Looking for some ideas on Restoration on one

[David Veith]

I have one that could use some good cleaning. At this point I am looking for some Ideas. My big focus is the 150 years of rub in grime on the stock. So far I have lightly rub it with drawn soapy water and a solf rag.
David Veith

[Longknife]

Try some Brasso, it will remove the grime but not the finish. It will also polish and leave a nice mellow glow to the finish.....Ed

[don getz]

I have used a small amount of a mixture of turpentine and linseed oil.  Take a rag and rub the gun with this stuff, it will
remove a lot of dirt, but won't really hurt the finish.  I would be afraid of Brasso since it most likely would start to shine
the brass, which I don't think you really want to do......Don

[bob in the woods]

I have seen things like "brasso" leave a halo around the brass parts. I'm not certain what it does to the finish to cause this, but I stay away from anything not associated with the time period in which the piece was made. I use the same philosophy in the restoration of stringed instruments, re glues,finishes etc. For cleaning, I have used a cloth dampened with alcohol to lightly go over a violin finish. Once over only, and then let it rest for a day. The instrument was filthy, and it took a month to get most of the grime off, but I didn't do any damage to the original finish. So many of the instruments I have had through my shop have been forever damaged through someones compulsive instinct to "clean" them!
Or "polish" them. I am not saying , leave it filthy..just be carefull and know what you are doing. You could be "cleaning" off thousands of dollars. Sorry if I sound preachy!  I've just seen too many nice pieces ruined.

[Dphariss]

I would use turp and linseed oil or maybe linseed or turp alone. This will take off a lot of gunk.
If desperate I might use alcohol or maybe mineral spirits.
But these are pretty strong stuff.
I would avoid polishes and such.
If its oil soaked, lube oil, it will require heating gently when covered with something like diatomaceous earth to get the oil, some of it at least, out. Depends...

Dan

[tom patton]

I have used a small amount of a mixture of turpentine and linseed oil.  Take a rag and rub the gun with this stuff, it will
remove a lot of dirt, but won't really hurt the finish.  I would be afraid of Brasso since it most likely would start to shine
the brass, which I don't think you really want to do......Don

 Don, I have seen this recipe as linseed oil, turpentine and vinegar in equal parts. and have used the same {but with boiled linseed oil}. I got it years ago from Robin Hale and saw it recently on a TV what to do program described as an old fashioned polish.I agree whole heartedly with not using brasso and in fact I took a gun in barn condition {that Ca. 1700 one I had at the CLA}which had been lightly washed with warm water,a soft rag and Dove by the prior owner and since then I have done NOTHING but hand rub it {plus a little nose grease}. I left the brass  alone lest I incur the wrath of Earl and it's really coming along.I really don't understand the thinking behind the extreme brass polishing and over cleaning of early guns.I once cleaned a Model 1863 Springfield with this recipe plus judiciously using reconstituted lemon juice on the frozen leaf sight  with the result that the leaf sight worked like new. I used the lemon juice on the metal mounts off the stock to remove the light surface rust and then replaced them and used the polish on them and hand rubbed them.I haven't seen the gun in a while but it looked good when I delivered it to the owner.By the way,I still don't know what the vinegar does unless it perhaps speeds the drying.
Tom Patton

[T*O*F]

Most old guns have very little finish left on them, but years of compacted and polished dirt.  Before using any oil or turp, scrub the whole gun down with a solution of Murphy's Oil Soap and water.  It is made for cleaning wood.  It will work on metal as well.  Do a small area at a time using a piece of coarse wool cloth as a sponge, and then scrub each area until it's clean.  Then either paste wax or use your linseed/turps mixture as a final application.

An even better solution is to purchase Kramer's products:  Blemish Clarifier and Antique Improver.  They are specifically made for the restoration of old wooden antiques.  Go to www.Kramerize.com and read up on his products.

[Stan]

There is a great product that it used on both finished wood surfaces & paintings to include painted furniture called "Kotton Klenser". "Non-abrasive, Bio-Degradable, Non-toxic, Non-Flammable" Works great!   Stan

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

The Kramer's Best is incredible!  For all kinds of cleanup of wood.

[Dphariss]

Putting water on a gunstock that might have issues such as dry rot would not be my first choice.
Many old guns that have lost their finish start to slough off the surface of the wood and linseed will help to stabilize the wood and put some color back in it.
If it has built up gunk on it I would still try turpentine or maybe just linseed oil.
Dan

[T*O*F]

Putting water on a gunstock that might have issues such as dry rot would not be my first choice.

Dan,
We are not giving the gun a dunk bath, nor are we slathering soap and water all over it.  Proper restoration technique indicates that you start with very small areas in sound locations.  Solution on gauze pad or cotton ball squeezed until moist.  Work the area as many times as necessary to clean.  Wipe between.  If there is still finish on the gun, it will stay on the gun.  If not, it will clean the wood.

Most material on old gunstocks is detergent soluble and the solution dries.  Linseed oil is a lousy detergent which will soak in and not dry.

Since small areas are being done, one assumes you will slowly work into and find any dry rot, which should be obvious by sight or feel anyway.  There are other methods to stabilize them.

[Dphariss]

Putting water on a gunstock that might have issues such as dry rot would not be my first choice.

Dan,
We are not giving the gun a dunk bath, nor are we slathering soap and water all over it.  Proper restoration technique indicates that you start with very small areas in sound locations.  Solution on gauze pad or cotton ball squeezed until moist.  Work the area as many times as necessary to clean.  Wipe between.  If there is still finish on the gun, it will stay on the gun.  If not, it will clean the wood.

Most material on old gunstocks is detergent soluble and the solution dries.  Linseed oil is a lousy detergent which will soak in and not dry.


Since small areas are being done, one assumes you will slowly work into and find any dry rot, which should be obvious by sight or feel anyway.  There are other methods to stabilize them.

Whatever.
Dan

[Dave K]

I agree with TOF and actually have used it and done it many times. As you can tell, it is what I personally use.