cleaning up a stock

[yip]

 i'm ready to stain my stock but its a little dirty from handling during the carving, is there a way to clean it before staining?

[smylee grouch]

Can you whet the stock with rubbing alcohol, let dry and then whisker with 4 ought steel wool?

[Ky-Flinter]

You will be amazed at what a big pink eraser will remove.

-Ron

[smart dog]

Hi Yip,
Wipe the stock with Cleanwoode, which can be purchased from your local hardware store.  Wear latex or nitrile gloves when using it.  It does a great job.  This tip is from Mitch Yates who knows more about finishing wood than anybody I know.

dave 

[moleeyes36]

Hi Yip,
Wipe the stock with Cleanwoode, which can be purchased from your local hardware store.  Wear latex or nitrile gloves when using it.  It does a great job.  This tip is from Mitch Yates who knows more about finishing wood than anybody I know.

dave 

Dave,

The local stores around here don't list Cleanwoode on their websites.  I've checked Woodcraft, Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and True Value.  Where do you get it?  I can find it for sale on line, but the product cost and high cost of shipping it makes it really expensive.  Thanks.

Mole Eyes

[smart dog]

Hi Moleeyes,
I bought my can from my local ACE hardware store.  I am surprised you are having difficulty finding it. 

dave

[David Rase]

I use lacquer thinner for most all of my degreasing needs for both wood and metal. 
I will give the eraser idea a try.
David

[tallbear]

Cleanwoode is available in most hardware/lumber yards and painting suppliers around these parts.Here is their website http://wilsonimperial.us/cleanwoode.html with a contact number for  supplier information.Most solvents will work but the advantage of Cleanwoode is that it is a mixture of different solvents which will dissolve most anything you get  your stock using one product.It also won't raise the grain of your wood.It has gotten a little pricey lately($20 a quart) but it does'nt take  alot!!

Mitch

[Mark Elliott]

I have never had any dirt that whiskering didn't remove.   You have to whisker at least three time with a scraper or sandpaper.   Do you guys actually have stains that won't remove?

[flehto]

I agree w/ Mark....in the process of preparing the stock for staining, any off colored "stuff' on the wood just disappears. Never had a need to use anything special to "clean"  the stock....Fred

[yip]

  thanks fellas, i'll whisker it off and apply aqua fortis, i hope it'll be enough

[tallbear]

While I agree that the whiskering process takes care of most problems I have found that when using Nitate of Iron /aqua fortis(which is a water base stain) that fingerprints and even an errant bead of sweat can show up as slightly lighter spots.I've also had my shop gremlins put a drop of oil or some other substance on my stock when I was'nt looking.By using Cleanwoode before staining I've eliminated those little oops even though they were infrequent.

Mitch

[Daryl]

White erasers worked for me fro cleaning off pencil and removing dark marks - and - they do not leave pink streaks. I think the pink one I tried was old and deteriorating - maybe.  But - it left pink in the wood. the white erasers worked very well.

[Boompa]

 I clean it up as I go, not allowing the wood to get very smudged or stained. Can't stand a messy looking stock, , I use fine sandpaper or sometimes an eraser.