Also surprising how often one comes across restock jobs,that,while often well enough fitted used something that would have been more appropriate for a stock crate.
GDU
I have a Lefever I grade with a stock that is as nicely inletted as any lower grade Lefever you'll see. But it appears to be made of white oak. The inletting is indistinguishable from factory. Also strange are guns which are very nicely inletted, but the final exterior shaping is ... well, you are left wondering if the intrepid stocker even ever looked at an original.
On the plus side, one double I bought a few weeks ago had a stock finish that looked like alligator hide. It was very thick and darkened and looked like it had been left too close to a wood stove or something. This alligatored finish even extended over some of the action and forearm metal. I thought I recognized what it was and made a very good deal because it was so ugly. When I got home, I saturated a rag with some 99% isopropyl alcohol and started rubbing. After 20-30 minutes, the alcohol had removed virtually all of the old, dirty, cracked garnet shellac. This shellac was laid on so heavily that about 95% of the scratches and little handling dents were in this thick removed surface. The checkering which had looked worn smooth and indistinct was simply clogged with heavy dirty shellac. Alcohol and an old toothbrush made it look almost factory fresh. Underneath was virtually all of the original finish which the alcohol didn't even soften. It was in great shape and a little wipedown with stock wax had it standing tall. Total stock restoration cost: about half a buck for alcohol and a dab of wax. And the original finish is still there! Shellac must have been much more commonly used in this manner, because I have ran across this several times, and this is why I recommend always starting with alcohol as a finish removal solvent.
Seems like every time I start thinking that gun shows or flea markets are a waste of time, I find some diamond in the rough. I do wish the gun show promoters would all ban vendors whose tables don't have at least 80% gun related content. The shows that are heavy with jerky and Indian jewelery are the ones I don't ever return to.
