Care of Wood Stocks

[jkbrea]

Living in a dry climate, gun maintenance has been pretty simple, clean and put away. No mildew or rust worries. Since joining this site a few years ago, I've collected about 1/2 dozen leverguns. I'm just looking for recommendations on what to use on the wood. I've read a few options such as boiled linseed oil mixed with turpentine (3-1?), furniture polish, etc. I may try a couple different methods and see what looks best but was wondering if any of you are absolutely sold on a particular method or product.

[jdad]

Howards "Feed-N-Wax", Home Depot or Lowes. The other methods/oils you mentioned will change, not preserve, the original finish.

http://www.howardproducts.com/prod-feed-n-wax.php

[hfcable]

Howards "Feed-N-Wax", Home Depot or Lowes. The other methods/oils you mentioned will change, not preserve, the original finish.

http://www.howardproducts.com/prod-feed-n-wax.php

+1

excellent advice!

[Pete44ru]

.

Howard's - +3 ! (available @ HomeCheapo, hardware & antique furniture stores)



.

[Blaine]

Lemon Pledge...

[hfcable]

Lemon Pledge...

i dont know if it still does, but years ago, i kept using it on an antique mahogany table, week after week, and eventually it seemed to soak into the wood, and darken it. maybe it was just excessive use, and certainly i am prone to excess
maybe the occasional use wouldnt do this, and maybe it depends on the wood, and the state of the original finish, etc.

not disagreeing, just pondering out loud.

[J35]

Johnson's paste wax all exterior wood and metal.

I can't stand a oily feeling gun .

----J

[Blaine]

Lemon Pledge...

i dont know if it still does, but years ago, i kept using it on an antique mahogany table, week after week, and eventually it seemed to soak into the wood, and darken it. maybe it was just excessive use, and certainly i am prone to excess
maybe the occasional use wouldnt do this, and maybe it depends on the wood, and the state of the original finish, etc.

not disagreeing, just pondering out loud.

I don't use much....spray some on an old soft cloth and go over the whole gun, metal and all....Most of my walnut is pretty dark, so, if it's changing it, I might have misconstrued and thought it was for the better.....I'm a pledge freak...I use it on lot's of stuff....Main thing is silicon, no petroleum or wax, so it doesn't build up or get nasty....I'm not sure what the carrier is, but, I use it on glasses and motorcycle windshields/visors....sure fills in the little spiderweb scratches....

[hfcable]

Lemon Pledge...

i dont know if it still does, but years ago, i kept using it on an antique mahogany table, week after week, and eventually it seemed to soak into the wood, and darken it. maybe it was just excessive use, and certainly i am prone to excess
maybe the occasional use wouldnt do this, and maybe it depends on the wood, and the state of the original finish, etc.

not disagreeing, just pondering out loud.

I don't use much....spray some on an old soft cloth and go over the whole gun, metal and all....Most of my walnut is pretty dark, so, if it's changing it, I might have misconstrued and thought it was for the better.....I'm a pledge freak...I use it on lot's of stuff....Main thing is silicon, no petroleum or wax, so it doesn't build up or get nasty....I'm not sure what the carrier is, but, I use it on glasses and motorcycle windshields/visors....sure fills in the little spiderweb scratches....

i believe the one i was thinking about was pledge with lemon oil ..... it may be a different one, and mine didnt have silicone. i do like the silicone.
what you are doing sounds good

[92&94]

Wood darkens due to the base coat oil oxidizing. So if you use linseed or tung oil when finishing wood, it will darken with age. If you put polyurethane over that oil it will darken with age but not as fast. If you put shellac or lacquer on the raw wood (no oil) it will lighten with age as the UV breaks down the color compounds in the wood. If you put shellac or lacquer over oil, you get a cracked candy shell.

Depending on what the finish on that table was, the oil could perhaps soak in to the wood. The cured oil finish could conceivably be porous enough to pass a light oil like what you'd find in pledge. Or it could just be darkening with age due to the oil originally used to finish it.

Myself, I don't much care fore these kinds of products, but that is just me, I know they are very popular so a lot of people must like the results. I might go so far as to wax a stock, but probably not. Why make a stock slick as snot? Just helps ya drop it when you take the prize of your collection out to show it to your brother in law

[Old Savage]

I am in the wax camp mostly but I put RIG on all of them too.

[markinalpine]

Johnson's paste wax all exterior wood and metal.

I can't stand a oily feeling gun .

----J

Johnsons Paste Wax, JPW, is my recommendation too. I did look at the Howard Products website, and looked up the MSDS for the recommended Feed and Wax. Looks like it might make a decent starting base for lube for cast boolits.

[Gregor]

milsek furniture polish

[mod71alaska]

I've used a variety of products on my rifle stocks (and metal) and haven't found anything I like better than Old West Snake Oil for antiques and antique firearms.

The new "Formula 2", which I haven't used yet but am going to order right away, is specifically for pre-64 Winchesters.

Here's the link: http://www.oldwestsnakeoil.com/index.html

[m.wun]

I am with the wax guys too. I use a small dab of T/C Bore Butter from my muzzleloader gear just because it is there.You can get
it in a pine scent also.This combo smells great along with Hoppes #9.

[Ji in Hawaii]

I'm an old dog using boiled linseed oil diluted 10% with gum turpentine for 40 years. I don't mind the wood getting darker and in many cases it looks better darker in my opinion. I also use the native kukui nut oil for a quick refresher coat, and lately some Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner.

[Gareth Holland]

Just a thought from across the pond. 2 thirds boiled linseed oil 1 third turpentine add stain to suit if you wish. I found this in a 1913 W.W. Greener gun book over thirty 30 years ago. Pure bees wax can also be added if you like. It tends to be a bit wet at times over here, I have used this on all my shotguns and rifles without any harm. After a good soaking it may "bloom" slightly just touch up very lightly and rub well in. Dents and dings (they do happen) can be steamed out and the surface repaired without a blemish. Please be aware that over a number of years a patina will build up and the finish can look like glass, you will certainly see the colour and grain to its best advantage. Gareth.

[kagaurrampton]

Living in a dry climate, gun maintenance has been pretty simple, clean and put away. No mildew or rust worries. Since joining this site a few years ago, I've collected about 1/2 dozen leverguns. I'm just looking for recommendations on what to use on the wood. I've read a few options such as boiled linseed oil mixed with turpentine (3-1?), furniture polish, etc. I may try a couple different methods and see what looks best but was wondering if any of you are absolutely sold on a particular method or product.

Maintenance of liverguns is quiet easy but just make sure that you do it regularly may be after every first or second day this would increase the life of gun but as you depicted in your post that you live in a dry whether area so even if you clean the guns after every 3rd or 4 day that will also do and regarding the material to use?? I personally used to clean the guns with a wax it can be call it as a polish also you won't believe sometimes I used to use the polish that I use for my car(just for giving it a blossom shine) but it doesn't matter at all.