I am in tha market for a No.4 Enfield, I found one that looks ok, but the stock looks a little dirty (in good shape but a little black) So if i buy this one, what is a good way to clean the stock up? I heard steel wool is a good, I have also heard murphys oil soap works too. I have also read things about soaking the wood in hot water (which i don't want to do) I know how to finish with BLO, I just need to know how to clean the wood first. Thanks
Cleaning Stock on a No.4.
- Thread starter LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1
- Start date
I think he was talking about his wood STOCK, not something else............. Murphy's is best for really greasy, dirty wood. Those gray wood finishing pads at Home Hardware are really good for cleaning stocks, too.
You want to clean the crud off but not the original finish. Just a good wiping with Murphy's Oil Soap and warm water will usually do the job. Don't use any abrasive pad or steel wool. Once the dirt is gone then a few coats of Boiled Linseed will put it back to original.
I baked my no5 stock in the oven, I set the oven at about 200 and watched for the cosmo to start comeing out of the wood wiped it with a clean towel and put it back in again I repeted this a few times and then treated it with BLO this took a lot of crud out of the wood on my rifle.
Just before assembly and periodically by the Armourers the stocks were soaked in a tank of hot raw linseed oil, the purpose of the tank dipping/soaking was to keep the stock hydrated which kept the wood from drying out and shrinking.
Below is a stock that was hot dipped in linseed oil and it is mistakenly labeled “cosmoline soaked” when in fact what you see is linseed oil.
If you bake your stock the raw linseed oil is cooked out of the wood and will need to be replaced, a wallpaper wetting tray can be used to soak your stock in raw linseed oil.
Bottom line if you take oil out of your stock you should put new oil back in.
See “Preservation of Woodwork of Rifles” below.
Below is a stock that was hot dipped in linseed oil and it is mistakenly labeled “cosmoline soaked” when in fact what you see is linseed oil.
If you bake your stock the raw linseed oil is cooked out of the wood and will need to be replaced, a wallpaper wetting tray can be used to soak your stock in raw linseed oil.
Bottom line if you take oil out of your stock you should put new oil back in.
See “Preservation of Woodwork of Rifles” below.
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I used to use Easy-Off oven cleaner, on rifles I was refinishing. This is now considered heresy and sacrilege. Never did any harm that I could see and I have stocks I did 15 or more years ago. Don't leave it more than 5 minutes and wash off very thoroughly in very warm water with a stiff brush. Dry for a few days (no heat) and a light sand and linseed oil and you look like new. If you want to steam out dents you have to remove the oil close to surface of the wood, otherwise the steam will not penetrate to raise the dents.
If you're concerned about patina on a collectible rifle, any abrasive or steel wool pads etc. will strip off the old surface sheen and leave a dull surface, though the pores of the wood will not be opened as they are when solvents etc. are used. I hate to see that dull, steel-wooled look on antiques. Always better to just oil it.
Same as a piece of fine furniture. Strip it and you've ruined it.
That is not the same as a rifle you're building for the bush etc. of course.
If you're concerned about patina on a collectible rifle, any abrasive or steel wool pads etc. will strip off the old surface sheen and leave a dull surface, though the pores of the wood will not be opened as they are when solvents etc. are used. I hate to see that dull, steel-wooled look on antiques. Always better to just oil it.
Same as a piece of fine furniture. Strip it and you've ruined it.
That is not the same as a rifle you're building for the bush etc. of course.
I just cleaned up the furniture on the No4 MKI* i just bought.
All i used was Murphy's Oil soap and 0000 steel wool.
With some elbow grease it worked perfectly!
Then applied some oil to the pieces once they dried and she looks
beautiful!
All i used was Murphy's Oil soap and 0000 steel wool.
With some elbow grease it worked perfectly!
Then applied some oil to the pieces once they dried and she looks
beautiful!
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
