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discolored foream due to moisture


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My son left his rifle in a gun case that was a little wet, enough so that the wood got "fuzzy" and discolored. Any way to remove the darkened coloring on the wood? It was an oiled stock, no clear coat or polyurethane like Ubertis have now.  Fortunately the metal was oiled enough that it didn't rust.

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You can always bleach the stock with wood bleach (oxalic acid) then re-stain or dye it back to color.  It might still show slightly darkened areas, however.   Oxalic Acid bleach can be found in the paint department of many larger hardware stores. Follow the directions explicitly.  Don't get it in contact with metal or blued surfaces.  

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This stock has brass tacks on it, so it looks like the acid is out.

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1 hour ago, Springfield Slim SASS #24733 said:

This stock has brass tacks on it, so it looks like the acid is out.

You might be able to coat the tacks with wax or Lacquer, but I'd sure test that first on something besides the stock. 

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Oxalic acid is not like battery acid. It also comes in a handy can in the grocery store right next to the cleansers. It's called bar keepers friend. it cleans and brightens stainless, cleans copper and brass, Bleaches wood, gently by the way, it takes time.  I removed some very dark nearly black patches on an old bass wood stock. Took about two weeks of soaking in paste. Lightened it up enough to hit it with a rattle can of Poly Shades Bombay Mahogany. came out nice. 
id mix soem up with very little water and paste it on. Let it sit for a few hours and wash off check your progress and and go from there. it will remove color from the wood. it will attack natural color as well as water stains but it is a very safe and common practice with stock makers. 

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23 hours ago, Springfield Slim SASS #24733 said:

This stock has brass tacks on it, so it looks like the acid is out.

keep in mind not all acid is the same. Citric acid, acetic acid, Oxalic acid are pretty mild acids. It''s the Hydrochloric, Hydrofloric, Nitric, Sulfuric acids you want to stay away from

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9 hours ago, Son of the Midnight Star said:

keep in mind not all acid is the same. Citric acid, acetic acid, Oxalic acid are pretty mild acids. It''s the Hydrochloric, Hydrofloric, Nitric, Sulfuric acids you want to stay away from

It depends, some, on their concentration.  Glacial (pure) acetic acid is pretty corrosive.  It will give you a nasty chemical burn, much like Sulphuric.  Vinegar is only 5% Acetic.  I don't know if it will corrode gun steel, or blued steel.  I suspect it might at least discolor bluing.  

 

Oxalic Acid can be corrosive to metals in higher concentrations,   particularly if heated.  It is used pretty dilute for wood bleaching.  But higher concentrations are used routinely heated to dissolve iron, zinc and other minerals away from natural quartz and other crystals.  It is unlikely to corrode the steel of a gun visibly on short exposure, but I'd sure keep it off of blued surfaces, or at least test it on an inconspicuous part first. 

 

But in general, you are right that nitric, sulphuric, hydrochloric, Aqua-Regia, hydrofluoric,  etc. are much more reactive.  Hydrofluoric acid literally has to be stored in wax coated containers, because it corrodes glass.  Any of those stronger acids will make quick rust out of the nicest guns. 

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13 hours ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

It depends, some, on their concentration.  Glacial (pure) acetic acid is pretty corrosive.  It will give you a nasty chemical burn, much like Sulphuric.  Vinegar is only 5% Acetic.  I don't know if it will corrode gun steel, or blued steel.  I suspect it might at least discolor bluing.  

 

Oxalic Acid can be corrosive to metals in higher concentrations,   particularly if heated.  It is used pretty dilute for wood bleaching.  But higher concentrations are used routinely heated to dissolve iron, zinc and other minerals away from natural quartz and other crystals.  It is unlikely to corrode the steel of a gun visibly on short exposure, but I'd sure keep it off of blued surfaces, or at least test it on an inconspicuous part first. 

 

But in general, you are right that nitric, sulphuric, hydrochloric, Aqua-Regia, hydrofluoric,  etc. are much more reactive.  Hydrofluoric acid literally has to be stored in wax coated containers, because it corrodes glass.  Any of those stronger acids will make quick rust out of the nicest guns. 

Yes it absolutely depends on concentration.  I was referring to what someone could get from the grocery store or hardware store, Vinegar will strip bluing to bare steel.  not quickly but it will do it in about 30 minutes or so, so will blood. 
Good info none the less. I had no idea Hydrofloric etched glass but it stands to reason that stuff eats just about anything

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Good post with some very usable suggestions.

Upon reading the OP I immediately thought back to WR 2019 that was so wet.  The nice "gun carpet' on stages became like sand paper due to being so wet.  I saw numerous stocks, especially beaver for-ends of shotguns, showing loss of varnish/finish. Oiling helped but was unfortunately did not take back to original appearance.

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Hydrofluoric acid is one to stay away from.  It’s dangerous to all, not just the casual user.

 

Cat Brules 

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On 1/25/2020 at 1:02 PM, Cat Brules said:

Hydrofluoric acid is one to stay away from.  It’s dangerous to all, not just the casual user.

 

Cat Brules 

It is extremely reactive.  Fortunately it is not easy to find/buy.  I use a tiny bit of it in mineralogy and decorative glass etching.  Using it requires training, unless you want badly burned skin, eyes, and lungs (and that is just from the vapor!) 

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10 hours ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

It just occurred to me that carefully painting cheap, drugstore variety hydrogen peroxide onto the dark areas might also lighten them.  

I used Hydrogen Peroxide to clean up an old 94 Winchester stock. It worked well.

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