Strange Stock Coatings - (along the line of strange lubricants)

[alfsauve]

So while talking about different lubricants, how about what people put on their stocks.

Paint....yes.   Linseed Oil...yes.   Tung oil....yes.

Shoe polish?   Floor polish?

Having stripped several surplus M1 Carbine stocks, I've found numerous layers of "gunk".  Having had close a personal acquaintance with GI floor polish, I'm fairly positive that some layers I remove just that.......floor polish.   (While some guys were made to dig and fill latrine trenches, I spent a fair number of hours stripping and re-waxing floors as penitence for my mis-deeds.)

And I'm also sure some layers were brown GI shoe polish.   GI's were/are very resourceful and will use whatever's available.

Anyone else found interesting stock "coverings" or "coatings" especially on surplussed guns?

[m25operator]

1960's trunk paint, has a black and speckled aqua to it.

Used it myself, truck bedliner spray or brush on, not bad if it comes out matte black, and has a good texture. Look at one of Badgers post, his came out very well.

I have seen many appliques, meaning different types of tape, usually in camo pattern of some type, cheap and looks cheap, not to mention glossy.

Burlap, wrapped around a rifle, very old technique that works, really well, I have thought of doing it on my sniper rifles and hunting rifles, with a twist, Use fiberglass resin to apply, now it is more or less permanent, and would have a very aggresive texture.

[twyacht]

Fornsby's finish remover, available at most hardware stores, brought a literally black 1850's walnut "kidney" table back from the abyss.

I bought it at an antique shop for $50.00, the clawed feet, the arches in the base, and the small trim around the top, made me look twice.

I took some Fornsby's to it and it literally wiped away the decades of wax, oils, polish, and crap without damaging the any of the wood.

The most robust marbling and grain appeared, and nothing but oil goes on it now. My Winchester, Mauser, and old Ward's Western Field .410, and Stoeger Coach 12g,  all have been revitalized, by this simple step.

If its wood, FWIW, I stick with wood products. One day, when I get the courage, I will be consulting m25, on refinishing my grandfathers 1891 original Mauser.

[m25operator]

Have not tried it, but an antique furniture buyer friend of mine, said use GoJo, hand cleaner, non abrasive and does cut old oil finishes well. FWIW

[blackwolfe]

I've read about guys using oven cleaner to help strip and clean the cosmoline off milsurp rifles, but have not tried it myself.  Also read where guys where using Ritt fabric dye to "stain" stripped birch Ruger 10-22 stocks over at Rim fire central .com
Have seen some stocks texured painted with some of the stone or pottery looking rattle can paint that is available.

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

Have not tried it, but an antique furniture buyer friend of mine, said use GoJo, hand cleaner, non abrasive and does cut old oil finishes well. FWIW

that makes sense as they are both a lipid ( fat, wax, or sterol)  mineral spirts works pretty good, but it can be a mess.