The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

I read in a thread recently that slip on recoil pads can damage the finish on these old Mosins, so don’t leave them on, just put them on when you need to use them. Well, I procrastinated on that for a couple of weeks, but I didn’t think it would happen so dang fast. Today I took the recoil pad off my M38 to take some photos, and was dismayed at what I found. Is there any way to get that mark off the stock without doing any damage to the finish?

Two days, 38 views and nothing? Am I to assume that there is nothing I can do to get that mark off of the stock without ruining it?

It looks worse in person than it does in the photo.

Probably no answers because no one has much experience doing what you are asking.

I'm the one that always post "remove them when done!". I have seen this a few times, but I have never seen anyone restore one. That stock looks pretty dry, doesn't look like much of a shellac finish. But I could be wrong and the photo only looks that way. Tells us more about the finish. (we Know it is a laminated stock). Some of those laminated stocks didn't get much of a finish on them.

Dolk

...and to add to what Dolk said, doing anything to try to remove the dark area will probably do more damage than has already been done. If it REALLY bothered me, I would probably try wiping that area with mineral spirits (try a tiny spot on the bottom of the butt first to make sure it doesn't hurt anything) and see if that helps. If not, maybe some simple green or some other non-aggressive cleaner might take it off or make it lighter? Whatever you choose, be careful. I know we are all concerned about not making things worse, which is why there isn't a lot someone can say here without suggesting an irreversible modification.

I wonder if putting a coat of Johnson's paste wax on the stock would prevent that from happening, or maybe some Howard's Feed n Wax? I hope I don't get banned for making such a suggestion!!

Murphy's Oil Soap maybe? Might get the stock too wet though.

I didn't respond because I really don't remember seeing much about this before and wasn't sure what the finish is on that rifle. I personally haven't run in to this but I'd try some Hoppe's #9 if nothing else works. It won't harm the finish and it's petro based. Not a lot, just a rag dampened with it. Hoppe's #9 has kerosene in it and if that pad is made from an oil based compound it may remove that stain especially if it's a shellac finish and not bare wood. If it's bare wood it may have been absorbed in the woods grain and may not come out easily if at all. I've never used this but I see guys recommend lemon oil based furniture polish like Old English too. That might work also.

I bought a carbine with a slip on pad on it already. It looked way worse then this. I immediately took the pad off and now a few years alter you cant tell it was on there. I did nothing to the stock except lemon oil it after using and cleaning.

Looks like dirt is in the pores of the wood. Maybe a gentle cleaning with Kotten Klenser might do it. Might take a few very lite applications. But Go Slow. You can always clean and remove a little at a time. after you get it clean some lemon oil. Wish you luck. Judi and her Mosin's

Judi and her Mosins wrote:
Looks like dirt is in the pores of the wood. Maybe a gentle cleaning with Kotten Klenser might do it. Might take a few very lite applications. But Go Slow. You can always clean and remove a little at a time. after you get it clean some lemon oil. Wish you luck. Judi and her Mosin's

Oh heck, there ya go. Kotten Klenser. I forgot all about that stuff. Jim swears by it. Good one Judi.

Whoops that should read later. not alter

That is such a nice stock that I would go slow in determining what will clean it up. I would default to putting another piece of wood in the pad that can fit tightly and see if that stains. Then experiment on that one. I would suspect it is some sort of oily residue from the pad. Lemon oil wouldn't be a bad idea. It won't seal the wood, i.e., the stain. And lemon oil has some cleaning properties but very gentle.

This has got to be something about the rubber and the dirt caught under it. I know even the large rubber bands I use to identify and price Mosins I may have for sale or trade eventually leaves a light banding mark. So what do I do to fix them? I use some kind of oil and a cleaning patch and rub on them a couple of times and let the oil sink in a bit between shots of it. My oil is Balistoll but a bunch of you guys like Lemon Oil so I would say that will work. Just the detergency of any oil and the rubbing will move dirt and grime and help the mark to go away. I would guess the heat of storage and travel in the truck are what is causing the marks from the rubber bands I use. Dirt getting under recoil pad, movement, and maybe again heat at times makes the mark. Good Luck fixing it! Bill

zeebill wrote:This has got to be something about the rubber and the dirt caught under it. I know even the large rubber bands I use to identify and price Mosins I may have for sale or trade eventually leaves a light banding mark. So what do I do to fix them? I use some kind of oil and a cleaning patch and rub on them a couple of times and let the oil sink in a bit between shots of it. My oil is Balistoll but a bunch of you guys like Lemon Oil so I would say that will work. Just the detergency of any oil and the rubbing will move dirt and grime and help the mark to go away. I would guess the heat of storage and travel in the truck are what is causing the marks from the rubber bands I use. Dirt getting under recoil pad, movement, and maybe again heat at times makes the mark. Good Luck fixing it! Bill

Everyone asleep in class, rubber is pores. When you sretch a rubber band out, dirt and any other thing will be under it and pressed into the wood. Wrap a cotton rag around before the rubber band. Also ..go slow with the Kotton Kleaner,...worked on my M-91. Judi and her Mosin's

dolk wrote:Probably no answers because no one has much experience doing what you are asking.

