Cleaning Cut Checkering

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During the deer season I managed to get some mud into the cut checkering on one of my walnut stocked rifles. Rifle was cleaned after the season but I put off dealing with the mud until I figured out the best way to deal with it. Well it's 2 1/2 months later and I figured I should deal with it. Here is a pic of the situation:



My plan was to use some distilled water with a bit of Palmolive detergent and a soft toothbrush with blue shop towels to absorb things.

Any thoughts on this? Am I okay to use mild detergent on the walnut? or should I just stick to distilled water? Any other thoughts on how best to clean it?
 
I use a little brass bristle brush - brushing each way following the lines of checkering. Of course you don't want to over-run onto finish, but it does clean the checkering out nicely. No need for water. It does not take the peaks off the checkering, but actually makes them look sharper. Try it carefully - you will be impressed.
 
Yep the brass brush works wonders.. you can use a dental pick or sharpened piece of wire to get the bits that are close to the finish.. once you finish a slightly damp toothbrush will clean up any remaining dust.. then let it dry and apply a LITTLE bit of tung oil, work it in with the toothbrush and dry any excess with a old t-shirt.. don't bunch up the rag and toss it in the garbage it WILL spontaneously combust..
 
Nylon fingernail brush from the dollar store and plain water, followed by a wood care spray and a soft, non-lint cloth.
 
Guys,I know a little bit about checkering ...no water, no brass brush and no picks - a simple stiff toothbrush or other nylon type bristle brush clean and dry ran with the direction of the lines
 
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Just use a little hot water to soften the mud, then use a soft tooth brush to scrub it away. Let dry then apply light gun oil or Howards Feed and Wax.
 
r_lahaise said:
Yep the brass brush works wonders.. you can use a dental pick or sharpened piece of wire to get the bits that are close to the finish.. once you finish a slightly damp toothbrush will clean up any remaining dust.. then let it dry and apply a LITTLE bit of tung oil, work it in with the toothbrush and dry any excess with a old t-shirt.. don't bunch up the rag and toss it in the garbage it WILL spontaneously combust..
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anchor3593 said:
I use a little brass bristle brush - brushing each way following the lines of checkering. Of course you don't want to over-run onto finish, but it does clean the checkering out nicely. No need for water. It does not take the peaks off the checkering, but actually makes them look sharper. Try it carefully - you will be impressed.
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cjdawe said:
Guys,I know a little bit about checkering ...no water, no brass brush and no picks - a simple stiff toothbrush or other nylon type bristle brush clean and dry ran with the direction of the lines
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Why "no water" guys? What am I missing? Surely the gun sees plenty of water in the field, not to mention sweat... what's the deal?
 
kodiakjack said:
Why "no water" guys? What am I missing? Surely the gun sees plenty of water in the field, not to mention sweat... what's the deal?
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Why would you want to use a liquid that is damaging to wood in the first place?? If the water gets into the wood via a small crack,poor finish,worn finish etc,you are creating yourself grief. Cover damp wood with a finish,it dries,the water wants to escape out. It can seep and lift surrounding finishes,soften/rot the wood and other things. Kinda like running your car on low oil levels,you know its doing damage,so you drain more oil out to create more damage...make sense?
 
icehunter121 said:
Why would you want to use a liquid that is damaging to wood in the first place?? If the water gets into the wood via a small crack,poor finish,worn finish etc,you are creating yourself grief. Cover damp wood with a finish,it dries,the water wants to escape out. It can seep and lift surrounding finishes,soften/rot the wood and other things. Kinda like running your car on low oil levels,you know its doing damage,so you drain more oil out to create more damage...make sense?
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Not really... I feel like I'm on a hidden camera show and you're all messing with me lol.

Do you seriously not take your guns out hunting if it's raining or damp out? Aren't you worried that the rain "water gets into the wood via a small crack,poor finish,worn finish etc,you are creating yourself grief."

Am I crazy? I mean, it's just mud. Get it wet and wipe it off. Let it dry (well) then put some oil on it.
 
Lemon oil that is used for wood furniture and a brass brush works great and doesnt adversly affect the wood or the finish.
 
Good grief!

Mud... left there for weeks...

Don't be afraid of water, the stock is wood not paper and you aren't soaking it in water for days ...

Many times I have used a stiff toothbrush and warm water... quite a bit of water actually... then an absorbent cloth patting it dry... then letting it dry for awhile and with a clean dry toothbrush brush in a little stock finish like Tru Oil or Linspeed Oil. Do all the checkering, it needs it. Wipe away excess and after 30 minutes kind of polish the checkering with a dry toothbrush.

I would not use linseed oil or boiled linseed oil anything. There are much better products to use. Gave that up 47 years ago and never looked back.
 
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Depending on the hardness of the mud (hard clay) use a stiff nylon brush, a tooth brush or the little fella you scrub your finger nails with. Try it. If it doesn't appear to be getting it all out. Splash some water on it, let it sit and then brush it. It is not a big a deal as you may think and checkering for the most part is fairly tough and will take a nylon brushing. After you have it all out put a couple drops of linseed oil in the checkering and brush it all around with the tooth brush and it will look better than new.
Of course if your wanting a new rifle this would be a good excuse for trading it in on a new one..!!!!

Let us all know how you make out.
 
guntech said:
Good grief!

Mud... left there for weeks...

Don't be afraid of water, the stock is wood not paper and you aren't soaking it in water for days ...

Many times I have used a stiff toothbrush and warm water... quite a bit of water actually... then an absorbent cloth patting it dry... then letting it dry for awhile and with a clean dry toothbrush brush in a little stock finish like Tru Oil or Linspeed Oil. Do all the checkering, it needs it. Wipe away excess and after 30 minutes kind of polish the checkering with a dry toothbrush.

I would not use linseed oil or boiled linseed oil anything. There are much better products to use. Gave that up 47 years ago and never looked back.
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Tru oil and Linspeed are basically an oil and varnish mixture. They dry to a varnish-like texture. I would never use them on my guns, except perhaps as an overall finish for a new stock with no previous finish.

Double-boiled Linseed oil is what the finest English gun makers used for centuries on the most expensive stocks ever made.
Modern formulations of double-boiled Linseed oil also contain driers and dry in a reasonable period of time.
Most importantly they dry without leaving a varnish-like texture.

I have always used several coats of double boiled Linseed Oil on maple and walnut knife handles that I made and the results were far more pleasing that Tru-oil. Those I made look great a decade later.
 
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