Yet another Sauer & Sohn K98k stock question, with pics!

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Mwieczorek	Yet another Sauer & Sohn K98k stock question, with pics!	Lead	[-]
Posts: 41 (12/24/08 02:30 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None Hello all, I started working on my RC K98k stock this morning. The stock was "sort of" shiny when I started, so I wondered if there was some kind of half done finish applied by the Soviets. I tried the denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner tests on it with no effect. When I clean with either, I do get a brown residue, which I think might just be the solvent pulling the oil out of the stock. I'm thinking it might just be an oil finish. The stock is laminated with a flat butt plate. At this point, I'm thinking I'm just going to clean it with purple power and re-oil it. Do any of you have any idea what the wood "should" look like? Here are some pictures for reference: HG no flash: HG with flash: Butt no flash: Butt with flash:
Cabinetman		#1	[-]
Posts: 5261 (12/29/08 11:58 AM) Host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Good morning. Sorry we didn't get back to you sooner. While the denatured alcohol testing method didn't tack up the finish, there's a really good chance that the finish on the stock is indeed shellac. It's just really old and I've discovered, thanks to this forum, that after a while, shellac will cross link just like a curing finish and become very difficult for its solvent to affect it. It's not an oiled finish if it's authentic to the rifle. They didn't oil their stocks at all to my knowledge base. You do find them, however, but usually it's because someone in the stream of owning it replace or applied an oiled finish. It is also exceedingly dark which is why I'm convinced it's shellac. Shellac will pick up loads of debris over the years and it looks like that one has seriously darkened. And, you mention that 'brown' is coming off the stock as you wipe it. There's a load of stuff being held there. There's really no way to clean that finish on there. Everytime you handle that stock your hands will get dirty. So, I feel that removing it might be the only way to salvage that stock. R/C K98s are all over the place in colors. What I'd probably do in your case, since, the butt has been cleared, is remove that old finish because it's so contaminated. I don't think I'd use purple power, however. That's a water based material and that laminated stock is more suseptable to raising a lamination than would be a solid stock. So, you might want to simply strip it with the Kleanstrip spray. That will remove the black grunge in that old finish, exposing the lumber below but it won't change the patina or color. Once that old stuff is removed, use an amber shellac to replace the finish which would be appropriate. Once the new shellac is on, rub out the stock with some 0000 steel wool dipped in oil. It will knock down the shine. You'll be left with an appropriate finish on that stock for years to come. Hope that helps. Rome A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.