Linseed Oil Dried on Stock....HELP!

[Duelist]

OK, here's my situation: I have a Ruger No.1 that is my primary hunting rifle. About a week ago, I wiped the stock down with linseed oil. I put a thick coat of the oil on, wanting it to soak into the finish, before I wiped it off.

I forgot to wipe it off, and the linseed oil has now solidified into a plasticky substance on my beautiful walnut stock! How can I remove the dried oil without damaging the stock finish? Would heat work? I could set it in the sun or use a hair dryer or something? What about rubbing alchohol?

Please help!

 

[Cosmoline]

Linseed, linSpeed, or boiled linseed oil?

Typically you only put a fresh coat of BLO over an older coat of BLO. The No. 1, if it had a factory finish, was already done with whatever poly blend they use--NOT hand rubbed BLO. What most likely happened is your BLO coat just gummed up on the surface of the prior finish. I would use some ultra fine steel wool to get the loose parts off, and I suspect all of it may come off. This is in fact the method used between coats of BLO when working up from raw wood.

If your goal is to waterproof a stock like that for wet weather use without altering the underyling finish, a gun stock wax or beeswax blend is the best bet. I've done this hundreds of times over the years with many different rifles including some pretty rare birds. It protects steel, wood and everything else, improves the grip and does nothing permanent to the rifle. In time it simply wears off. Though you don't want to do it to raw wood where the wax can soak into the grain.

 

[Runningman]

Ouch, Not sure what the best method would be on something like that. But don't use sun or heat it will make it harder to remove.

I would suggest experimenting with what ever method you come up with on some junk scraps of hard wood before doing anything with the rifle stock.

 

[Duelist]

The rifle has a poly finish, but I've been putting boiled linseed oil over it for years. Ultra fine steel wool? Like 0000?

 

[Cosmoline]

That's what I use to get up loose BLO. I'm not entirely sure what it will do to the underlying No. 1 finish, but you can test on a small patch. It *should* just grab up the loose BLO that didn't dry and stick.

Alternately you could try a towel and elbow grease.

 

[Hunter125]

I would guess that paint thinner would work. not as powerful as stripper, but will still cut the linseed oil. I don't think it would hurt the finish, but as Runningman suggested, I would try it on some other scraps that have a finish on them to make sure it won't hurt it. Generally for something to hurt an actual finish, it has to be on there for a while, so if you just put a little paint thinner on a rag to wipe down your stock, it might be okay.

 

[CZguy]

I think I would try rubbing alcohol before I tried paint thinner. My concern would be that the paint thinner would cause some damage to the factory poly finish.

 

[Isher]

NOT paint thinner, etc.

Pure turpentine plus a rough rag.

And plenty of elbow grease

Will do the trick.

Now, the question is,

What was the finish you started off with,

And what is the finish you want to end up with?

isher

 

[jpwilly]

I use 000 steel wool. Man that stuff works so well to knock down high gloss. BLO is a great finish for wood - have fun!

 

[Blue Brick]

Dawn???

 

[android]

NOT paint thinner, etc.

Pure turpentine plus a rough rag.

Or maybe even Turpenoid. It's a bit milder and doesn't stink up the place like real turpentine.

 

[Slamfire]

Try rubbing fresh linseed oil on the old. That might dissolve the stuff.

 

[1KPerDay]

The rifle has a poly finish, but I've been putting boiled linseed oil over it for years.

Why?

 

[stchman]

Putting linseed oil over a poly finish will do nothing. Linseed oil is to be applied directly to wood.

Paint thinner will remove gummed up linseed oil.

 

[jcwit]

Paint thinner or Mineral Spirits will cut the Linseed Oil without hurting the Poly factory finish. Could also use tar remover packaged for removing bugs and tar from cars, if it doesn't hurt a Corvettes clear coat it sure isn't going to hurt your Poly Varnish factory coat.

Don't use any thing like Lacquer thinner, that will dissolve the factory finish.

Retired from a cabinet shop and the Poly factory spray on finishes are just about impossible to dissolve or soften short of lacquer thinner or MKT thinner.

 

[Duelist]

The linseed oil always absorbed through the poly untill now, when I put too much on.

 

[svtruth]

Raw

soaks in, boiled forms a skin.
I would try a cabinet scraper.
Bronze wool won't leave steel fragments which can rust.
BTW, raw linseed oil soaked rags/paper towels can spontaneousley combust.
Good luck.

 

[jcwit]

BTW, raw linseed oil soaked rags/paper towels can spontaneousley combust.

Ya, but you have to have more than just a few to create enough heat and hold it for ignition to occur.

 

[birdshot8's]

Slamfire1, is correct. use the hair of the dog that bit you.

 

[Horsemany]

Odorless mineral spirits will remove BLO and WILL NOT affect factory Ruger finishes.

BLO on top of factory spray finishes is not a good idea. Wax or various furniture polish would be much better.

 

[GBExpat]

The linseed oil always absorbed through the poly ...

 

[jcwit]

Quote:
The linseed oil always absorbed through the poly ...

Ya wonder about that.

 

[browningguy]

The linseed oil always absorbed through the poly untill now, when I put too much on.

I'll go ahead and say what GBexpat doesn't want to.

Not happening, linseed oil on top of a poly finish doesn't go anywhere. At most you wiped it down and it dried relatively clear on top of the poly. I build a lot of furniture and I can promise you that linseed oil will not soak through poly. If you want to do something just to be doing it use a good furniture grade wax, but to be honest it doesn't need anything at all, just wipe it down with a rag if it gets wet or dirty.

 

[CZguy]

Not happening, linseed oil on top of a poly finish doesn't go anywhere. At most you wiped it down and it dried relatively clear on top of the poly.

You are correct. Plus one.

 

[skidooman603]

If it were me I'de totally sand that Poly Crap off that beautiful Ruger and give her a proper finish. Anytime youve been putting Linseed on top of that Poly you may "think" its soaking in. As others have mentioned you are just makin yourself feel good and wiping it all off.