Lone_Sheep_Dog
Member
I recently got a CMP M1 service grade. The USGI stock is really dirty. I'm not sure if I should clean it because I don't want to damage the collector value. Any suggestions on how to clean it without damaging collector value?
M1 Garand USGI Stock cleaning
- Thread starter Lone_Sheep_Dog
- Start date
- Status
BrocLuno
Member
Lots of advice on here about cleaning. Search for M1 & stock & clean. I can't point you to a direct thread right now, but the subject has been discussed at length.
There are two basic types of cleaning: 1) prior to shooting and just as stock maintenance, which sounds like what you are interested in? 2) prepping for partial or complete refinish. Either is OK and neither will necessarily destroy value. It's all about how it's done.
Bad work and the wrong materials will degrade value. Good work and proper materials will keep value and add to shooting pleasure. Since my rifles are equally dirty and they actually need stock work like crack repairs, I have to completely strip to bare and oil free wood before gluing. I have no experience with just cleaning and re-coating. Others here do
There are two basic types of cleaning: 1) prior to shooting and just as stock maintenance, which sounds like what you are interested in? 2) prepping for partial or complete refinish. Either is OK and neither will necessarily destroy value. It's all about how it's done.
Bad work and the wrong materials will degrade value. Good work and proper materials will keep value and add to shooting pleasure. Since my rifles are equally dirty and they actually need stock work like crack repairs, I have to completely strip to bare and oil free wood before gluing. I have no experience with just cleaning and re-coating. Others here do
Jdillon
Member
A few years ago I purchased a correct grade M1 from CMP that was so encased in hardened cosmoline it was difficult to disassemble. I wanted to keep the stock as close to its original condition as possible so minimal cleaning was in order. I removed the cosmoline in two stages first with mineral spirits then with a citrus solvent. Worked well.
I had a similar experience as Jdillon, but mine was with a service grade.
I started with a full rag bin and a gallon of de-natured alcohol. Much elbow grease later I found some reasonably nice walnut under all of the muck.
When it was all done, I lightly, gently, lovingly sanded it with 0000 steel wool. Staying away from all cartouches. I got the worst dings out of it with a steam iron and a damp towel. After letting dry for a couple days a put on a coupled of hand rubbed coats of BLO.
I started with a full rag bin and a gallon of de-natured alcohol. Much elbow grease later I found some reasonably nice walnut under all of the muck.
When it was all done, I lightly, gently, lovingly sanded it with 0000 steel wool. Staying away from all cartouches. I got the worst dings out of it with a steam iron and a damp towel. After letting dry for a couple days a put on a coupled of hand rubbed coats of BLO.
Guy B. Meredith
Member
There used to be a great Garand forum on a Battle Rifles site, but that seems to have changed. Check the forum at http://www.odcmp.com/ for some advice.
The two methods I've seen promoted are 1) put the stock in towels in a hot place (back window of your car in summer) to sweat off the cosmoline and 2) put it in the dishwasher and run the normal cycle. I am not sure whether the dishwasher will affect the cartouches. I did it on my second Garand which had no markings.
The two methods I've seen promoted are 1) put the stock in towels in a hot place (back window of your car in summer) to sweat off the cosmoline and 2) put it in the dishwasher and run the normal cycle. I am not sure whether the dishwasher will affect the cartouches. I did it on my second Garand which had no markings.
The real question is, what makes your USGI stock have collector value? Are you trying to protect a certain cartouche, or is it an IHC Overton, Winnie, etc, stock?
That will help you determine what you should do to clean it.
I think I've used most of the cleaning techniques out there: from ovens to garbage bags, to Easy Off, citrus stripper, and the dishwasher. To be honest, every single one of them has worked to some extent, and none of them (even the 'harsh' techniques) have had any negative results.
My personal preference, and the one that has by far worked the best, is the dishwasher method. I have washed cartouched stocks (with the recommended piece of duct tape over the top of them) and after the stock dried, the impression was still there although it had slightly swollen (probably 5-10% loss in the sharpness of the cartouche). If you have a cartouched WWII stock, I would not recommend the dishwasher since the crispness and visibility of that cartouche is what makes the stock valuable.
I cleaned up a cosmo-soaked stock on a CMP Correct Grade using aluminum foil to reflect the sun on to the stock, a hair dryer, and mineral spirits.
That will help you determine what you should do to clean it.
I think I've used most of the cleaning techniques out there: from ovens to garbage bags, to Easy Off, citrus stripper, and the dishwasher. To be honest, every single one of them has worked to some extent, and none of them (even the 'harsh' techniques) have had any negative results.
My personal preference, and the one that has by far worked the best, is the dishwasher method. I have washed cartouched stocks (with the recommended piece of duct tape over the top of them) and after the stock dried, the impression was still there although it had slightly swollen (probably 5-10% loss in the sharpness of the cartouche). If you have a cartouched WWII stock, I would not recommend the dishwasher since the crispness and visibility of that cartouche is what makes the stock valuable.
I cleaned up a cosmo-soaked stock on a CMP Correct Grade using aluminum foil to reflect the sun on to the stock, a hair dryer, and mineral spirits.
Rub it down liberally with mineral spirits to get the black grime off, harder and more liberally where it is darkest.
Let it dry well in the sun and make sure the MS are well evaporated.
Put a coat of BLO on it, slop it on well and let it sit for 1/2 hour. After the 1/2 hour wipe off the excess BLO and let it sit for 24 hours. Repeat to taste 4 times or so and you will have a very nice looking rifle.
For mild cleaning I don't recommend anything but Mineral spirits.
Let it dry well in the sun and make sure the MS are well evaporated.
Put a coat of BLO on it, slop it on well and let it sit for 1/2 hour. After the 1/2 hour wipe off the excess BLO and let it sit for 24 hours. Repeat to taste 4 times or so and you will have a very nice looking rifle.
For mild cleaning I don't recommend anything but Mineral spirits.
Jeff F
Member
Did the U.S. use BLO on the Garands? I was under the impression real tung oil was used.
Actually, Raw Linseed Oil, Boiled Linseed Oil, and Tung Oil were all proscribed use by the US Military at one time or another.
Depending on how you look at it, they're either "all" correct, or (as the anoraks believe) there is a different answer for each different era/type of stock.
Depending on how you look at it, they're either "all" correct, or (as the anoraks believe) there is a different answer for each different era/type of stock.
30Cal
Member
Mineral spirits. Start with that and a little heat to cook out the soaked in grime and see what you get. Anything more than that, IMO and you're reducing it's value (assuming it's got some to begin with).
I've had a bad experience with EasyOff.
I've had a bad experience with EasyOff.
Averageman
Member
I would do a bit more research before I went at it myself, but here are a few of my experiances.
1) Harsh chemicals, like eazy off can do some serious damage on a stock, I would stay away from it until I had used it a couple of times on stocks with lesser value. I unfortunatly damaged an SMLE stock with eazy off and still didnt have all of the cosmolene out of it yet.
2) The best starting point for me has been a green pad and citrus cleaner or simple green and some very warm water. Scrub it down and rinse it clean and allow the stock to dry before going forward.
3) Go slow and be patient and meticulous. Using Mineral Spirits isn't the quickest way to clean your stock, but it will get the job done, slowly with lots of elbow work. After letting my stocks dry out, Mineral Spirits can let you detail clean and get right up on your cartouches with a soft bristled toothbrush without damaging them.
4) I let my GI issue M14 stock sit in the front window of my truck on a towel, as it dried any left over cosmolene bled out. It also dried slowly this way.
5) Sanding can be kept to a minimum by staying away from harsh chemicals and not letting the wood get too wet or not allowing it to dry between work sessions. If you do this right you should start with a medium grit and work your way slowly to a fine grit. Go slow and take your time, get it as smooth as glass before you consider going forward.
6) You can do a search and find many different recipe's for Boiled Linseed oil finishes. You can thin them with your Mineral spirits to make several light coats. Some folks will even make a mixture and add dyes to it to bring out the stocks grain, this works especially good with "Big Red" Birch Stocks.
7) Once you have a good finish on your stock you can wax it to protect it a weather proof it. That old Johnsons paste wax you loved in Basic Training will definatly protect your stock and put a great finishing touch to it.
Wood Sotcks really add to the beauty of a good Military Rifle. Good Luck with yours and research all you can before you start.
1) Harsh chemicals, like eazy off can do some serious damage on a stock, I would stay away from it until I had used it a couple of times on stocks with lesser value. I unfortunatly damaged an SMLE stock with eazy off and still didnt have all of the cosmolene out of it yet.
2) The best starting point for me has been a green pad and citrus cleaner or simple green and some very warm water. Scrub it down and rinse it clean and allow the stock to dry before going forward.
3) Go slow and be patient and meticulous. Using Mineral Spirits isn't the quickest way to clean your stock, but it will get the job done, slowly with lots of elbow work. After letting my stocks dry out, Mineral Spirits can let you detail clean and get right up on your cartouches with a soft bristled toothbrush without damaging them.
4) I let my GI issue M14 stock sit in the front window of my truck on a towel, as it dried any left over cosmolene bled out. It also dried slowly this way.
5) Sanding can be kept to a minimum by staying away from harsh chemicals and not letting the wood get too wet or not allowing it to dry between work sessions. If you do this right you should start with a medium grit and work your way slowly to a fine grit. Go slow and take your time, get it as smooth as glass before you consider going forward.
6) You can do a search and find many different recipe's for Boiled Linseed oil finishes. You can thin them with your Mineral spirits to make several light coats. Some folks will even make a mixture and add dyes to it to bring out the stocks grain, this works especially good with "Big Red" Birch Stocks.
7) Once you have a good finish on your stock you can wax it to protect it a weather proof it. That old Johnsons paste wax you loved in Basic Training will definatly protect your stock and put a great finishing touch to it.
Wood Sotcks really add to the beauty of a good Military Rifle. Good Luck with yours and research all you can before you start.
No, it was an unknown mixture of BLO and Tung Oil and perhaps others. No-one knows for sure. The reason BLO is recommended so often is because it works extremely well and contains drying agents that will not leave your stock sticky.
Jeff F
Member
I know the raw linseed oil takes a long long time to dry. I have used BLO quite a few times on different projects and a few rifle stocks and love the way it looks and it seems to wear nicely and is easy to touch up.
GunnyUSMC
Member
If your looking to remove cosmoline, here is something that will help.
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=137&t=65922
If you just want to remove grime from the surface, this will work.
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=137&t=77501
If yoy want to clean the stock and remove some cosmoline, this will work
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=99678
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=137&t=65922
If you just want to remove grime from the surface, this will work.
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=137&t=77501
If yoy want to clean the stock and remove some cosmoline, this will work
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=99678
GunnyUSMC
Member
The US used Linseed oil on stocks up till 1942.Jeff F said:
It was found that stocks in the Pacific theaters had a problem with molding.
So in 1942 all new stocks were treatrd with Pure Tung Oil (PTO).
Now the US military still had a lot of Linseed oil in the supply system and just kept issuing it to troop for the care of stocks.
The US was worried that the supply of Tung oil would dry up with the war, so Tung Tree groves were planted in the south so that the US could make it's own Tung Oil.
You can still find small groves of Tung Trees in Mississippi.
Last edited:
Scott Duff references the use of Linseed oil (I'll assume pure) causing smoke and sweating during extended periods of firing and Tung Oil being adopted in late '41. He also mentions the Japanese blockades creating a shortage of Tung Oil in 1943 where an unspecified synthetic substitute was used for the remainder of the war. However, even with this documentation I know it is widely debated whether or not SA actually used pure Tung oil at any point in the finishing of the stocks.
Last edited:
Lone_Sheep_Dog
Member
Thanks for the great suggestions guys. I hit it with a blow dryer a little today and used an old sock to wipe it. That got some stuff off the stock. I think I'll just leave it as it is for now. I don't want to take any chances on damaging a historical stock.
Heres how I clean and refinish all my Garand and carbine stocks, I have done several dozen this way
If I want to do a deep cleaning and refinish of the wood here is how I do it. Takes maybe 10 minutes for a completetly bare clean stock
I first take Purple Power concentrate degreaser and put it in a spray bottle.
I then spray down the stock with degreaser, immediataly you will see years of grease. oil and dirt start to roll off
(no this isnt in my bathtub but in a utility sink)
I then take a soft nylon bristle brush and go over the stock.
Rinse "well " with hot water while rubbing with brush .
I will usually do procedure one more time except the last time wipe dry with cotton towel.
It probably only takes 10 minutes for the whole procedure
If stock is very oil soaked it may take another cleaning .
I then let set to dry out of direct heat source.
This is what the wood looks like after drying
I let the stock dry for a day or two then very lightly sand with very fine grit paper to remove any raised grain then apply multiple coats of BLO over several more days
If I want to do a deep cleaning and refinish of the wood here is how I do it. Takes maybe 10 minutes for a completetly bare clean stock
I first take Purple Power concentrate degreaser and put it in a spray bottle.
I then spray down the stock with degreaser, immediataly you will see years of grease. oil and dirt start to roll off
(no this isnt in my bathtub but in a utility sink)
I then take a soft nylon bristle brush and go over the stock.
Rinse "well " with hot water while rubbing with brush .
I will usually do procedure one more time except the last time wipe dry with cotton towel.
It probably only takes 10 minutes for the whole procedure
If stock is very oil soaked it may take another cleaning .
I then let set to dry out of direct heat source.
This is what the wood looks like after drying
I let the stock dry for a day or two then very lightly sand with very fine grit paper to remove any raised grain then apply multiple coats of BLO over several more days
BrocLuno
Member
I think Orlando is right on about refinishing. But just cleaning what's there? That may be a bit more involved. A light solvent would be appropriate, but it should also evaporate and not carry any more oils or waxes into the wood (the unknown stuff on there??).
I know it's not kosher, but I use gasoline. Soft rags and an old paint brush and wipe it down in a small tub with some gas. The dirt falls off, the wood comes out clean, the gas evaporates from the wood when out in the sun for a few days. Then I can rub on a new coat of oil to keep it looking mil-spec correct and we're good. Done three this way so far and no changes to the base wood yet
One I am going to refinish as it's a high serial number, no cartouches, NATO era replacement stock with no value. That one will get Orlando's Purple Power for sure
Then stained real dark and new finish on top. It'll also get a Ultimak upper guard for a forward Optic, etc. It's all about what you want to do with the rifle. Keep it original, or tweak it up a bit
I know it's not kosher, but I use gasoline. Soft rags and an old paint brush and wipe it down in a small tub with some gas. The dirt falls off, the wood comes out clean, the gas evaporates from the wood when out in the sun for a few days. Then I can rub on a new coat of oil to keep it looking mil-spec correct and we're good. Done three this way so far and no changes to the base wood yet
One I am going to refinish as it's a high serial number, no cartouches, NATO era replacement stock with no value. That one will get Orlando's Purple Power for sure
Then stained real dark and new finish on top. It'll also get a Ultimak upper guard for a forward Optic, etc. It's all about what you want to do with the rifle. Keep it original, or tweak it up a bit
Seven.................you have a much better gun acquisition budget than I do. Vern Humphrey
Member
Interestingly enough, Bob Kolh is working with E.C. Harris on a book on the M14/M1A that has a chapter on stock refinishing that goes into great detail. I'm editing it and have a copy of that chapter on my hard drive.
- Status
