Quote:
Originally Posted by John Dallas
Sophmoric question. If the stocks are "dry" would they benefit from a drink of oil?
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I use the term "dry" all the time but it is really a misnomer, I believe. All stocks stored in a climate controlled environment are dry unless oil soaked.
I use a moisture meter to check wood I intend to use as a stock. Stored in a dry cool basement with room for circulation, it will be at about 8% when it is ready to use. Once it gets there it pretty much stays at that level. I have tested under the butt plate of guns over the course of years they stay at that level even after exposure to wet or humid conditions.
I really have never heard an explanation of the mechanism of the change but many old guns, due to some reason in their history, develop a "punky" , for lack of a better term, consistency. The stock wood is soft and very weak and brittle. This is very different than oil soaked wood. As a general rule, most stocks remain oil soaked after it occurs because it is hard to treat and often not noticeable without removing the stock.
As shown in many examples, I have found and repaired many internal head splits. After many years of fooling with doubles, one of the first things I do when receiving any new gun is do at least a partial teardown. Most people try to avoid turning a screw for any reason, but after buying to many old guns that developed an external crack after the first shot or two, I simply to it as a matter of maintenance. I find an internal crack of some size in well over half the guns I acquire. I always repair if found. There are too many good adhesives on the market and too many simple ways to use a reinforcement pin to take a chance. The pictures above show how bad it can be and not be visible on the outside. If an ad talks about a "small stable crack" I am out of there or will only bid at a level that assumes a repair.