Ken, here's a link to an old Thread in the Amateur Gunsmithing forum that had a lively debate concerning the pros and cons of Timberluxe.

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=561377&page=1

And there is also a lot of information and opinions about many other gun stock finishes. You or your buddy might want to wade through that to help make a good decision. Even the real high dollar gun stock professionals will tell you that there is no one perfect finish that is best for all guns all the time. A hunter in coastal Alaska will have different needs than a skeet shooter in New Mexico. For a true collector, the very best finish is the original finish, so the best course of action might be nothing more than a careful cleaning.