One More Question

[wildcatter]

I have a rifle that resided in a barn for many years. When the barn was dismantled the gun was brought back to light.  A lot of the metal pieces ie. lock, barrel, tang are rusted and it looks to have been covered in a shellac at some time. The combination of shellac and rust is now leeching into the wood causing discoloration and deterioration. The deterioration and discoloration is moving or spreading more and more into the stock. I have always rubbed it down twice a year with renaissance wax.  My question is: What should I or could I do to stabilize the wood and rust issues? Any help would be appreciated!!

Matt

[longrifle]

Do you have photos of what you are dealing with.

[wildcatter]

Here you go:

[Shreckmeister]

I wonder what Metal Prep or some similar rust dissolving agent might do to it?  I would think that pulling the lock and barrel and stopping the rusting process on the steel itself would go a long way toward resolving the issue with it damaging the wood around them.  Is that a western PA rifle?

[wildcatter]

Jacob Snider (Snyder) Rifle - Trying to figure out how to save the wood, its starting to get soft around the tang and lock mortise. Really worried about it, thought I would get more opinions to help but I will have to figure this one out on my own I guess.

[Buck]

To remove the rust take a brass strip or "lathe" and apply penetrating oil to a small portion of the metal surface. Run the brass strip at a slight angle through the oil, almost in a "Scraping motion" and it will remove the rust without scaring the metal.
Buck

[Shreckmeister]

I'm thinking someone heavily oiled the rifle and the oil is carrying the rust into the wood like osmosis.  I still think
cleaning the iron of rust will stop the process, but getting that oil out of the wood might be tough.  I wonder if denatured
alcohol on a cloth would pull the oil out of the wood.  It will also pull the dark color out, but if you overdo it, it will be a
problem.  I think it's going to be a painstaking process.