|
|
04-24-2017, 01:12 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 1 Post
|
|
What to clean a old guns wood stock with
Hello,
So I own a Mosin Nagant, Enfield no 4 mk 1 and no 5 mk 1 and a Yugoslavian mauser. These guns have a ton of grease dirt and grime all over the wood and i want to clean them WITHOUT damaging the factory finish. I have posted in a dozen different forums and googled like crazy and no one understands this. What should I use to clean the factory finish on these antique rifles that will not harm the finish at all?
|
04-24-2017, 02:45 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 5,835
Likes: 5,161
Liked 5,242 Times in 2,483 Posts
|
|
I have washed military surplus rifle stocks with warm water and a little mild soap. These stocks spent long periods out in the rain so a sloppy wash down with water is not going to damage them. After most of the dirt and sweat are gone reevaluate what you've got. U.S. and British rifle stocks were finished with linseed oil or tongue oil so a perfect cleansing of grease and oil without removing any of the original oil finish is probably not possible.
After the wash rubbing on a coat of oil is appropriate. They were occasionally oiled while they were in service.
The number one thing to avoid is sand paper with a finer grit than originally used.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-24-2017, 04:29 AM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tampa
Posts: 4,354
Likes: 19
Liked 659 Times in 615 Posts
|
|
Welcome from Tampa
__________________
NRA Bene Life, SWCA 2372
|
04-24-2017, 05:53 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Cincinnati,Ohio
Posts: 2,226
Likes: 919
Liked 769 Times in 514 Posts
|
|
Agree with K22fan. Welcome from Cincinnati
|
04-24-2017, 06:38 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: South-Central PA
Posts: 3,916
Likes: 19,203
Liked 6,510 Times in 2,036 Posts
|
|
Yep, what K22fan said pretty much covers it. I would avoid any abrasive.
|
04-24-2017, 06:52 AM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 207
Liked 741 Times in 668 Posts
|
|
Welcome from Wisconsin!
__________________
Former USN, Retired US Army
|
04-24-2017, 07:46 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Derby City,Ky.
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 5,277
Liked 3,504 Times in 1,680 Posts
|
|
Welcome........
__________________
Life is short,live it fully.
|
04-24-2017, 08:10 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Outside Philadelphia Pa
Posts: 16,601
Likes: 7,342
Liked 17,200 Times in 7,303 Posts
|
|
Is it something that's just in the cracks or are the stocks covered with grease and cosmoline?
If it's just from decades of use just let it be. Otherwise if anywhere you grab leaves your hand sticky and greasy from old cosmoline and grease you can wrap the stock in newspaper and paper towels. Several layers. Put all that in a black plastic bag and set it outside (or in your car) on a hot day. The grease and cosmoline will heat up and get absorbed into the paper. May have to do it several times depending on the amount of gunk and paper
Just keep in mind that this wood has probably been soaked in this stuff for decades, especially the Mosin. The wood is probably saturated with it. It may never completely come out or you may need to do the absorption thing many times. You may find it to be done only to one day take it out in the hot sun and realize that the wood gets stickier the long the rifle is in the sun
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
Last edited by Arik; 04-24-2017 at 08:14 AM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-24-2017, 08:46 AM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: SW VA
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 4,647
Liked 1,646 Times in 1,284 Posts
|
|
Welcome to the forum from Va.
__________________
Roger
|
04-24-2017, 09:21 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Southwest Iowa
Posts: 10,867
Likes: 2,688
Liked 18,970 Times in 5,589 Posts
|
|
Welcome to the forum.
Have you tried Murphy's Oil Soap?
__________________
Mike
S&WCA #3065
|
04-24-2017, 09:25 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,111
Likes: 2,876
Liked 2,506 Times in 1,281 Posts
|
|
Welcome A Boatd from the Sunshine State
__________________
Spin The Wheel
|
04-24-2017, 10:36 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2014
Location: NJ
Posts: 21
Likes: 6
Liked 5 Times in 4 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arik
Is it something that's just in the cracks or are the stocks covered with grease and cosmoline?
If it's just from decades of use just let it be. Otherwise if anywhere you grab leaves your hand sticky and greasy from old cosmoline and grease you can wrap the stock in newspaper and paper towels. Several layers. Put all that in a black plastic bag and set it outside (or in your car) on a hot day. The grease and cosmoline will heat up and get absorbed into the paper. May have to do it several times depending on the amount of gunk and paper
Just keep in mind that this wood has probably been soaked in this stuff for decades, especially the Mosin. The wood is probably saturated with it. It may never completely come out or you may need to do the absorption thing many times. You may find it to be done only to one day take it out in the hot sun and realize that the wood gets stickier the long the rifle is in the sun
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
|
Arik,
Curious, after the oils transfer to newspaper is there a risk of newspaper ink staining the stock?
Thanks
|
04-24-2017, 10:54 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Outside Philadelphia Pa
Posts: 16,601
Likes: 7,342
Liked 17,200 Times in 7,303 Posts
|
|
Not that I've seen (may depend on how much cosmoline and how long it's left out) but you can put paper towels first. Sometimes the paper towels will stick a little and leave some fibers behind but hose can be picked off or just carefully dampened and pulled off.
If you don't want to risk using newspaper anything that absorbs will do. Regular white towels... anything white that won't stain
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
|
04-24-2017, 11:35 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: NW of Austin Texas
Posts: 3,090
Likes: 1,351
Liked 4,938 Times in 1,730 Posts
|
|
In the old Corp we hand rubbed the wood stock of our M1 Garands with pure raw linseed oil.
