Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Lightening cocobolo stocks

I have some old cocobolo stocks and handles on a few guns and knives and was wondering how I could lighten them up as they have darkened with age. I also have a Pre-64 stock that was refinished with Teak and Tongue oil and I think it got stained when I laid it in some blue berries next to a dead caribou. Any way to remove them stains?

There are ways to do the cocobola but it is a lot of effort to do it right. With cocobola the darkening can be removed but getting back to the original gaudy colors will require removing wood. There may be some darkening caused by grime and that can be cleaned off easily enough.

Blueberry stains are usually easy enough to clean up. I would start with Formby's Furniture Restorer. It does not remove the finish unless you wipe it off aggressively with fresh cloth. Instead, let it soften the finish and move it around. It should blend in nicely.

I have lightened cocobolo with acetone

That will get dirt and wax, but the wood itself darkens with UV exposure. You can bleach that out and repaint it, which is difficult.

Thanks guys.

Sitka Deer,
formsby's is the stuff that re-mobilizes the finish, correct?
Good for spreading what's left around and improving minor finish imperfections?
Particularly good if you are unsure about matching color.
A green and red quart can?

Thx

Correct on that. It does little to many of the very thin catalyzed finishes though.

Ah thanks I didn't know that.
But it makes sense.