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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Building Double Rifles & Gunsmithing

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Ckhobart
.275 member

Reged: 26/06/13
Posts: 84
Loc: Reno, NV

Best solvent to lift old oil stains?
#259016 - 14/01/15 08:58 AM

Got some edges that need refinishing on a 1938 Turk Mauser... what sort of solvent do you guys use to lift oil/crud? Figured turpentine would work fine but curious

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LesLeeSpeed
.300 member

Reged: 14/11/13
Posts: 223
Loc: Queensland Australia

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: Ckhobart]
#259018 - 14/01/15 10:07 AM

Is this from the stock? If so leave it in the sun and wipe off the excess as it comes to the surface. A heat gun or hair dryer would do the same if you don't have much sun at the moment. Chalk dust is another way to soak oil from a stock.
LesLeeSpeed

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Dumprat
.300 member

Reged: 20/02/14
Posts: 205
Loc: Vancouver island bc.

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: LesLeeSpeed]
#259021 - 14/01/15 12:35 PM

I have used dish soap and hot water with good results

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26516
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: Dumprat]
#259036 - 15/01/15 03:26 AM

What about Acetone? Maybe allow the oils to soak in more deeply - or remove them - one or the other?

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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szihn
.400 member

Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2112
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: DarylS]
#259053 - 15/01/15 03:06 PM

One trick I have used with good success is to dig a trench in the ground about 4" longer than your stock and 4" deep. Line it with foil and fill it with acetone.
Put the stock in the acetone and place a couple rocks on it to sink it.
Let it soak for about 2 hours. You will have to re-fill the acetone a bit to keep up with the evaporation.
The acetone penetrates the wood pretty deeply and floats out most oils.

Let you stock dry in bright sunlight for a few day and you are ready to re-finish.

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26516
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: szihn]
#259054 - 15/01/15 03:50 PM

Sounds good, Steve. I was sure I had heard about using acetone, but not positive.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Matabele
.300 member

Reged: 16/09/10
Posts: 230
Loc: Zimbabwe

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: DarylS]
#259057 - 15/01/15 05:29 PM

When I was working in the UK as a gunsmith apprentice, we dealt with a lot of oil soaked stocks. Our method was to use a heat gun and wipe the oil off wiht a acetone soaked rag as it bubbled to the surface. You have to be careful not to scorch the wood, and work in a well ventialted area it'll smoke a room up fairly fast. Our boss swore by Tricoethylene, soaking the whole stock in it over night. I refused to use it though as it is apparently highly carcinogenic. I have also heard of using the hot blue bath and immersing the stock in that, apparently the wood comes out white and completely oil free. That's third hand info though and I would tread very carefully if thats something you're inclined to try.

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gungadoug
.333 member

Reged: 13/08/12
Posts: 285
Loc: NM

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: Matabele]
#259061 - 16/01/15 12:45 AM

Brownells sells Whiting, been used for years- basically chalk dust you mix with a carrier such as alcohol or paint thinner, then paint on the stock. Some heat will help draw the oil. When it is done, brush off, or remove with fine steel wool. Works!!
Doug

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Englishman
.275 member

Reged: 09/12/09
Posts: 62
Loc: Lot,France

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: gungadoug]
#259801 - 02/02/15 12:29 AM

The Triclorethelene does work very well, especially when used in a vapour tank, we had one at a company I worked for at one time, and that would knock the operator out cold when the cold water pipe around the top failed to stop the vapour, that was 40 years ago, and they are still alive!
I use Cat Litter, that brings out the oil from the stock very well if it is kept in the warm.

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Birdhunter50
.375 member

Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Iowa,U.S.A.

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: Englishman]
#259928 - 04/02/15 12:10 AM

Acetone, with or without the Whiting. If you don't use the Whiting, you should be ready to rub off the acetone with a cotton rag. On short stocks, I have used one of the large heavy tinfoil turkey roasting pans that you can buy in some grocery stores. You will have to bend it a bit to get it so that the stock fits into it. Cover the gunstock halfway with Acetone, then seal the top over with some tinfoil to slow evaporation. Unwrap the pan every half hour or so and turn over the stock. this removes old oil, sweat stains, all the finish, and some wood stains. Any stubborn areas can be scrubbed with a nylon brisel brush. Air dry it thoroughly after the soaking and then completely refinish it.
This method is the only way I have found to allow me to glue repair cracked stocks. I also use it to remove old oil from the head of an old stock before I Acra Glas it. You have to get all the old oil out before you can make repairs or glass in a stock. Bob

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CAMartini
.224 member

Reged: 02/12/10
Posts: 8
Loc: California

Re: Best solvent to lift old oil stains? [Re: Birdhunter50]
#260041 - 06/02/15 04:20 PM

I am a member of the I hate whiting club. Imo it doesn't work that well and is a pain to remove! With that said I do us it
I am fond of acetone. Get a plastic bag that doesn't melt with acetone. Wrap the stock in rags or paper towels. Tuck them into the folds. Putitin thebag and then saturate with acetone. Seal tight. Flip it when you remember. Leave for a 12 hours repeat as needded. I normally go 8 hours on the first than longer after that. Some use an alternate of alchohol but I don't usually unless trying to remove a colored stain

I do use aaa heat gun too
Jerry
Sorry for the bad typing using my nock

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