Originally Posted By: Tom Davis
If the stock has years of built up crud, do you clean it prior to the linseed oil?


I'm kind of jumping ahead but every stock I have had to clean in the last decade I have used nothing but raw linseed oil, a tooth brush for the checkering and in some cases 0000 steel wool.

Some have been very dirty and a good coat, lather it on until the stock is wet allover. This will do wonders for cleaning the wood and not removing the underlying stock finish. Let it soak and take your time, wipe with a clean cloth or paper towel.

If the stock is in such bad shape that the original finish has to be removed I try to stay away from them.

MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014