I have a 1953 savage 99 eg in 300 savage that is quite nice. It has a WilIiams scope mount and a 3-9 on it. I would like to clean the stock. What would I clean it with, and what would I put on it as a protective finish. I do not want to strip the original finish at all. Just clean and protect. I also have a real nice 1954 99 eg in 300 savage. At least I think they are both eg’s I am refinishing a 99f for my boy as well. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Post a pic. Without a visual it's impossible to know if you have a rifle with its original oil finish or if Bubba re-finished it with something else in the intervening 67 years.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
Were it mine I would leave it pretty much alone. It is aging nicely and honestly. At most I would lightly scrub it with a mild solution of warm water and Murphy's Oil Soap, dry thoroughly, and give it a good waxing with a quality paste wax, and then let it continue aging gracefully.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
Would boiled linseed oil or tru oil help cut the dirt and protect the wood? I just figured some type of oil would be more like the original look, rather than a wax. These guns will see some bad weather while hunting.
Oil is not a cleaner, especially Tru Oil - that would make a hellacious mess! I don't think I would use anything stronger than a light solution of dish soap with a soft sponge. And then I wouldn't get it very wet. How do you know the wood isn't still sealed from the original finish? Check that out before you do anything else. But be careful because I think you may be getting close to traveling down the road of "if it ain't broke don't fix it.".
"The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle." John Stapp - "Stapp's Law" "Klaatu barada nikto"
OP: the thing about wax is it is a fairly decent water barrier at the same time it gives a luster to the wood. How much of a luster depends on the type/state of the finish itself. An oil finish on its own is a notoriously poor barrier to water fenestration- it's the wax that truly gives it a modicum of protection in that regard. Use your judgement as to whether or not any proprietary wood treatments provide that kind of protection in addition to prettiness.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
The problem with wax is that it's not original, and it's a pain to try to remove in the future if somebody wants it original.
Just my opinion...
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