Old Stock Has Blotches

[nickster]

I'm refinishing an 85 year old Remington 40X stock. It came with a very thick coat of varnish or the like and looked like crap. I got the varnish off but there appears to be some blotches in the wood. Would this be remnants of the old linseed oil finish? and can I get it off?

The blothches on the forend are more pronounced than they show in the picture. Must be the light.

 

[LVLAaron]

Wet it with mineral spirits to get an idea what it will look like when you refinish it, and see if the blotches stick out or go away.

 

[ELR LVR]

You might try some acetone on those spots to see if it lightens them up
May be grease/oil from fingerprints
Alcohol is safe but may not be strong enough to cut whatever it is,
Acetone evaps very quickly and has no VOC's
------------
In the end, being creative with some wood stain may prove helpful as far as blending them in to the rest of the stock. Such as using artists small brushes and lengthening the splotch into a long streak instead then tapering out.
They don't look all bad from your pictures but it's hard to tell how much they may be visible after you get done with your finish

 

[ebb]

^^^^ A good wash with acetone or laquear thinner will help wash the oils weather linn seed or from oil used to maintain the gun. Many times I've washed oil-soaked pistol grips and set them in the sun or lightly microwaved and washed again. Sometimes 4 or 5 cycles.

 

[nickster]

I have actually used some stain to help hide some sap wood on these old stocks but I want to make this look original. I assume it's the old linseed oil coming through. I think I read someplace that acetone will help remove the oil blotches but was wondering if anyone else has tried this.

My microwaves not big enough.

 

[nickster]

Acetone it is. Probably tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[paperpuncher]

If the acetone does not produce satisfactory results you can try Oxalic acid. It is used to remove stains from wood and even out color

 

[nickster]

Where would I get Oxalic Acid?

 

[paperpuncher]

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/ECO-LIVING-SOLUTIONS-Remover-Cleaning/dp/B0DCYX2PJ7/?tag=accuratescom-20
Home Depot should have it as well

 

[Hal]

The first rimfire 40X’s. 1955…
The first centerfire 40X’s 1959…

 

[Bc'z]

I'm refinishing an 85 year old Remington 40X stock. It came with a very thick coat of varnish or the like and looked like crap. I got the varnish off but there appears to be some blotches in the wood. Would this be remnants of the old linseed oil finish? and can I get it off?

The blothches on the forend are more pronounced than they show in the picture. Must be the light.

Very well could just be the wood.
I use Naptha to clean after sanding.
Once wet with naptha you'll see if it hides or stands out, or repells the solvent.
Hiding is what you want, if its the later 2 scenarios, keep sanding.

 

[msalm]

to me that looks like subdued wood grain…as in figure.