The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

So I was using a steam machine and some rags to take the cosmoline out of the wood....when the wood dried it turned like this...cloudy...chalking white color...any idea why this is? have I stripped all the finish that was maybe on the wood? I'm thinking on just finishing the job on the whole gun now...and then re finishing the wood....just not sure if I damaged anything.

Pictures?

Steam is not a good thing for shellack finish. All you needed to do is wipe off cosmoline with a dry rag and wipe it off again if needed.

Pics are needed here.

it's not that bad...you barly notice anything now...i put some wood oil on it for now just to keep the wood from drying out...i didnt do the whole gun just a section...i wad just curious cause I couldnt figure out why it was turning white...im taking it shooting tomorrow....havent done a head space check yet...but im 98% sure ill be ok...and im gunna shoot it in such a way that it saves my face lol...then maybe next week ill re-finish it all

I cant take pics atm...and i've already cleaned it up so u guys wouldnt really notice anything anyways.

As stated above you do not want to get steam around shellac. The cloudiness might have been because the shellac was either wet, partially melted or was lifted off the stock. It might have just needed to dry. I hope the oil on it doesn't hinder this if that's all it needed.

A word of advice when trying something you have no idea what the result wil be is to ask here first but never do something to the whole rifle. It's always best to find an out of the way, hidden place place to try something before doing anything you're not sure of and only do a small test area first. Here's an example. I have a rifle a friend gave me. His son had spray painted the whole rifle including the receiver and barrel. The synthetic black stock was painted black with some white stripes on the buttstock area. I researched it using google and one poster in a forum said he used Hoppe's #9. not wanting to damage the synthetic stock I though I'd try a small area. It worked with no damage. It wasn't like paint stripper but it worked and the rilfe now looks like it is supposed to.

This forum is full of information specifically for this type of thing and if you can't find it just ask. There's no stupid question and lots of answers from years of experienced collectors.

Thanks for the reply...your right I think it was just lifting off some of the finish...

I don't want to make a new thread for this...but my BOLT has a different serial number then my barrel...........however...i put an empty round into the chamber...cock it....and it has some good resistence when I go to push down the bolt...locks into place and feels good to go.....Im going shooting in a couple days...should I just do the behind the tree trick? I know its better to check the head space but it feels like its pushing that round into place and ready to fire.

howitzer wrote:Thanks for the reply...your right I think it was just lifting off some of the finish...

I don't want to make a new thread for this...but my BOLT has a different serial number then my barrel...........however...i put an empty round into the chamber...cock it....and it has some good resistence when I go to push down the bolt...locks into place and feels good to go.....Im going shooting in a couple days...should I just do the behind the tree trick? I know its better to check the head space but it feels like its pushing that round into place and ready to fire.

I know anytime I've tried to rechamber a spent round it usually gives resistance because the case is expanded now reformed from what it originally was. There's no substitue for using headspace gauges. The thing is even if you do the behind the tree trick do you know what to look for afterwards? Just because it's fires ok this time doesn't mean it's not going to give you a problem later. Checking headspace is no failsafe but it a lot better then guessing.

Much as I like the idea and concept of cleaning with steam I don't believe it has a place in weapons cleaning in anyway. I have a nice steam cleaner and have found it to burn me and be a pain in the butt to keep it fueled up with water to turn to steam. It seems to be empty and have to be filled with water before I get done any little chore on a rifle. I do not recommend nor do I use it on stock wood as it will if used hard and hot enough remove just about any stock finish including believe it or not Poly. I thought the heat and lack of paying for cleaners on the metal actions would be a nice example of saving the enviorment and money. It was time consuming and long and I always ran out of water for the steamer and had to wait till it cooled to refill and start again to make steam. Plus it shot what I was taking off all over the shop and made a general mess around my work space. I do occaisionally refinish commercial rifles for shops and I use the steamer out side on the stock wood for them but not long or hard as it will remove everything eventually and warp the stock wood too. The unit I own has not been out of the box in two or three years. I use other quicker less destructive methods on stuff even if the products cost money they are the better way. Refinish is a bad word around here and rightly so I will caution you to read the site rules before getting into the subject. Bill

Just put some lemom oil on it, and it will go away.. Had a stock do that once from a cleaner that got on it. Didn't hurt the finish, and the lemom oil made it look perfect.

jb

I agree with Jeremy here

Me three. Lemon oil is the hot ticket. Perfect for not altering the stock but also perfect for cleaning it and making sure it does not dry out.