Previous owner, while likely touch up bluing, stained the stock. What course of action are there to remove the staining, or do I just live with it?

I'd try a solution of oxalic acid on a Q-tip to see if that will remove it. But I'd probably first try staining a piece of scrap walnut with some cold bluing to have something to experiment with. before taking any chances with my gunstock. I have no actual experience with this problem, so no guarantees it would work.

Oxalic acid will probably lighten or bleach the wood somewhat, so even if it removed the bluing color, it might be necessary to wipe a bit of stain on the area that was cleaned before refinishing. Neutralize the oxalic acid with a basic pH baking soda or ammonia solution, rinse, and dry.

How big a spot? I would use my pocket knife to scrape, NOT CUT, a small spot to check how deep the stain is. If you have to move much wood I would try to chemically remove it.

bill

You need a solvent, not a bleach.
Dilution is the solution to your pollution.
And slowly is better.
I'd try windex on a Qtip first. Then maybe window cleaning ammonia. If no removal, try windshield washer solvent, then straight denatured alcohol, then Isopropyl alcohol, Still No? Then go organic, and start with gasoline, then paint thinner, then perhaps dilute acetone (finger nail polish remover)

I wouldn't try any acidics beyond white vinegar, until I found a solvent that removed the selenium product binder (presuming cold blue paste).

Qtips (and painter's tape) are your friends for this.

You just want to soften it, and float it away on the Qtip.

Thanks to all for the input. I will try to replicate the stains on some walnut scraps, as Keith suggest, to experiment the two suggested methods.

I have not had to deal with the exact scenaro that you have there, but i have worked with some commercial 2 part wood bleaches before and i was not happy with what they did. I could not get the wood to take a finish and look good.

I had some streaks left after soaking (floating) a buttstock overnight in acetone. I took q-tips and acetone and removed them perfectly. The streaks were caused by stuff that was removed from the stock floating on the surface. Then, when the stock was rolled over to the other side, it doubled the streak at the surface. All gone now.

Now, I've got to get the remainder of the oil out of the head with heat.

SRH