Got a little project in the go to clean up this stock. It’s around 80 years old and saw service in WW2. The wood is in remarkably good shape, the inside looks pristine. The outside was a bit grubby but still in great shape. My aim isn’t to make it look new - heck, every ding air dent will have a story to tell or a ‘oh for xxxx sake’ moment when it was dropped or bashed. I’m just wanting to clean it up. So far, I’ve given it a couple of rub downs with a scotch brute pad and some dish soap. Next step will be a further clean with a mix of turpentine, methylated spirit and raw linseed oil. Then the final work will be some applications of boiled linseed oil - maybe cut down slightly with turps. I’m not planning to ‘restore’ this, just set it in good stead for me to use and then pass it over to my boy at some point. I’d be interested to hear what any of you think of my treatment plans, and if you have any suggestions of your own?
Stock
BRAVO...! :0)
Love the old full forearm stocks!!!
Slammer!!!
I like the look you've got going there. It's not overdone. I did a lot of these projects as a younger man and found Easy-Off oven cleaner to be just about the best thing going to cut through varnish, oil, cosmoline, dirt, grease, and anything else that could end up on a rifle stock. It's easy to meter, too. One coat left on for a minute and wiped off would remove the worst of it without getting too deep. Three coats soaked for 5-10 minutes each and you've basically got raw, unfinished wood!
quote:
Originally posted by Groundhog JohnI like the look you've got going there. It's not overdone. I did a lot of these projects as a younger man and found Easy-Off oven cleaner to be just about the best thing going to cut through varnish, oil, cosmoline, dirt, grease, and anything else that could end up on a rifle stock. It's easy to meter, too. One coat left on for a minute and wiped off would remove the worst of it without getting too deep. Three coats soaked for 5-10 minutes each and you've basically got raw, unfinished wood!
Thankyou for that tip... :0)
Easy Off………….who’d a thunk???
Slammer!!!
quote:
Originally posted by Groundhog JohnI like the look you've got going there. It's not overdone. I did a lot of these projects as a younger man and found Easy-Off oven cleaner to be just about the best thing going to cut through varnish, oil, cosmoline, dirt, grease, and anything else that could end up on a rifle stock. It's easy to meter, too. One coat left on for a minute and wiped off would remove the worst of it without getting too deep. Three coats soaked for 5-10 minutes each and you've basically got raw, unfinished wood!
Thank you John. I saw the oven cleaner method and to be honest, it worried me a bit as I was concerned about letting it get too far and effectivley making it look too new so to speak. So far, it has had 3 x scrubs with a scotchbrite pad and soap, which was very effective. Now im onto stage 2 which is a mix of turps, meths and linseed oil.
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Originally posted by slammerLove the old full forearm stocks!!!
Slammer!!!
Hey Dale, it just gets referred to as 'furniture' here 
Any clue as to who or where the rifle was issued to.?
I like what you got going.
In ninth grade I was taking woodworking in school. And, getting into hunting. I went to Montgomery Ward when a barrel of 7mm mausers showed up. (I actually wanted an 8 or 9mm as I recall) I did as much inspecting as I knew how (very little) and took one home for 20.00. I also did not appreciate patina and finish values or even gun stock finishing. I did what I learned to do: stripped in down clean with furniture stripper, sanded it down good, stained it with furniture stain, and wiped on a minwax type finish. It was purty-if it were a table! But, hey, it shoots great if you don't mind lugging it around. I had intended to put a modern hunting rifle stock on it, and cut the barrel down etc. , like many were doing in the early 1960s. I never got around to that. brad
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Originally posted by STUD figmo AlAny clue as to who or where the rifle was issued to.?
Sadly no.
I do know that it was manufactured at a factory only 50 miles from where I live and that it was definitely issued to a British Army unit. It has a 'crows foot' stamp - this is a sort of arrow shaped stamp that goes on issued kit.
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Originally posted by rinembI like what you got going.
In ninth grade I was taking woodworking in school. And, getting into hunting. I went to Montgomery Ward when a barrel of 7mm mausers showed up. (I actually wanted an 8 or 9mm as I recall) I did as much inspecting as I knew how (very little) and took one home for 20.00. I also did not appreciate patina and finish values or even gun stock finishing. I did what I learned to do: stripped in down clean with furniture stripper, sanded it down good, stained it with furniture stain, and wiped on a minwax type finish. It was purty-if it were a table! But, hey, it shoots great if you don't mind lugging it around. I had intended to put a modern hunting rifle stock on it, and cut the barrel down etc. , like many were doing in the early 1960s. I never got around to that. brad
I'm glad that you left it intact Brad.
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