I have purchased several untouched rifles from I.M.I. during their "sale".
So far all of the untouched rifles will have either 1) damage from handling 2) rot and or broken stocks 3) missing pieces 4) some parts rusted beyond repair.
All were well packed in 100 plus year old Yak butter that has congealed with dust, dirt, and a bit of rust into an extremely durable protective coating taht resists almost all modern solvents.
Two short lever martini rifles both had damaged butt stocks and extremely rusted butt stock bolts. One had the iron barrel retaining pins replaced with wooden dowel.
All internals and screws were well covered in preservative that could only be removed by boiling the parts in hot soapy water. There were no seized screws or rusted threads and every thing disassembled into pieces easily.
Most of the manufacturers markings on the sale rifles have been scrubbed by apparent arsenal refinishing with just faint traces of the trademark and Enfield stamp left.
I am going to start cleaning the wood by wrapping in it in flannel soaked in linseed oil and letting it soak.
Any other ideas on cleaning 100 plus years of grunge off of wood?
So far all of the untouched rifles will have either 1) damage from handling 2) rot and or broken stocks 3) missing pieces 4) some parts rusted beyond repair.
All were well packed in 100 plus year old Yak butter that has congealed with dust, dirt, and a bit of rust into an extremely durable protective coating taht resists almost all modern solvents.
Two short lever martini rifles both had damaged butt stocks and extremely rusted butt stock bolts. One had the iron barrel retaining pins replaced with wooden dowel.
All internals and screws were well covered in preservative that could only be removed by boiling the parts in hot soapy water. There were no seized screws or rusted threads and every thing disassembled into pieces easily.
Most of the manufacturers markings on the sale rifles have been scrubbed by apparent arsenal refinishing with just faint traces of the trademark and Enfield stamp left.
I am going to start cleaning the wood by wrapping in it in flannel soaked in linseed oil and letting it soak.
Any other ideas on cleaning 100 plus years of grunge off of wood?
