Well, sometimes. What's your standard treatment for your wooden gunnstocks? My dad always used just a light coat of gun oil. There has to be something better....

Pretty sure gun oil softens the wood. I have heard of using linseed oil.

I've always heard not to use gun oil (mineral oil) on wood. Great for metal and lube...bad for wood. It's like it rots it. A super light coat wouldn't hurt much I guess, but over the course of 50 years it's probably not good.

I wipe my wood stocks off with a towel. Sometimes it has whatever is left from oiling the gun, but I don't think you need to do anything at all to a stock. My stocks have been turned, sanded, polished, sealed, and have a nice pretty finish on them. What in the hell is there to CLEAN?

I'd say a damp cloth is plenty to get off blood and sweat.

Years ago, I was taught how to clean guns by the former president of the Texas Gun Collectors Assn. He used a generous amount of gun oil on everything, especially the wood.

My dad would always use this Gilly Stephenson Gun Polish and swears by it. His guns wood stocks look good. I use Windex on a soft rag to clean stock then add Brownell Gun Stock Wax. Brownell wax is similar to Gilly Stephenson

http://www.gillystephenson.com/inc/sdetail/6558/292

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-waxes/carnauba-gun-wax-prod6705.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-waxes/micro-crystalline-wax-cleaner-polish-prod236.aspx

I soak the wood in Hoppes #9


Only kidding, i do like the way it smells though.

I sometimes use linseed or a very light coat of hoppes gun oil.

Ballistol ... use it on lock, stock, and barrel! Plus leather! Developed by German Army about 100 years ago.
Paste wax inside barrel channel and action bed is highly advisable. I recall watching my rifle stock soak up water from snow while hunting elk several years ago. Bee's wax stick works without buying a whole can of floor wax.

Related question - what do you guys use on wooden knife handles and other kitchen/grilling utensils? After years of neglect mine are starting to look a little dried out.

I use a silicone gun cloth on my guns, stock included. Not sure that's right or adequate, but it's what I've akways done.

I use Rem Oil to clean my guns, and then use the leftover on the rags to wipe down the wood.

I use Tung Oil. Rub the oil on the handle and wait 24 hours. Lightly hand sand with 600 grit, wipe the dust off and repeat.

I usually do 3 or 4 coats. Works great!

clem93 said:

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I use Tung Oil. Rub the oil on the handle and wait 24 hours. Lightly hand sand with 600 grit, wipe the dust off and repeat.

I usually do 3 or 4 coats. Works great!

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Thanks

I have always wondered if the mantra that gun oil damaging stocks is actually something that is a real thing or if it is more of an internet myth perpetuated over the decades.

I'm sure Log or AC can opine on the actual chemistry of whether it is really something that damages wood or not - seems to me that it would not unless there are some actual chemical degradation going on a molecular level with the various solvents and cellulose nature of the wood.

Most wood is going to already have a polyurethane sealant/coating on it, so it's not going to have a lot of places to actually adsorb oil. Most of the saturation will come from oil leaking or migrating through the action to un-protected areas of the stock. After cleaning, you should actually store your gun barrel down for a few days to let any excess oil migrate through the barrel and away from the stock, but how many people actually do that?

If you just get some excess on the wood, wipe it off with a terri cloth or cotton rag and your problem should be solved.

I have used WD-40 for the last 29 years on my SKB 200E. It may have softened the wood, but I sure can't tell. I will probably stick with it for another 30 years and report back if I have any failures.