Strength of Guns

[Chuck Heald]

Just my experience on oil soaked stocks. I found that removing oil by soaking in acetone did nothing, IMO, to strengthen the stocks. In fact, the oil and acetone removal of that oil, together robbed the wood of natural resins that bind the fibers of the wood together. I found that one stock was particularly affected by the oil and removal process. It had obvious signs that the fibers were not bonded as well. I addressed the situation on a couple of them by using a super thin cyanoacrylate glue to soak into the head of the stock and bind the fibers. To me, it seemed that the only area of the stock that had lost resins enough that it was a concern, was in the stock head where the oil had soaked it for decades. So, I attributed the damage mostly to the oil soaking and not the short use of harsh solvents to remove the oil. So, I have no illusions that removing oil restores strength. I think the damage is done to whatever level and only adding a binder like the cyanoacrylate glue after the oil removal will restore a portion of the original strength. Just my 2 cents.

Regards
Chuck

[J. A. EARLY]

[QUOTE=Chuck Heald;64571]Just my experience on oil soaked stocks. I found that removing oil by soaking in acetone did nothing, IMO, to strengthen the stocks. In fact, the oil and acetone removal of that oil, together robbed the wood of natural resins that bind the fibers of the wood together. I found that one stock was particularly affected by the oil and removal process. It had obvious signs that the fibers were not bonded as well. I addressed the situation on a couple of them by using a super thin cyanoacrylate glue to soak into the head of the stock and bind the fibers. To me, it seemed that the only area of the stock that had lost resins enough that it was a concern, was in the stock head where the oil had soaked it for decades. So, I attributed the damage mostly to the oil soaking and not the short use of harsh solvents to remove the oil. So, I have no illusions that removing oil restores strength. I think the damage is done to whatever level and only adding a binder like the cyanoacrylate glue after the oil removal will restore a portion of the original strength. Just my 2 cents.

Regards
Chuck

Chuck,

Not to dispute your opinion, but oil soaked wood is spongy and black/dark. If one sticks his fingernail into the head of a oil-soaked stock, you can feel this. If I'm going to go through the trouble of a refinish on a stock and forend, all oil possible will need to go. I use a heat gun which will draw an incredible amount of oil out of it by itself. Then comes a brushing and then a soaking in laquer thinner over night, not acetone. It takes a couple of days to fully dry once removed. If the laquer thinner is filthy, it may require soaking in new thinner. Then if I think any oil remains, to know I'm getting as much as possible it's Brownell's "Old Fashioned Whiting" (calcium carbonate). It "wicks the oil out of the pores and fibers of the wood." Keep in mind that no way does any of this penetrate all the way into/through the wood, and the many, many coats of finish restore the wood. A small amount of finish applied/brushed inside the head restores and protects from future oil contamination as well. Finish brushed onto the end of the buttstock and under the grip cap if it has one protects the wood from moisture damage. Just my opinion.

[Chuck Heald]

[QUOTE=Jerry Harlow;64611]

Originally Posted by Chuck Heald

Chuck,

Not to dispute your opinion, but oil soaked wood is spongy and black/dark. If one sticks his fingernail into the head of a oil-soaked stock, you can feel this. If I'm going to go through the trouble of a refinish on a stock and forend, all oil possible will need to go. I use a heat gun which will draw an incredible amount of oil out of it by itself. Then comes a brushing and then a soaking in laquer thinner over night, not acetone. It takes a couple of days to fully dry once removed. If the laquer thinner is filthy, it may require soaking in new thinner. Then if I think any oil remains, to know I'm getting as much as possible it's Brownell's "Old Fashioned Whiting" (calcium carbonate). It "wicks the oil out of the pores and fibers of the wood." Keep in mind that no way does any of this penetrate all the way into/through the wood, and the many, many coats of finish restore the wood. A small amount of finish applied/brushed inside the head restores and protects from future oil contamination as well. Finish brushed onto the end of the buttstock and under the grip cap if it has one protects the wood from moisture damage. Just my opinion.

Jerry,
I think we're saying the same thing. Yes, I agree oil will make a stock weak and spongy. What I'm saying is that taking out the oil doesn't return the strength lost to the resins being desolved by the oil. Some type of binder is needed. I've found that the thin super glues penetrate very well and strenthen the wood again.

On a couple particularly badly soaked stocks, I looked at the wood after removing the oil and you could literally see the fibers without binder around them on the surface.

I've also used lacquer thinner and heat along with whiting as well. Lacquer thinner is a quite a bit more effective than acetone as it is a stronger solvent.

If you get a stock that looks weak after oil removal, try the super glue (a good industrial brand.).

Regards
Chuck