Fix or restore partially removed finish on Mosin M24

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WelshShooter

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Hi guys,

So after cleaning my rifle I realised that some remnants of bore cleaner has removed a small amount of finish on my Finnish Mosin M24. I've learned the hard way that Wipeout should be kept away from linseed oil finishes. I am an idiot who should have read the label. With the obvious out of the way, can we discuss my options in rectifying the issue?

I have uploaded some pictures showing the general condition of the wood along with the problematic area, which is around the rear action screw. It was difficult to get a good shot with the lighting, but I think the last two pictures shows the actual contrast between the affected and unaffected areas. On one hand I am loathed to remove the "character/patina" and re-apply a linseed oil finish, but on the other hand I I can't just leave the wood in it's current state unfinished.

So I'm looking for suggestions. I've read through @GunnyUSMC thread on restoring a No4 Mk1 and the end result looks very good, however, is this method overkill for my situation? Is it possible to restore the problematic section without affecting the rest of the rifle?

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/restoring-a-no4-mk1-enfield.825379/


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Cheers for the quick reply, Gunny. I'll take a look at that thread. Worst case scenario is that Tom can't ship his product outside the US, in which case I'll go with option #1.
 
I did much the same with an SKS stock and wrongly assumed that re-creating the accidental stripping on a deliberate level couldn't be that hard.

What an EPIC pain and no joy in the end.

I like Gunny's notion above of effecting a re-blending. Gonna have to try that myself.

Todd.
 
Knowing what finish is on a stock goes a long way when trying to repair or duplicate the finish.
When the Finns built rifles and packed them away, a pine tar type of grease was applied to the entire rifle. Kind of like others did with cosmoline. The pine tar mixture would protect the metal and the wood, but the pine tar in the mixture would stain the stocks. The colors of the stock would depend on how much, and how long the mixture stayed on the rifle.
When guns were issued, a solvent was used to remove the pine tar mixture. Then a mixture of wax, oil and pine tar was applied to the stock to protect it against the harsh weather. Over time the stock would develop a semi shiny top coat.
Tom, the maker of Tom’s 1/3 Mix and Tom’s Pine Tar mix, is a friend of mine. We spent a good bit of time on the phone, years ago, working up the formula for his pin tar mix. I had been making my own for a few years, but only enough for the work I was doing.
Tom is a great guy and makes great products.
 
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