doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How to remove 127 years of grime from a stock

In the past, I have used a trick I learned as a kid hanging around a gun shop. Using a soft paintbrush, flood the surface with artist grade boiled linseed oil, and allow to rest on a few sheets of typing paper, outdoors. You don’t want to use newspaper, as the ink will bleed into the work. You can use a toothbrush to work the oil into the checkering. Give it an hour, and use clean paper towels to remove the excess oil. Change the towels frequently as they become oil soaked and dirty. Get as much of the linseed oil off as possible, you aren’t trying to add finish, just cleaning up what is there. Allow to dry for a day or two. The stock will be cleaner, but not refinished. You can rub a bit more finish on at this point, using whatever concoction you like, but, you don’t have to.

Put the oil soaked rags and paper in a place they won’t spontaneously combust, outside is best.

Best,
Ted

Do you mean boiled linseed oil? I start by thinning a bit with mineral spirits.

My father firmly believed in a good oil finish and just about every gun he brought home got the treatment ah la Modern Gunsmithing by Clyde Baker, beginning with the boiling lye water. This from page 188 from Clyde's book --