# Having trouble refinishing SKS stock



## mooman (May 19, 2008)

I've got a wooden SKS stock that was pretty soaked with cosmoline. I went with the Krud Kutter and brush approach for the first round. It removed the worst of it. After giving it a day to dry I tried to go at it with some sandpaper but it only took a single pass for the paper to be completly gummed up.

Next I went at it with a hot iron and some wet paper towels. Got a little more off, but sanding still seems imposible. Dishwasher idea is a nogo with the boss.

What next? Does it simply need to dry longer or do I need to use some kind of chemical stripper? Do I just keep sanding till I get to unaffected wood? Any advice is helpful. Thanks.

PS Im homesteader that needed an inexpensive and reliable shooter. Not a collector. If that makes a difference.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

My 1917 Enfield was filled with 90 year old cosmoline (or maybe it was grease?) between the stock and the barrel. I used a bucket half filled with gasoline and a scrub brush on a handle to remove the gunk from the stock. After it was dry, I rubbed the stock with cold-pressed linseed oil. It turned out beautiful.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have heard of mineral spirits also working well , if your not hip to scrubbing in gas , it may not smell quite as much as gas


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I'd try a chemical jell stripper myself.. Id imagine part of what you are seeing is old lacquer or similar on the stock along with cosmoline.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Oh.. and no reason to feel ashaimed about owning an SKS.. Mine is a great gun... VERY reliable, easy to get parts for... easy unlimited modifications you can make, and best of all, shoots a very common and cheap to find ammo.. 

There are only really a couple more rare SKS's out there that I'd consider not modifying to retain their collect-ability value... Daily shooters are made to be modified to your tastes.. 

I can't find my old wood stock, but I don't care.. I really like my folding stock... I've almost thought about building a sliding stock to increase the fun factor and make it bump fire-able from the shoulder.. 

I just had my SKS out shooting it a few weeks ago.. it's by far the most fun gun I have... It's been and will still be my go to cyote gun... Keep on shooting as they keep on running...


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## mooman (May 19, 2008)

Cabin fever. How long did it take the stock to dry? I applied some furniture refinisher after scrubing just to make sure all the previous finish was gone. I'm at the point where I'm trying to sand it and the wood comtinues to come off in little gunky shreds. Its like the stock is aways damp even after days of drying. I don't know what to try next other than just seeing if it will take stain and tru-oil.

Simi. If this doesn't work out and you can find your old stock would you consider selling it? I really like the vintage look of the wood.


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## carasel (Dec 31, 2009)

when you said"the wood comtinues to come off in little gunky shreds". Is it actual wood or the finish/cosmoline? You need something to break down the cosmoline. what ever that is will eat the clear coat also. Try laquor thinner. use a scotchbrite pad and scrub it. Keep wiping it off with clean rags. keep repeating until rags come off clean. Let dry over night. sand with 120 grit paper. then 180. blow or vac off dust. Then test a small area with your finish choice. Let dry and see how it worked. 
If you are using something other than an oil top coat. It is very important to get all the cosmo and laq residual off before finishing. With out a good clean surface your finish will not bond.
For a real finish test(for other than oil based finished) Finish a small area let dry well. Then take a razor blade and score a 1/8"cross hatch over the finish. A 1/2" area works. (cross hatch is the dinagional line finish on guns or nail sets.) Then press a piece of making tape down hard on this area. Then jerk it up. If you have diamond shaped finish pieces stuck to the tape your finish did not bond. It will work for now but not hold up long term. Small flecks on the tape are ok. 
I enjoy shooting my sks. It just is more expensive now.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

mooman said:


> Cabin fever. How long did it take the stock to dry? I applied some furniture refinisher after scrubing just to make sure all the previous finish was gone. I'm at the point where I'm trying to sand it and the wood comtinues to come off in little gunky shreds. Its like the stock is aways damp even after days of drying. I don't know what to try next other than just seeing if it will take stain and tru-oil.
> 
> Simi. If this doesn't work out and you can find your old stock would you consider selling it? I really like the vintage look of the wood.


 It only took minutes to dry. I'm not familiar with Commie rifles, but US rifles were never laquered. The walnut stocks on US military rifles were just soaked in linseed and/or tung oil. After I cleaned off the thick layer of cosmoline (or grease), I did not have to do any sanding. Sanding would have removed or lessened the cartouches.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

I'm stripping an SKS stock right now myself. I'm using acetone to strip the grease. This needs to be done several times, with heating in between the stripping so more grease is driven to the surface. Leave the stock out in the sun, or alteratively in winter, a warm oven (line with foil). After getting hot, the stock will "sweat" more grease. Do this three times and the stock should be clean enough to work with.


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## mooman (May 19, 2008)

Appologize for the pics being so large. I don't usually upload pics

Well after trying Krud cutter, mineral spirits, hot iron and scrapping I broke down and ran it through the dishwasher (while wife was taking a nap). Came out looking pretty good. Sanded it (leaving most of the deep nicks for character) and stained with Minwaz "Gunstock". I'm happy with it. Icing on the cake is 2 cases of backordered ammo arrived today at pre SH prices. :bouncy: Just have to put a couple coats of Tru-oil on it now.


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

if it were me i would take a piece of glass or a knife blade and scrape the entire stock then start w/220 sand paper and work to 600 grit then wipe down with wet rag to raise burrs and sand them off then stain then finish w/tru oil


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

I liked it better with the beat up looking stock.

What kind is that one? Russian, Yugo M59 or an early Chinese?

If you are going to shoot it a lot consider sending the trigger group to Kivarri and have him do a trigger job on it. Makes a huge difference on some.:rock:


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## mooman (May 19, 2008)

Trust me the stock is Still plenty beat up. It's a Chinese from the first year of production. Type 56 from 56. I've been doing research on a trigger job. Not sure if I need one yet.


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

mooman said:


> . It's a Chinese from the first year of production. Type 56 from 56. .


Sweet. I have one like that but I don't know if it was refurbished or what but it's almost brand new. Yours has much more character.

I have an Albanian though that looks even more well used than that one!


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## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

It was a slow process for me, but I'm gunk fred without using chemicals. Get a roll or two of paper towels and either a heat gun or a hair dryer that'll get pretty hot. Keep it moving or you can scorch the wood. I've heard of people baking their stocks or leaving it outside in the sun as well. I think the sun method is too slow and the baking method you risk messing the stock up.


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