[TheOldMan]

Originally Posted by Snakedriver

Waiting is never fun, but patience is critical in restoration work.

Amen brother !

[jpattersonnh]

I use the heat method. Wrap the stock in brown paper, toss it in you car trunk. It will be cooked out in short order, a short scrub w/ simple green finishes it. Give it a few coats of BLO and your set. Birchwood Casey cold blue does a good job matching, just takes a few applications.

[bigedp51]

A Conservator at a museum will clean antique firearms in this manor.

All metal parts are cleaned by applying olive oil and allow the oil to soak and penetrate for one or more days. The metal parts are then brushed with a soft bristled tooth brush to remove any surface contaminates.

The Conservator cleans wooden stocks and parts with a mixture of 50% raw linseed oil and 50% turpentine. A small section of the wood is cleaned at a time by applying the 50/50 mix of linseed oil with a soft lint free cotton cloth. A heat lamp is used to help bring surface contaminates to the surface and to be removed with a dry soft lint free cotton cloth.

No sand paper, no steel wool, no wire brushes, no easy off oven cleaner, no toxic chemicals and god forbid no dish washers.

After cleaning the metal parts have a special CONSERVATION WAX applied to protect the metal from air and moisture.
(oil attracts dirt and dust, dirt and dust absorbs moisture which causes rust)

CONSERVATION WAX | RENAISSANCE WAX POLISH

NOTE: During the American Civil War the triple mix of 1/3 raw linseed oil, 1/3 bees wax and 1/3 turpentine was used as a pre petroleum age cosmoline.

NOTE #2: The same mixture was used by the lady of the house to polish her wooden furniture.
(Pledge wasn't invented yet)

NOTE #3 The same mixture was rubbed on firearms by hunters to give them protection against the elements.
(a raincoat for wood and metal)

And for internal preservation............................

[CA357]

Well said Ed.

I've been spending most of my time in the yard, not on the rifle.

The stock is almost as purged of cosmoline as it will ever be. I'm giving it one more day in the Sun and I think that will do it. The steel is done. I removed the last of the cosmoline and scrubbed the chamber out today.

There is some surface rust and some pitting that showed up today on the exterior of the wood covered portion of the barrel. Steel wool and oil is next.

Then I will use actual gun cleaning products to get it properly cleaned. Then, I'll wipe it down with acetone and hit it with some cold blue. I'm going to go ahead and use the OxphoBlue since I already have it. Hopefully it will take well.

The rifling looks really strong, but I'll know more after a thorough cleaning.

The morning will be yard work with the afternoon spent on the rifle.

Off the subject, but still on rifles, the Interarms Mark X is slated to be at the gunsmith's late tomorrow.

[bigedp51]

CA357

I don't work in a museum so here are some other tips.

Kroil eats rust and cleans barrels. (I soak all my metal parts in it because I'm not Italian)

A hair drier works better than a heat lamp for removing cosmoline and making raw linseed oil soak into the wood.

[CA357]

I have a full can of Kroil that I've never had occasion to use yet. I was thinking of running some Sweet's down the barrel today, then just using some Hoppe's Elite to finish up. The barrel looks really good, so I'd like to see what it really looks like.

I've come down with some kind of head cold, so I don't know if I'll do much of anything today.

[jpattersonnh]

Originally Posted by CA357

I have a full can of Kroil that I've never had occasion to use yet. I was thinking of running some Sweet's down the barrel today, then just using some Hoppe's Elite to finish up. The barrel looks really good, so I'd like to see what it really looks like.

I've come down with some kind of head cold, so I don't know if I'll do much of anything today.

Must be the Whine country thing! Be careful, Nancy may buy you a man purse! Next you'll be shaving yourself. Please don't try and fly!!

[CA357]

I only shave if I have to, which isn't very often.

And if Nancy tries to give me a "Murse" I will fill it with all the guns and ammunition that will fit. Then, I'll use it as an undercover Urban Assault pack.