doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com removing Oil stains from Wood

What is the best method to remove soaked in oil and dirt from stocks?

Thanks

Acetone bath (Wonko Brew method) works great, however I usually soak the stock for no longer then required (usually 12-24 hours). Those who've had problems using this method have soaked their stocks for many days.
Search some of the recent questions posted by Burch.
Steve

Thanks. Is the Wonko Brew method posted by Burch?

Is this method better / more effective than using a birchwood casey stock conditioner?

With thanks to JC, I copied this from an earlier post.
Steve

Hello Burch,

From my archives I can contribute with the stock 'washing' part:

(Removing the old original finish)

Get a disposable aluminum roaster pan at the supermarket that is large enough for the stock. Stop by your Home Depot or whatever and get a gallon of acetone and a gallon of alcohol. If the stock has a plastic finish you might want a can of some paste stripper too. Use that first if the outside finish requires it. If the stock has a varnish or oil finish the acetone will lift that with no problem. Then toss the stock in the roaster and pour in the acetone (it will also neutralize the paste stripper). Cover the wood until it floats. Then pull off a good length of aluminum foil and make a cover for the "tank", sealing it as well as possible. Be aware that acetone is highly volatile and smoking the cigar over the top of it is not recommended. Let the things soak for several days, turning the wood over a couple times a day. When you feel like you're tired of that, and the acetone looks like it has quit changing color, pour the acetone back in the can, rinse the roaster out with alcohol, and then soak the stock in the alcohol just like you did in the acetone. When you yank the baby out of the alcohol bath it will be CLEAN! And you can seal it and refinish it anyway you want after you let it dry a couple days.


The Wonko-Brew works GREAT.... BUT... be very careful. I stripped a stock that I had spliced ( I was growing it back 3 inches that it had lost), and the two pieces shrank... differentially. So be aware that it does take moisture out of wood, even a 97 year old LC Smith stock. After stripping, you might want to let it stabalize a few days befor econtinuing with any fitting.
Good news was that I left everything sitting on my bench, per recommendation of Pete Hiatt and Dr. Gaddy and several others, and in 30 days the two pieces were back to their perfect fit. You can't tell the diffeence now, but for a while I was a bit perturbed.
Regards
GKT Greg Tag

You can also weigh it down with something like a plate [not plastic, ;-)] so as to avoid having to turn it over.

JC
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thanks Rockdoc

Should I look for a specific kind of alcohol (i.e. Rubbing Alcohol). Please pardon my ignorance, but I'm completely unfamiliar with this process.

I believe you want denatured alcohol, at the Depot.

I believe that the alcohol has or attracts a lot of water and swells the wood. You will have to wait a week or two after soaking before it returns back to size. You will most likely also find it takes a while for the acetone to leave the wood. The smell test will tell you when it is gone.

I have always just used the acetone bath and never for more then 24 hours. In addition, I let the stock dry for a few hours only before I begin applying finish (typically Tru-Oil with a rag). Others may disagree (as is their right) but I've done 7-8 stocks this way and have always been very pleased with the results.
Steve