What to clean a old guns wood stock with

[snubbyfan]

 

[Bill In Texas]

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

 

[JH1951]

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.

 

[pawncop]

Welcome from Texas sabot88. Great forum for all things S&W, have fun, learn lots, share what you know.

Good advice so far.

 

[C Islander]

Welcome from Ohio!!

 

[lrrifleman]

Welcome from the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey.

 

[OLDSTER]

Welcome from North Dakota

 

[islamoradamark]

welcome from South Florida

 

[sheepdawg]

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.

 

[snuffy51]

I don't have anything that hasn't been covered, but welcome to the forum from Tennessee.

 

[sabot88]

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.