I was attempting to remove some dark stained streaks but bleach had no effect. I did read about scrubbing the stock down with Borax to neutralize the bleach then let dry. Should have ordered a walnut stock before having this one glass bedded.
refinishing a Rem 788 stock tips
- Thread starter mbogo3
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
The maker's of this "oxalic acid" stuff does not seem to know if it is an acid or a base - words on side panel say:" Oxalic Acid is an essential household chemical that can be used, like many acids, as a cleaner for various things. For example, as a rust remover, a cleaning agent, on wood work as a stain lifter, as a bleaching agent and many more ..."
It has been a few years, but as I recall, that acquaintance pulling the stains from SMLE stock with Bar Keepers Friend was many days - many applications - to get that stain out - was not just a "wipe on" and "wipe off" effort.
A quick look on Wikipedia says that "Borax" is a base - will not "neutralize" a "bleach", which is likely also a base. Might be as much about "diluting" as about "neutralizing"? You said that the bleach had no effect - might want to keep an eye on that for a couple days or weeks - the "effect" might not be immediate?
It has been a few years, but as I recall, that acquaintance pulling the stains from SMLE stock with Bar Keepers Friend was many days - many applications - to get that stain out - was not just a "wipe on" and "wipe off" effort.
A quick look on Wikipedia says that "Borax" is a base - will not "neutralize" a "bleach", which is likely also a base. Might be as much about "diluting" as about "neutralizing"? You said that the bleach had no effect - might want to keep an eye on that for a couple days or weeks - the "effect" might not be immediate?
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Those triggers are easily modified to adjustable. And can be tuned to a very nice trigger. - dan
- Location
- Steel Town
I've had very good luck with Tru-oil. 0000 steel wool between coats, dull it down with BC stock sheen and conditioner and a final Renaissance wax finish. Even ugly stocks can be made to look nice, with a brown-amber hue from the Tru-oil. You can also start with your choice of water based stains.
Stock Wax. Several coats, allowed to cure in between, will soak in nicely, bringing out whatever grain is visible, while being super easy to touch up and maintain. I really like the Dembart products but I haven't seen them available for awhile.
Other waxes, such as Johnson's Paste Wax (no longer available in Canada) or the next best thing, Kiwi Shoe Polish, wax type work almost as well.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Your use of the words is different than how I use them - I think stuff like wax or paint or varnish will "seal" the wood - won't let water vapour in or out, whereas most "stains" that I have used simply colour the wood fibres and will allow more stain through, and I presume will let water vapour out. On advice of someone, I did mix Minwax brand "stain" - 50%/50% with Boiled Linseed Oil for first several coats - to get colour where I wanted, then just went with multiple more coats of straight Boiled Linseed Oil. It was my impression that the "stain" allowed the BLO to soak in more into the wood fibres - was not "sealed" by that stain?
I found the can of stuff that I used - on side label it says "Minwax Wood Finish is an oil-based wood stain ..." Further on the User Instructions on the can it says to use "Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane" as a clear protective finish, over that stain. I did not use any polyurethane - just more coats of straight BLO - not real certain if that is same thing or not.
Instructions on the can say to apply that stain with a brush - in direction of the grain - let "soak" 5 to 15 minutes and then wipe off with clean rag. Is about same way I dealt with BLO - slosh it on liberally - let it soak - 5 minutes or so later rub as much off as I can get to come off with a terry towel - then let that coat dry overnight before applying the next coat. Idea apparently is to get the stuff (stain and BLO) to be into the wood fibres, not on top of them.
Later coats amount to a few drops of BLO for the whole stock - I read somewhere to rub that on "hard" with bare skin of palm of hand or fingers - idea is that the small amount of friction heat will get that BLO to penetrate better, into the wood.
DO NOT want to slosh on Linseed Oil thickly, and then leave like that - it will take decades (?) to dry completely and hard if it is thick on top of the wood.
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I apply it with lint-free cloth or even paper towels.
I like to warm the wax first, to a soft butter consistency and apply it to the stock which should be warmed as well, to help the wax penetrate a few thou.
- Location
- Steel Town
Yes, to reiterate, several thin coats of oil finish, 24 hours between coats. Tru oil will dry very hard if applied in thin coats.
