Thanks for all of the advice re: removing boiled linseed oil from a pre-war Model 70 stock. Earlier today, I tried rubbing some odorless mineral spirits on the stock with 0000 steel wool to try to remove some of the stickiness. It looks like some of the finish came off as a result – see pictures.
Is there anything I can do at this point? Would you recommend I put some wax on the stock to protect it?
Also, any theories on what happened?
Thanks all.
Ron P said
Also, any theories on what happened?
So those streaks are right down to the bare wood? Mineral spirits shouldn’t have done that! Ordinarily it takes lacquer thinner (the strongest solvent EPA allows to remain on the market after they banned carbon tet along with innumerable other useful products like white lead & creosote) to remove lacquer. I’m tempted to say “you can’t make it worse” by trying out the Formby’s type restorer, but I suppose it’s possible you might. I guess paste wax would be the least risky thing that could be done, but don’t think it will restore color to the bare splotches.
I blotted the splotches with water and that removed them, along with some brown/red finish. Turns out they may have been some of the mineral spirits solidifying? Not sure. Well those areas are an even, lighter brown now, see picture.
I guess I’ll try paste wax and see if it improves, but this is better than the splotches.
Ron P,
I agree with Clarence, “paste wax is the least risky thing that could be done”. I use Johnson paste wax, the old amber colored hard wax. I apply, leave it set for several hours and rub off with a micro fiber rag. If you don’t like it you can take it off with Scott’s Liquid Gold, it removes old wax. I would buy both products and try them on a small area. If it’s still sticky don’t use wax or Scott’s.
My gun was not sticky so I used 000 steel wool dry on the runs on a very small area. Light pressure just the top of the roping until removed, then the general area just enough to remove the shine. It doesn’t take but a couple strokes, less is better. Then I did the paste wax. I did just a small area! It looks better than before now. I’m going to wait a week or two before I decide to do the whole stock. T/R
This story had a happy ending. I used John Kay’s pre-64 Winchester Oil to spot treat some of the areas and it helped.
Comparing this to older pictures of the rifle, these areas on the stock were already worn. I never looked closely before. The mineral spirits cut the stickiness, and removed some of the finish in areas (not sure of it was BLO or lacquer that was removed), but these areas are being restored by the Winchester oil.
Big sigh of relief!
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