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Thread: Early 80s rifle stock

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    Early 80s rifle stock

    Hi I've just picked up a early 80s air rifle which I was going to have restored but having sorted out the correct screws for the gun and with the gun shooting as consistent as it is I've managed also to clean the action and barrel up with a bit of wire wool soaked in some oil, ive decided that the best for this gun is to leave as is , Its really not that bad, The stock however needs a good clean and there does not seem to be much of the original Finnish left on the stock, Just wanted to ask what would be the best method of cleaning the stock of this gun, Thanks

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    It all depends on what the original finish was, oil or lacquer ?



    All the best Mick

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    Quote Originally Posted by T 20 View Post
    It all depends on what the original finish was, oil or lacquer ?



    All the best Mick
    To be honest I'm not really sure , Its a mk1 GB stamped HW80 so a early one, I would have thought it would have had a lacquer on it originally but there doesn't seem to be much Finnish left on it , If any,

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    You will get more suggestions than years of the gun.....personally if their is no finish I would again grab the wire wool and depending on your desired finish use that and wire wool.....I have had good results with both oil and wax when rubbed onto a stock with wire wool...both should lift out any grubby marks and then lighter gentler to build coat's......

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    Quote Originally Posted by AC all day View Post
    You will get more suggestions than years of the gun.....personally if their is no finish I would again grab the wire wool and depending on your desired finish use that and wire wool.....I have had good results with both oil and wax when rubbed onto a stock with wire wool...both should lift out any grubby marks and then lighter gentler to build coat's......
    Funny enough I've just used wire wool and some 1200 I think wet and dry with a bit of warm water and fairy liquid, Dried it all off and just applied plenty of Danish oil with a brush, Only now I've rubbed the excess in, Its drying now, Will most probs keep on retreating over the next couple if weeks,

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    Quote Originally Posted by madcarlos View Post
    Funny enough I've just used wire wool and some 1200 I think wet and dry with a bit of warm water and fairy liquid, Dried it all off and just applied plenty of Danish oil with a brush, Only now I've rubbed the excess in, Its drying now, Will most probs keep on retreating over the next couple if weeks,
    Don't go mad with the Danish oil, it'll be best to just let what's already been brushed on to just soak in properly for a few weeks and then with some 0000 wire wool, just rub it over and take off any access (don't worry you'll only take off the surface oil as the rest will be in the wood pores), then just lightly apply a small amount of oil on the end of your finger and then rub that in all over until it's soaked in and the whole stock has been treated, repeat this process over a period of weeks until each coat has fully dried in, if you keep putting loads of oil on then it will get tacky, I'm guessing the stock is Beech? as Beech takes a long time to soak up oil as it's a dense grained wood, where as Walnut soaks up oil much faster and easier.

    Rule of thumb is, a little over a long time.

    Pete
    Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in

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    Quote Originally Posted by look no hands View Post
    Don't go mad with the Danish oil, it'll be best to just let what's already been brushed on to just soak in properly for a few weeks and then with some 0000 wire wool, just rub it over and take off any access (don't worry you'll only take off the surface oil as the rest will be in the wood pores), then just lightly apply a small amount of oil on the end of your finger and then rub that in all over until it's soaked in and the whole stock has been treated, repeat this process over a period of weeks until each coat has fully dried in, if you keep putting loads of oil on then it will get tacky, I'm guessing the stock is Beech? as Beech takes a long time to soak up oil as it's a dense grained wood, where as Walnut soaks up oil much faster and easier.

    Rule of thumb is, a little over a long time.

    Pete
    Yes you right about it going tacky, I'm going to give it good polishing with some dry cloths, Just going to oil it next time with just some normal oil, But it's looking better already,

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    Quote Originally Posted by madcarlos View Post
    Yes you right about it going tacky, I'm going to give it good polishing with some dry cloths, Just going to oil it next time with just some normal oil, But it's looking better already,
    If it's still tacky after giving it a buff up then just give it a quick rub over with some fine 0000 wire wool, when you mean "normal oil" what are you thinking of using?

    Pete
    Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in

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    Quote Originally Posted by look no hands View Post
    If it's still tacky after giving it a buff up then just give it a quick rub over with some fine 0000 wire wool, when you mean "normal oil" what are you thinking of using?

    Pete
    This may seem a bit mad but I've over the last couple of years been using 3 in 1 oil and last couple months been using wilko bike oil in a little Gray bottle, My rapid stock had some work done on it a good couple years ago and needed oiling, Using the above stuff the stock has a really lovely Finnish, My mate has had some really nice quality stocks over the years and still reckons the stock on my mk2 rapid is the best Finnish that he as seen on a stock,

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    Quote Originally Posted by madcarlos View Post
    This may seem a bit mad but I've over the last couple of years been using 3 in 1 oil and last couple months been using wilko bike oil in a little Gray bottle, My rapid stock had some work done on it a good couple years ago and needed oiling, Using the above stuff the stock has a really lovely Finnish, My mate has had some really nice quality stocks over the years and still reckons the stock on my mk2 rapid is the best Finnish that he as seen on a stock,
    Blimey there's something new, I've finished my last Walnut stock in boiled linseed oil and it's superb, I suppose all the oil is doing is to keep in waterproof, the only thing I would be worried about (but I don't think it would really happen) is the oil you are using could possibly rot the wood because of the ingredients but like you say if you've been using it for a long time and there's been no ill effects then it should be OK, digressing a little here but I had the checkering rot away on one of my Walnut stocks when I used Nitromors to strip it, because the stuff is so shite now, I had to use so much of it to even soften the old lacquer and the chemicals just ruined the wood, so it would be interesting to see what added chemicals are in the oils you are using?

    Pete
    Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in

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    Quote Originally Posted by look no hands View Post
    Blimey there's something new, I've finished my last Walnut stock in boiled linseed oil and it's superb, I suppose all the oil is doing is to keep in waterproof, the only thing I would be worried about (but I don't think it would really happen) is the oil you are using could possibly rot the wood because of the ingredients but like you say if you've been using it for a long time and there's been no ill effects then it should be OK, digressing a little here but I had the checkering rot away on one of my Walnut stocks when I used Nitromors to strip it, because the stuff is so shite now, I had to use so much of it to even soften the old lacquer and the chemicals just ruined the wood, so it would be interesting to see what added chemicals are in the oils you are using?

    Pete
    The stock now looks like there is a coating on it, Not sure really about the oil but it's the wilko make bike oil, The stock was quite dry after a while when it was first stripped back and did take quite a period of time to get to this stage, Now not to often I only have to put a little on then after a couple hours I buff it well with a dry cloth,

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