8uck5nort

Just an update on progress: I guess the April sun in Indiana just isn't strong enough to get the cosmo out of the stock on the Spanish mauser, so I tried taking the top forearm piece and soaking it in degreaser (Purple Power from the automotive section from Wal-Mart is what I am using) and then waited for wife to vacate house and used the dishwasher. It worked great! I lightly sanded and it still appears to have some grease, but it took out a great deal of it. I can see wood grain. I wilsh I had run the k98 stock through the washer, but was concerned about the lamination coming apart. Can you wash a 50+ year old lminated wood stock multiple times without damaging it? Just an observation: You can definitely see a difference in the stock qualities. The german k98 stock was manufactured with a precision that is defintiely lacking in the spanish one. The inletting? (I am referring to where the action drops thorugh stock, not sure if I am using the term correctly) is very rough in the spanish mauser where in the k98 it is well defined and very little room for the action to move once it is in. Put the same action in spanish mauser and there is a some movement unitl you tighten the screws. For now I have decided to stick with my current staining job and complete the rifle as best I can. Rome was not built in a day. I figure it will be a good "this is how I started" and maybe 5-10 years form now when I am turning out the works of art you guys seem to do I can look back and see how far I have come. I have one more coat of stain on the end piece and stock extension to go before I put it all together and take it to the range. I am 6'3 and the k98 mauser stock was just too short for me after removing the metal butt plate. I have added (hopefully tastefully) about an inch of stock and then added a Pachmyer F325 small black recoil pad (All firsts). I ground the pad by hand to fit prior to staining and I am very pleased with how that turned out.

I completely broke down the bolt assembly and brasso'ed the snot out of it and it looks really nice. The bolt was not in bad shape so it came out looking nice. I am using the sand poaper technique on a different project. I came across a youtube video of someone finishing a bolt(from Midway, Gun Tec??? I think) doing what you describe. My grandfather had an old bowie knife he used on the farm years ago to cut corn stalks. I recently found it in my Dad's shop pretty much tarnished and rusted, handle was slit out as well. I decided to restore it and have been filing out the numerous dents and sanding it to polish. I am applying the same technique as you outlined and it is turning out much better than I ever hoped for. I appreciate the responses!

I am using minwax oil based stain. It does not look too terrible as the stain I chose was a red mahogony. I think I might have chosen a tad too dark. I am not sure if I want to strip and resand, have not made up mind on that one yet. I am ditching the steel wool for scothbright finishing pads. I will follow your and Walnuts advice on that as I noticed the steel "dust" when using. Question for future reference: Gathering from what I have read on the forum here is the way I think it should go. (I could be wrong so please point it out). 1. Clean/degrease stock thouroghly. 2. Sand to a finish with 80/120/220/320/400/600 sand paper w/ a backed surfaced 3. Sand with a scotch brite for final prep (or what I did steel wool) 4. Clean/prep surface with something like Acetone. I am assuming this is what is referred to raising the grain to recieve the stain. 5. Stain to desired finish (1 or more coats) 6. Sand with scotchbright or steel wool between stain and final coat. 7. Once happy with the look, seal with a poly or an oil of choosing. On another note should I have bedded the rifle before finishing the stock??? I think I probably should have, but have never done that either. Looks a little intimidating to me as you could possibly glue your stuff permanently to your stock... Pictures will be coming when I get a new camera. Old one took a dive. literally in pieces...

I am experimenting on the spanish stock today as we finally have our first 80 degree day. I soaked the wood in a de-greaser and wrapped in a black plastic garbage bag and left in the rear window to soak up the sun and heat. I should have prabably warpped in old T-short soaked with degreaser. I may try and do that tomorrow.

Thanks for the info. I will give that a try tonight. I am breaking down the bolt now to try and clean/polish it up. On another topic maybe the wrong forum, but here it goes. I know I will not get a perfect "like new" finish on the wood stock, but after staining I am seeing what appears to be dark spots embedded in the grain (or what I am reffering to the grain, FYI - I have about as much woodworking experience as I do metal working). I am assuming that I did not clean the stock well enough. I worked on it for about three weeks prior to staining. Sanded, sprayed down with degreaser, and washed with soap and warm water and even rubbed down with steel wool and acetone prior to the first coat of stain, but I am just not very pleased with the "look". Am I expecting too much out of this old stock or did I just get impatient and did not clean enough before I stained it? Again thanks for helping.

Definite newbie question. Little background first. My son and I have picked up three mausers recently one Turk, one already sporterized mod98 and one rough looking Spanish 1951 mauser. I also picked up a partially sporterized k98 stock that came with the sporterized mod98 already mentioned. Stockt was in ok shape I guess, some minor dings and dents, grease and dirt. I decided to try my hand at building out my own rifle on the mod98 stock and the rough looking Spanish mauser. I have absolutely no experience doing this so I figured this was a good starting point. I'll make my mistakes, but I do enjoy the work, and when I get done will hopefully have a decent hunter/shooter that doesn't look too bubbaized. (Oh, and I am going to learn how to reload my own 8mm ammo too. I am still acquiring my equipement for that so no newbie questions just yet) Ok, I got the stock cleaned up as best I could, I just put a stain on it last night and then broke down the Spanish mauser and got it cleaned up. I would like to polish the bolt assembly up a little bit. I have no real metal working experience (unless you count polishing brass and belt buckles in the military) which is what I was going to try. Can I just use a little Brasso and some elbow grease (or dremel tool with apprpopriate attachement) to buff/shine the bolt to a almost new look? Is it plated? Is there a easier or better way? Will that ruin it? I'll get some pics posted when I am done with it. (No laughing until my third or fourth one!) Hope these are not too basic a question. I appreciate any feedback in advance. Thanks