Vasiline on stock

[ken]

 I was just handed a build where the guy stored the walnut stock with the barrel coated invasiline and wrapped for 6 years . Any thoughts on how to get this oil off the stock, or does it not matter?   ken

[PPatch]

Brownell's sells a Whiting compound for removing oils from gunstocks. You mix it with Acetone and put it on one section at a time. It is messy and you will want to do it outdoors or in a very well ventilated space.

Vasiline on a gunstock... that's a new one on me.

dp

[Dphariss]

Use solvent proof gloves if using acetone or even denatured alcohol.
If its soaked in you will need the whiting. You can get diatomaceous earth from pet stores that sell salt water aquarium supplies and it will do what the "whiting" does. If you can cover the stock with the stuff then warm it so the oil will come out of the wood it will help and not solvent needed, though I expect that with petrolatum that solvent may be needed to get all to goo off. But a solvent can carry the stuff INTO the wood as well so do some testing.... PITA.

Dan

[Artificer]

I've tried the Brownell's Whiting on MANY M1 Garand and M1903 gun stocks that were saturated with oil or grease.  Some times it worked and sometimes not.

I'm going to look for the stuff Dan mentioned and try it.

What I use when nothing else works to get oil or grease out of gun stocks is "Purple Power" Cleaner Degreaser you can find at Walmart and normally in the Auto Section.  However, it contains LYE and you absolutely must use chemical resistant gloves, some kind of eye or face shield and use it outdoors.  I also have a bucket of water around in case I get it any on my skin to quickly wash it off.  I use White Distilled Vinegar to neutralize it and then wash that off with plain warm water.  THEN wipe the stock dry with paper towels and get it INSIDE out of the sun where it can SLOWLY dry out so cracks don't form in the wood from drying too quickly. 

Gus

[ken]

Thanks . At this point I will try any thing to make it right thanks again!!  ken

[Leatherbark]

Easy Off oven cleaner.

Spray it on. Let it work and take a water hose to it. Do is several times.  Each time more oil will ooze out.   Used to do it on Milsurps years ago.

Bob

[eddillon]

I am a firm believer in mineral spirits, elbow grease and patience.  less likely to dry out the wood.  The oven cleaner method really can pull out the grease, color and character.  KyStrip paint remover works a little faster than the mineral spirits.  Wipe off the Kystrip with rags saturated with mineral spirits.

[John C IND]

Oven cleaner will strip whatever finish is left too.

[oldways]

When I received my DCM M1 garand it was covered in cosmoline,some one told to use a hair dryer to heat it and wipe it down with rags.

[Ric27]

try the heat and mineral spirits first. the least aggressive first I always say. the whiting works well on a stock with no finish. havent tried it on a finished stock.

[T*O*F]

Just to be contrary, most of the advice you have been given has nothing to do with Vaseline.  One must look at the physical properties of the substance being dealt with.  We assume the gun has some type of finish on it and the Vaseline was added as a long term storage protectant; and you only want to remove it and not the original finish with harsh chemicals.

Vaseline melts at near body temperature.  It's not that hard to remove.  Wiping the excess off and then rubbing the stock briskly with a dry cloth will probably generate enough heat to liquefy it and be absorbed into the cloth.  It has been used as a dressing for raw wood and as a leather dressing.  We used to use it to waterproof our leather boots and also to slick back our hair in the early 60's.  It dissipates rapidly as it vaporizes under low heat.  It probably has not soaked into the wood since the original finish would act as a barrier.  It's probably too late but my recommendation would be to merely wipe off the excess and give it a good burnishing with a piece of terrycloth.  Then forget about it.

[bob in the woods]

A good rub down with burlap should do it.

[Ric27]

I was just handed a build where the guy stored the walnut stock with the barrel coated invasiline and wrapped for 6 years . Any thoughts on how to get this oil off the stock, or does it not matter?   ken

are these parts that have yet to be finished & assembled. If so use the whiting as per instruction.

[A.Merrill]

    Ken,   have you tried any of these yet?? If so how did it turn out??    AL