detergent or cleaner would be ok but thought I would ask before I started.
    0
  • navc130
    I would try soap/cleaner and warm water first. You can't hurt anything that way. It may require a brush to get it off. I would think that the wool cannot adhere very tightly; unless the wood finish softened and the wool fibers are embedded in it.
    0
  • asphalt cowboy
    Try to press the ball of your thumb into the finish. If it leaves an impression, the finish has softened and needs redone.
    I will also second Balistol and a soft cotton cloth.
    0
  • He Dog
    Murphy's oil soap to start.
    0
  • campazzada
    Whatever you use DON'T use simple green A friend of mine used some on a o/u shotgun (I forget which one) and it ruined the finish on it. Also if you read the label on simple green it is supposed to be diluted with water , and that is what he did,still ruined the finish!!
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity