hand oils in older stocks

[k31]

i am learning to gun smith this spring im starting with stock repairs so i decided to re finish a few of my older rifles i am not selling them so value loss for the time being is not important yet i am just getting the basics down so i am using my mosin nagants to start lots of wood and at a cheap price
on to buissness i noticed that the first one has dark spotts near the rear of the action and som parts of the fore end of the stock i thought i goofed up when i stained it so i was much much more carefull the next time. SAME THING
i think it is from the oils off the hands over time that has soaked in
how do i fix it is there a stripper that will do it so i dont have to remove wood by sanding? i also have light spots that will not take stain i used conditioner and even let it soak in for close to 30 mins am i doing some thing wrong and how do i fix it

[mapsjanhere]

ok, I hope the "soaking in for 30 min" did NOT refer to the stain. You're supposed to wipe on the stains, let sit for a short time, and then wipe off to avoid just what happened to you. If you do multiple short treatments you can see where the stain is taking and where it's not, resand the areas the stain isn't soaking in well and treat again, avoiding the areas that already have the right stain.

[k31]

thank you this was my first two stain projects and i have learned my lesson about asking for help at homeless depot we will try again and this time much slower and patiently

[mapsjanhere]

One more remark since Mike Irwin brought it up in another thread. A lot of wartime production guns were not made from the peace time walnut but a lot of different hardwoods like birch. Those often take stain very differently from walnut, so don't assume once you figured out how to stain one stock that all guns of that model will have the same material.

[Scorch]

A few tips:
* Before cleaning, wipe the wood down with mineral spirits to remove grease and wax from the surface.
* Clean and degrease the wood using washing soda (not baking soda) available at your local grocery store, or TSP, available at your local hardware or paint store.
* Be careful to not let the wood dry out while the soda solution is on it, it will turn gray at that spot. For large stocks, degrease in a tub large enough to keep the stock submerged.
* Rinse well using warm water and scrubbing to loosen varnished oils.
* If you choose not to sand, you can use a Scotchbrite pad to smooth the surface of the wood.
* Do not use steel wood, as small fibers will get embedded in the wood and will cause black spots as they oxidize (measles). Once you have several coats of finish on the wood and it is completely sealed, you can use steel wool if you wish, but I use 500 grit wet/dry paper instead.

[guncrank]

Oven cleaner will remove old finish and oil stains
I use the cheapest avaiable. I wear rubber gloves , and do it outside.
CEW

[k31]

thank you and i will keep trying lots to learn