__________________
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN
|
04-24-2017, 01:22 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Outside Philadelphia Pa
Posts: 16,601
Likes: 7,342
Liked 17,200 Times in 7,303 Posts
|
|
I don't think linseed oil is going to clean off half a century of soaked and caked on cosmoline
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
|
04-24-2017, 01:33 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,222
Likes: 2,905
Liked 5,333 Times in 1,869 Posts
|
|
The easiest way to clean/restore a finish as described here is go to a Lowe's Hardware and buy a can of Restor-A-Finish which comes in multiple shades like walnut. You simply put this on with 4000 steel wool and after letting it set for a couple of minutes wipe it off with paper towels. The difference is usually amazing. I've been working on firearms for over 40 years and have tried everything under the sun and to clean the original finish and I've found nothing better.
Jim
|
04-24-2017, 02:31 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 3,305
Likes: 14,958
Liked 2,549 Times in 1,145 Posts
|
|
Welcome from Delaware!
|
04-24-2017, 02:57 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,131
Likes: 126
Liked 535 Times in 431 Posts
|
|
Welcome aboard.
|
04-24-2017, 03:02 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,368
Likes: 13
Liked 831 Times in 390 Posts
|
|
Cosmoline liqifies at 130 degrees.
Blow-dryer, mineral spirits, nylon brush, rags, linseed oil, and fire pit
__________________
WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?
|
04-24-2017, 03:38 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: NW of Austin Texas
Posts: 3,090
Likes: 1,351
Liked 4,938 Times in 1,730 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arik
I don't think linseed oil is going to clean off half a century of soaked and caked on cosmoline
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
|
Half a century maybe not but at 16 years where the guns were in storage from the end of WWII to 1961 it worked like a charm with a lot of elbow grease.
__________________
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN
|
04-24-2017, 04:16 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: WVa East Panhandle
Posts: 28,611
Likes: 70,909
Liked 81,454 Times in 18,447 Posts
|
|
__________________
Keep on Chooglin'
|
04-24-2017, 07:24 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Home is Texas.
Posts: 2,774
Likes: 3,410
Liked 1,408 Times in 847 Posts
|
|
Welcome to the Neighborhood!
|
04-24-2017, 08:45 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: South-Central PA
Posts: 3,916
Likes: 19,203
Liked 6,510 Times in 2,036 Posts
|
|
OK, I looked at the pictures twice and read all of the posts about removing gobs of cosmoline. Where is the nasty stuff you want to remove. Honestly, I fail to see it. These rifles look pretty much as they should and I would not tamper with them.
If you are looking at this group of rifles thinking that they should look new, they really never will without ruining the value of them by refinishing. Maybe it's just me, but I would not do much of anything to those stocks.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-24-2017, 08:51 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 18,248
Likes: 7,989
Liked 5,675 Times in 2,190 Posts
|
|
Welcome from Texas sabot88. Great forum for all things S&W, have fun, learn lots, share what you know.
Good advice so far.
__________________
I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)
|
04-24-2017, 09:48 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 10,144
Likes: 1,783
Liked 1,362 Times in 993 Posts
|
|
Welcome from Ohio!!
|
04-26-2017, 11:05 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Southern NJ
Posts: 4,684
Likes: 19,020
Liked 4,190 Times in 1,865 Posts
|
|
Welcome from the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey.
__________________
Judge control not gun control!
|
04-27-2017, 07:13 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 10,146
Likes: 14,193
Liked 12,746 Times in 3,482 Posts
|
|
Welcome from North Dakota
__________________
John
|
04-30-2017, 08:14 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: florida
Posts: 5,743
Likes: 3,630
Liked 2,181 Times in 1,423 Posts
|
|
welcome from South Florida
|
04-30-2017, 10:49 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Hills of North Georgia
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 1,854
Liked 12,479 Times in 3,412 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by italiansport
The easiest way to clean/restore a finish as described here is go to a Lowe's Hardware and buy a can of Restor-A-Finish which comes in multiple shades like walnut. You simply put this on with 4000 steel wool and after letting it set for a couple of minutes wipe it off with paper towels. The difference is usually amazing. I've been working on firearms for over 40 years and have tried everything under the sun and to clean the original finish and I've found nothing better.
Jim
|
Not just no but he!! no. This ain't grandpa's J.C.Higgins 12 gauge he's restoring it an old military rifle. 0000 steel wool is a no no on any milsurp stock and no multiple shade of anything either. He's dealing with history here and doesn't need any abrasives to remove it.
__________________
LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE
Last edited by sheepdawg; 04-30-2017 at 10:50 PM.
|
05-01-2017, 10:55 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 2,784
Likes: 4,304
Liked 3,277 Times in 1,264 Posts
|
|
I don't have anything that hasn't been covered, but welcome to the forum from Tennessee.
__________________
Just a shooter
|
05-15-2017, 01:10 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 1 Post
|
|
Sorry I have not responded at all I wasn't getting any emails saying anyone was replying. The Mauser in particular had a ton of grease, dirt and cosmoline on it mostly on the wood at the end of the bolt and the around the butt plate. Plus there was darkening around the fore grip from sweat and such just building up. Ended up using Murphy's soap to clean it and it really brightened it up. The Mosin was fine and the Enfields just had a lot of dirt all over them that was dulling down the color of the wood. The picture was just to simply show what guns I have and not to show what I was trying to remove. Now I am handling the terrible task of really cleaning the bores on the Enfields and Mauser. My next question. Is it ok to just run 1 patch with hoppes #9 solvent through the bore, comes out pitch black, and then swab until the dry patches come out a very light grey or white? Or should I run wet patches through until they come out light grey as well, in conjunction with dry patches? I don't fire corrosive ammo out of any of my guns it is all wolf non corrosive ammo that I shoot except for the Mauser I shoot Prvi Partisan, which doesn't say if it is corrosive. Next time I give the cleaning a go I will post pictures of what my swabs look like. Might be a bit for those though.
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|