I picked up an airweight 5 shot, but the grips have some verdigris around one of the badges. What's the best way to clean it, without ruining everything?
I thought about just getting new grips. Thoughts?

Murphy's oil soap & water with a toothbrush should do away with the green. You can then use Renaissance wax to clean & Polish the stocks.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Yup, toothbrush, toothpick, and some patience. It shouldn't come back. I've only had this problem with brass fittings on a leather holster. . .it does come back in time.

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Dr. B

After the cleaning, I give the grips a good application of wood lemon oil. It will flow into the checking and groves and eliminate the dried out look. Wipe dry and let sit for awhile, then wipe again and apply the wax. If some of the finish is gone you can also apply a coat of Watco Danish Natural Finish. It's an oil based finish and you can apply and then wipe off the excess. I've made some sorry looking stocks look good again with these methods and all without a total refinish.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

Following. I may learn something here. This is not sarcasm. There is always someone who can do something better than you do. Remember that.

DW

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"NUTS"

For fun, take the grips off the gun and then try dabbing on some Hoppes #9 with a qtip. It eats the green stuff for dinner. I even have used it on my nice old Heiser holsters. It doesn't damage wood or leather. Of course I don't soak the items, and I dry them afterwards.

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Dick Burg

I use Flitz on a Q-tip to clean up the medallions and the screw and hardware. Murphy's oil soap and a medium bristle tooth brush for the checkering and wood. Once the wood is completely dry, I use Formby's lemon oil on the wood.

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Rick
SWCA #2727 , SWHF #435

Washing older grips/stocks with Murphy's oil soap & water using a toothbrush will definitely clean away anything without harming the wood. I washed a pair of K frame targets and to my surprise there was very very little of the original finish remaining. Kind of scary and cool at the same time. Scary because before you start there is no way to tell what is grime, sweat, gun oil or whatever vs. original finish. Cool because when you are done the remaining refinish process will be easier. Haven't touched them since cause I can't wrap my feeble mind around how not to get too much finish in the checkering. However, I'm interested in possibly using the Watco Danish Oil Natural Finish vs. Tru Oil or are they virtually the same. hardcase60

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You want me to do what?

Following this with interest myself. I just got a nickle 28-2 that has a filthy set of diamond magna's on it. I love diamond magna's so I want to keep them.

Murphy's Oil Soap and a toothbrush? I'll have to stop at the Dollar Store...

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John 3:16 .

They say Ballistol is good for everything - metal, leather, even wood. Someone apparently used my batch on their feet because that's what it smells like. :-)

Can't comment on Tru-Oil, but don't be hesitant about Watco Danish Natural Finish. You can't really get too much on or in your checking because it is rather thin and will drip right off. And you can do an immediate wipe off with a clean cloth or press paper toweling into the checking with your fingers. I even keep a small glass jar available for giving the whole grip panel a quick immersion. Even though the finish is "natural" it will darken old dried out grips, but I view this as a positive. I buy mine at Lowes.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

I recently refinished a set of K frame grips. I soaked them in Acetone and then dried them. Very lightly touched up a few spots with 1500 grit sandpaper, and then used several coats of Tru-oil. They came out very nice but more glossy then what the original finish was.

loeman, thanks for the additional tidbit about Watco. Hard to believe that stuff is made by Rust-oleum! LOL

Pigbike, the heavy high gloss look is what I'm trying to avoid. The tip about the 1500 grit sandpaper is enlightening. Don't recall any other thread on refinishing where anyone talked about that fine a grit. Austin has a fairly new Woodcraft store. Now I have an excuse to visit it. Thanks, I think..... Kindest regards, hardcase60

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You want me to do what?

Ballistol and old toothbrush

pigmike, if you don't like the "glossy" finish from a couple coats of tru-oil, det some "rottenstone" from Home Depot or your hardware paint store. Mix with just enough mineral oil to make a light paste and with a soft cloth dipped into that paste, rub out the glossy finish. It will knock the glossy down and replace it with a deep smooth finish.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

You can also knock down the glossy look after using Tru Oil
with 0000 steel wool. A light rub down will knock down the
glossy look. Use until you like the look of the grips.

I am going to have to acquaint myself with this. Looks interesting.

DW

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"NUTS"

Nice tips. I've got just the set of stocks to try them on.

The Watco Danish Natural Finish sounds like a light finish that won't harm anything, so I'm leaning towards that, although I'm hesitant about darkening the wood.

Does Tru Oil also darken the wood?

The gloss is OK but not original. I might try what is suggested to dull it up little. I can always put on another coat if I want to gloss them again.
There is always a world of good information on this site.

I use the dreaded WD-40 as a "solvent" quite often on verdigris and all manor of grunge that gets ground into grips. It is harmless to wood and won't darken like other oils.
Just squirt a little on a toothbrush.
Yes I agree it is not a very good lubricant/preservative.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

I agree, Ballistol is good for pretty much everything except your olfactory senses. I have read articles where folks actually drink the stuff (and I'm not suggesting you do this!), I don't know what it supposedly cures, worms perhaps??? But it is good for all things guns, especially nice if you can use it outdoors.

Well, from reading all the inputs I came to this conclusion:

A soft toothbrush and just about any liquid will get rid of the green stuff!!!

To avoid being too glossy looking rub in two coats of Tru-Oil with your fingers and then finish up with a coat of Renaissance Wax. This seems to give the best original-like appearance for me.

Note: The round butt Magnas on my Model 13-2 3" started out as a pretty rough set of take offs and were refinished using the method described above.

Attached Images

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Join the NRA today

Here is a little thread of mine you may be interested in.

Yes, rottenstone with mineral oil or oooo steel wool will knock down some gloss.

Herrett stocks transformation