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Need help with M1 Stock Dirt and Cartouches
12/14/2011 6:58:17 AM
The stock in question is from a war era, lock bar rear sight, machined trigger guard M1 Garand.
I've removed most of the grime/dirt off the stock with a medium/light natural degreaser*, iron and steamy water method
but there's still large portions of greyish, dark wood. How can I make that dirt come to the surface? looks like it's embedded in the grain.
Also, there's a weird proofmark, not in the right place. The "P" proofmark is in the right place at the front of the pistol grip,
but a "S.A. O" is present - not under the receiver, but on the left side of the stock under the comb.
Looking around, I can't find anything about this "S.A. O" acceptance mark.
I know it should be a Springfield Armory acceptance mark, but.. who the hell is O?
Anyone knows more? Is it may be a repro?
Thanks in advance!
*we have something we call "Marseille soap", wich is a natural strong degreaser.
12/14/2011 2:27:55 PM
Don't have the book in front of me, but SAO sounds like a rebuild mark. Springfield Armory, inspector O, whoever that was. Rebuild marks tend to follow that pattern. Two letters for the facility where the work was done, sometimes followed by another letter.
12/14/2011 4:01:10 PM
Odgen Arsenal. Probably went through two over hauls.
I like the oven cleaner strip method.
(put a piece of tape over the cartouches)
spray entire stock with low odor oven cleaner
wait 5 minutes
rub vigorously with 0000 steel wool (in the direction of the grain)
rinse with water
allow to air dry (absolutely no heat, will take a couple days at room temp) I find it best to hang from a string so it does not warp.
Once dry, look over to make sure all the old finish and grime is gone repeat if necessay.
400 or 600 grit sand paper and lightly I mean LIGHTLY sand in the direction of the grain
dust off stock real well.
Grab a jug of PURE TUNG OIL and an old sock, put a generous amount of PTO on stock and rub in.
Let dry over night
PTO on stock again (not so much this time) and rub in
let set over night
PTO again same as #2
repeat PTO until desired finish occurs.
Usually hits around the 4th day for me.
Just make sure it is Pure tung Oil and not a blend from the box stores.
I like the oven cleaner strip method.
(put a piece of tape over the cartouches)
spray entire stock with low odor oven cleaner
wait 5 minutes
rub vigorously with 0000 steel wool (in the direction of the grain)
rinse with water
allow to air dry (absolutely no heat, will take a couple days at room temp) I find it best to hang from a string so it does not warp.
Once dry, look over to make sure all the old finish and grime is gone repeat if necessay.
400 or 600 grit sand paper and lightly I mean LIGHTLY sand in the direction of the grain
dust off stock real well.
Grab a jug of PURE TUNG OIL and an old sock, put a generous amount of PTO on stock and rub in.
Let dry over night
PTO on stock again (not so much this time) and rub in
let set over night
PTO again same as #2
repeat PTO until desired finish occurs.
Usually hits around the 4th day for me.
Just make sure it is Pure tung Oil and not a blend from the box stores.
12/14/2011 4:56:03 PM
Thank you!
Ogden Arsenal? But it says S.A. Doesn't it mean Springfield Arsenal?
I use Boiled Linseed Oil. I have two stocks, the first is at its second BLO rubbing today,
and I'm trying to steam the wood even more.
The more I steam, the more dirt comes out. It's neverending.
Originally Posted By BULLDAWG_556:
Odgen Arsenal. Probably went through two over hauls.
I like the oven cleaner strip method.
(put a piece of tape over the cartouches)
spray entire stock with low odor oven cleaner
wait 5 minutes
rub vigorously with 0000 steel wool (in the direction of the grain)
rinse with water
allow to air dry (absolutely no heat, will take a couple days at room temp) I find it best to hang from a string so it does not warp.
Once dry, look over to make sure all the old finish and grime is gone repeat if necessay.
400 or 600 grit sand paper and lightly I mean LIGHTLY sand in the direction of the grain
dust off stock real well.
Grab a jug of PURE TUNG OIL and an old sock, put a generous amount of PTO on stock and rub in.
Let dry over night
PTO on stock again (not so much this time) and rub in
let set over night
PTO again same as #2
repeat PTO until desired finish occurs.
Usually hits around the 4th day for me.
Just make sure it is Pure tung Oil and not a blend from the box stores.
Odgen Arsenal. Probably went through two over hauls.
I like the oven cleaner strip method.
(put a piece of tape over the cartouches)
spray entire stock with low odor oven cleaner
wait 5 minutes
rub vigorously with 0000 steel wool (in the direction of the grain)
rinse with water
allow to air dry (absolutely no heat, will take a couple days at room temp) I find it best to hang from a string so it does not warp.
