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Cleaning a semi auto wooden fore end


Croohur
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I bought a 2nd hand semi auto with wood stock recently. It has lovely walnut, but the previous owner didnt keep the "inside" of the fore end too clean so there is quite a bit of accumulated gas deposits and grime on the interior. The exterior is pristine. Just wondering what would be the best way to clean the interior before I gave it a protective coating without damaging the exterior wood.

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If my experience is anything to go by, it’s will be difficult to clean as it will have penetrated into the grain. 

You could use a very fine wet And dry using danish oil as a lubricant and continuously wipe clean. The oil should penetrate the dirt and lift some of it and seal the wood at the same time.  

Do do not use a oil. 

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46 minutes ago, Wingman said:

Blimey that looks positively sparkly compared to some of my old Browning Auto5’s!

Ahh, "old" Brownings though. This cant be more than 7-8 years old (I think). Hard to tell with Turkish guns as there is no date stamp AFAIK. 

If nothing else, she's a looker on the outside anyway 

20190726_140751.jpg

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I'd just sand it lightly, clean with acetone and seal it with stock oil.  Chances are the hot gasses will burn through whatever you try and protect it with. 

If this does happen just shoot it and forget about marking inside the forend.

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4 minutes ago, figgy said:

I'd just sand it lightly, clean with acetone and seal it with stock oil.  Chances are the hot gasses will burn through whatever you try and protect it with. 

If this does happen just shoot it and forget about marking inside the forend.

Sounds good

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I promise you this will work.

Get some Vanish Oxi Action (powder fabric stain remover) mine is in a pink tub.

Fill a bucket with as hot a water as is bearable  and add 2 scoops of powder,with a clean paint brush and holding fore end in one hand out of water,dip brush in water and coat inside only of fore end,keep doing it until you see the water getting mucky .

Now its soaked,get a tooth brush and agitate then scrub the wood and rinse off with clean water.

Dry with a towel and wrap tight it in the towel and leave to dry naturally,do not force dry.

Now its dry.

You will now be looking at the wood exactly as the guy who made it and ready to receive any finish when its thoroughly dry.

I have done this before to some wood stocks I thought I had finished and were ready for oil,then I watched some American site where they washed the wood,so raided the kitchen cupboard and cracked on,to say I was amazed with the result does not express how totally stunned I was with my new stock and fore end and it was as mucky as yours when I started.

The only thing I did different from above was that I totally submerged my wood and scrubbed it and repeated the process and left the butt soaking in the bucket to pull out the oil.

My wood did not split/warp crack or move out of shape,it just looked brand new.

Do it and join the oxi movement😂 everyone will be doing this one day.

Oh and I stripped the action to bits and washed everything,went from dirty oil to exposing heat treated finished on the inside.

Be handy if you could post a picture of the results which ever way you decide to go.

 

Edited by vampire
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8 minutes ago, vampire said:

I promise you this will work.

Get some Vanish Oxi Action (powder fabric stain remover) mine is in a pink tub.

Fill a bucket with as hot a water as is bearable  and add 2 scoops of powder,with a clean paint brush and holding fore end in one hand out of water,dip brush in water and coat inside only of fore end,keep doing it until you see the water getting mucky .

Now its soaked,get a tooth brush and agitate then scrub the wood and rinse off with clean water.

Dry with a towel and wrap tight it in the towel and leave to dry naturally,do not force dry.

Now its dry.

You will now be looking at the wood exactly as the guy who made it and ready to receive any finish when its thoroughly dry.

I have done this before to some wood stocks I thought I had finished and were ready for oil,then I watched some American site where they washed the wood,so raided the kitchen cupboard and cracked on,to say I was amazed with the result does not express how totally stunned I was with my new stock and fore end and it was as mucky as yours when I started.

The only thing I did different from above was that I totally submerged my wood and scrubbed it and repeated the process and left the butt soaking in the bucket to pull out the oil.

My wood did not split/warp crack or move out of shape,it just looked brand new.

Do it and join the oxi movement😂 everyone will be doing this one day.

Be handy if you could post a picture of the results which ever way you decide to go.

 

I think I saw some thing like that too Iraqveteran8888 perhaps?? I was always a bit terrified to give it a go. 

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My gun was a wreck so had nothing to loose,it didn't hurt the wood at all on the lanber,couldnt help just looking at it after,the finish was that contrasting to what I started with.

I promise it works and will shift all that crud in your picture.

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