Cleaned up the checkering:

[Bruce P Bruner]

I was pleasantly surprised how much checkering remained when I cleaned the panels. I used an old can of “Forby’s Furniture Refinisher”, it's just a thin stripper. Careful application with a toothbrush and removing the buildup of shellac or something from long ago with a terry cloth rag worked well. It take’s awhile but the results are rewarding. Aesthetics aside, the grip is much more functional too.

[Bruce P Bruner]

The skeleton butt cleaned up nicely as well. The 2nd photo shows the colorful grain in the butt as the stock was soaking up a wood grain popping solution.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Sometimes these old guns just get dirty over time and the checkering fills up with "stuff". Nothing a judicious cleaning can't fix. Well done Bruce!

[Randy Roberts]

Bruce when I get tired of looking at the wood figure I will look at the checkering, probably going to be a little bit. Nice 👍👍👍

[Keith Doty]

Wicked nice wood!

[davidboyles]

Once again Bruce nice job you have some real dandy guns!!

[charlie cleveland]

I got some real dirty stocks that need cleaning do you want the job...I see your talent before me...you really made that stock look really good....charlie

[Bruce P Bruner]

The cleanup/stock resurrection has been completed. I respected the stock, imperfections and all, no sandpaper touched the wood. Finger painting iterations of Tung Oil/BLO, soak and wipe has provided a rich warm glow with some gloss though not excessive.
I constructed a pine box to ship the barrels out to Breck and placed the box within a cardboard one. The total weight is 16 pounds with the barrels. Shipping will be high but the best insurance is a stout box. When the barrels are completed it will be a very happy day.
Charlie, thank you for the nice compliment.

[Keavin Nelson]

Nicely done Bruce, allas Formbys seems to be no-more! I used it similiarly for years.

[J. Scott Hanes]

On the grip, how did you prevent the Formby's from softening the stock finish outside of the checkering?