Once dry, look over to make sure all the old finish and grime is gone repeat if necessay.
400 or 600 grit sand paper and lightly I mean LIGHTLY sand in the direction of the grain
dust off stock real well.
Grab a jug of PURE TUNG OIL and an old sock, put a generous amount of PTO on stock and rub in.
Let dry over night
PTO on stock again (not so much this time) and rub in
let set over night
PTO again same as #2
repeat PTO until desired finish occurs.
Usually hits around the 4th day for me.
Just make sure it is Pure tung Oil and not a blend from the box stores.
12/14/2011 5:36:09 PM
Open Box SA / O is a postwar 1950's Springfield Armory rebuild cartouche. O is the initial of the inspector at SA who inspected that rifle after rebuild.
Your stock atleast has been on a rifle that at one time that went through a rebuild at SA.
Your stock atleast has been on a rifle that at one time that went through a rebuild at SA.
12/15/2011 6:14:59 AM
thanks for your help!
12/15/2011 12:52:14 PM
I would stop cleaning and leave the stock as is...that grime and dirt is the history of the rifle...and since it is a "war era" stock...who knows, that dirt may be from the beaches of Normandy or Okinawa.
1/14/2012 10:02:26 PM
First, do not EVER use soaps/dishwashers on a wood stock, especially one that has actual cartouches and has value.
Steaming the dirt out is slow as you have found and the water may not be doing it much good. You are better off to use Mineral spirits or Acetone and a green scrub pad. The Mineral spirits will do nothing bad to the stock other than temporarily wet the stock and bring crud to the surface.
What I do is this:
If the stock is just dirty:
Put stock in a sink, bucket or some place I can get it good and wet and make a mess. I liberally wet a green scrub pad with mineral spirits or Acetone and drench an area of the stock scrubbing liberally in a small area. Keep the area you are working wet, you will know when to stop and move on to the next area. You will probably have to repeat this procedure 2 or three times on the stock, make sure and clean inside as well as outside. A toothbrush and q tips also come in handy for small areas such as screw holes or the action mounting area inside the stock. Once I think I have it clean I take clean white paper towels and drench them in Mineral Spirits and wipe down the stock, continuing until the paper towels stay relatively clean.
IF the stock is dirty AND greasy:
Do the above, then wrap the stock in paper towels and wrap that inside a black plastic trashbag. Put said trashbag in a sunny window(dash of a vehicle works best) and let it bake out the grease. Change the paper towels every few days until they start to come clean. Then repeat the above.
Once your done, use your steamer to steam out any dents and lessen any cuts or creases. Then clean the stock one last time with white paper towels and Mineral Spirits.
When you are done its normal for the stock to have a brown/greyish look to it, don't panic. Now start to oil with some BLO and that greyish/Brown will turn to a nice reddish brown and really bring out the grain.
A few things everyone needs to consider about working with wood stocks.
Water + wood is a nono, it accelerates the natural decomposition of wood. Ad to that soaps and detergents and you will accelerate the process.
There is nothing wrong with "re-finishing" a stock or any piece of wood that has been treated with Linseed Oil or Tung Oil as they are not really a finish. Leaving dirt or patina in the stock as actually bad on the stock in the long run. Its just oil with lots of dirt in it, it needs to be changed and wont hurt the value at all as long as you keep the sandpaper, detergents, and water away from the wood, they don't belong. With Linseed Oil and Tung Oil I really dont consider it re-finishing, its more like just changing the oil. Mineral Spirits or Acetone wont hurt the wood one but and they leave nothing behind to hurt anything on the future.
I am not a professional by any means but I am no amateur either. I do clean up these old stocks as a hobby for friends and the the occasional stranger. I have read up and worked with a few professionals and I have learned my way around some of these old time tricks. Dont be tempted by the dishwasher and do it right the first time. Your kids or future generations will be thankful you took the time to do it right so that piece that might only be sort of valuable right now will increase in value as all those pieces that have been cared for improperly fall by the wayside as they years progress.
1/15/2012 9:31:06 AM
To clean grime and years of grease, I use a 50/50 mix of turpentine and blo. A light scrub with 0000 brass wool, carry a lot of liquid to the wood and keep it going until you stop lifting dirt. Wipe dry and allow it to dry for 24hrs. Then another coat of straight blo, more coats 24hrs apart at your desecration. Give it a few weeks to dry and then a few coats of Tom's military gun stock wax.
This wood was so filthy you could not read the cartouche's.
This wood was so filthy you could not read the cartouche's.
