What is a good way to remove grime and gunk off a stock?

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RimfireD

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Hi.

I have an old rifle that has a dark wood stock that is also dark from age, use and grime. I would like to refinish the stock and am wondering what the options are.

I have used sandpaper in the past and have also used a small card scraper. The scraper is great for removing gunk, but not always the best when dealing with complex curves.

One of my challenges is dealing with some chequering - and I need a better way of cleaning the sweat/grime/- out of that.

Any advice?

Thanks
Greg
 
Kind of depends what you're starting with...

I love circa1850. Be it a stock or, 12-layer paint on a pressed-back chair. "Better living through modern chemistry"
The good news? You don't have to remove any wood in the process. Many big dents can be "ironed out", some persistent dings, scratches and gouges may need to be softened/sanded a touch. I try not to sand at all if possible....if possible is a great catch phrase.

For finshing...I've recently opened my eyes to tru-oil and, like it. For milsurps you can't beat BLO (boiled linseed oil) and, beeswax. I've used clear coat lacquer on guitars and, seen stocks (well done) in it but, n'er tried it.
 
Oven cleaner? Hmmm, never tried that before. I have not tried Circa 1950 either. Good isead, thanks.

I was thinking of a buffed tru-oil finish. Great finish, easy to apply and easy to patch up.

Thanks for your ideas guys.

Greg
 
I just refinished a stock yesterday. Used Circa1850 to strip it. Advised from fellow CGN'rs. Doesn't get any easier. Had the stock stripped in 1/2 hour. No harsh fumes. For the checkering use a stiff nylon brush after coated with the 1850. A lot of it will wipe off with the cloth too. Did some minor sanding with 280 grit sandpaper then restained it a different color actually. Turned out great.
 
camster said:
Kind of depends what you're starting with...

I love circa1850. Be it a stock or, 12-layer paint on a pressed-back chair. "Better living through modern chemistry"
The good news? You don't have to remove any wood in the process. Many big dents can be "ironed out", some persistent dings, scratches and gouges may need to be softened/sanded a touch. I try not to sand at all if possible....if possible is a great catch phrase.

For finshing...I've recently opened my eyes to tru-oil and, like it. For milsurps you can't beat BLO (boiled linseed oil) and, beeswax. I've used clear coat lacquer on guitars and, seen stocks (well done) in it but, n'er tried it.
Click to expand...

This.^ Keep the sandpaper and scrapers away from gun stocks as much as possible. 2-3 applications of a good paint stripper like Circa 1850 will remove finish, grime and most staining. Removing wood is a bad idea and needs to be avoided as much as possible. Iron out the dents, smooth it out with steel wool as needed. The stock will not "shrink" like sanded wood does, and will still fit your rifle properly when you are done. use a toothbrush or nylon bristle brush on checkering, not a steel or brass brush. Finish with Tru-Oil following the instructions on the can.
 
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