I'm 1.5 days into trying to get steel wool particles to rust (freckle) on my gun stock (if they are there, and Sitka says they are). So far, nothing, though I have raised the grain a bit in one spot.
Observations: the water did eventually penetrate the Antique Oil finish, though it took several hours to do so.
I plan to leave the rifle with dried salt water on the stock for about a week. Maybe more time is needed for freckling.
As for Sitka's mention that maybe I've had freckled stocks in the past but could never see the freckles, I have to say that if the freckles cannot be seen, then why are we worried about them?.
And...you might ask...how long have you had stocks that could possibly have freckled? Thanks for asking. First gun stock that I finished, which was a rubbed oil finish (using the technique outlined in The Shotgunner's Book, by Col. Charles Askins) was some time in the 1970's. It was a Marlin 336 that my Dad gave me around 1963, and it had really nice wood grain. I hunted with that rifle in the rain and mud and I'd occasionally rub some more oil (BLO) into the stock to renew its good looks. For years it was the only deer rifle I had, and I hunted hard. Gotta say that I never noticed any rusty freckles in the stock. Don't have the gun any more, or I'd go look at it.
Anyway, I'll come back in a week or so and report on whether or not I freckled my gun stock. Of course, you are going to have to take my word for whatever happens. I'm not talking to you, Sitka. Regardless of what happens, I think you are going to be of the mindset of "don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is already made up". But...maybe you'll actually be right and there will be rust spots and I'll have to eat crow. Gotta say...I really don't want to have to do that, but I will report on the results, even if they don't reflect well on what I believe.
Stay tuned.