I'm the one that always post "remove them when done!". I have seen this a few times, but I have never seen anyone restore one. That stock looks pretty dry, doesn't look like much of a shellac finish. But I could be wrong and the photo only looks that way. Tells us more about the finish. (we Know it is a laminated stock). Some of those laminated stocks didn't get much of a finish on them.

Dolk

There is some shellac on the stock, but it looks like it is a very light coating. I removed the action and took this photo this afternoon. Not much difference between the bed of the stock and the outside of the stock. You can see spots where there is more shellac than other spots, but I doubt I could capture that in a photo. I have removed the mark. See my next post.

WeldonHunter wrote:I didn't respond because I really don't remember seeing much about this before and wasn't sure what the finish is on that rifle. I personally haven't run in to this but I'd try some Hoppe's #9 if nothing else works. It won't harm the finish and it's petro based. Not a lot, just a rag dampened with it. Hoppe's #9 has kerosene in it and if that pad is made from an oil based compound it may remove that stain especially if it's a shellac finish and not bare wood. If it's bare wood it may have been absorbed in the woods grain and may not come out easily if at all. I've never used this but I see guys recommend lemon oil based furniture polish like Old English too. That might work also.

Hoppe’s 9 removed the mark entirely in seconds. I can no longer tell the mark was ever there. Good suggestion. I’ve got Hoppe’s 9 on stocks a lot and have never seen any damage, so I tried it. Worked like a charm. Thank you.

I may have lucked out on this as the pad wasn’t on the gun very long. I’m guessing two weeks, but it was on for a couple of weeks before that, then taken off to use on another gun. I’d hate to think what I might have ended up with if I hadn’t have taken the pad off for some photos the other day. I’m just going to keep the pad in my range bag from now on. I have 3 different guns I use it on, so the range bag is the better place for it. I was keeping it on the M38 cause it was getting shot a lot.

I think I may have to see if the local Ace has any Lemon oil. I see it mentioned in this forum so much, I think I have to have some. Never heard of Kotten Klenser but looked it up. Ballistol might have worked too, and I even have some, but the Hoppe’s 9 did the trick.

wingspar wrote:

WeldonHunter wrote:I didn't respond because I really don't remember seeing much about this before and wasn't sure what the finish is on that rifle. I personally haven't run in to this but I'd try some Hoppe's #9 if nothing else works. It won't harm the finish and it's petro based. Not a lot, just a rag dampened with it. Hoppe's #9 has kerosene in it and if that pad is made from an oil based compound it may remove that stain especially if it's a shellac finish and not bare wood. If it's bare wood it may have been absorbed in the woods grain and may not come out easily if at all. I've never used this but I see guys recommend lemon oil based furniture polish like Old English too. That might work also.

Hoppe’s 9 removed the mark entirely in seconds. I can no longer tell the mark was ever there. Good suggestion. I’ve got Hoppe’s 9 on stocks a lot and have never seen any damage, so I tried it. Worked like a charm. Thank you.

I may have lucked out on this as the pad wasn’t on the gun very long. I’m guessing two weeks, but it was on for a couple of weeks before that, then taken off to use on another gun. I’d hate to think what I might have ended up with if I hadn’t have taken the pad off for some photos the other day. I’m just going to keep the pad in my range bag from now on. I have 3 different guns I use it on, so the range bag is the better place for it. I was keeping it on the M38 cause it was getting shot a lot.

I think I may have to see if the local Ace has any Lemon oil. I see it mentioned in this forum so much, I think I have to have some. Never heard of Kotten Klenser but looked it up. Ballistol might have worked too, and I even have some, but the Hoppe’s 9 did the trick.

Glad it worked. Hoppe's #9 has been around for over a century for a reason. I have quarts of it and use it for most cleaning jobs on firearms. I even removed a bad camo job on a Stevens Model 62 with a plastic stock that was given to me. Took a while but you can't tell it was ever painted. Kotten Klenser is a cleaner that Jim swears by for cleaning old/antique finishes. He cleans Victrola's with it among other things. Lemon oil is a good cleaner and good for the wood but it won't do much but a surface cleaning on a shellacked stock. The shellac acts as a barrier between it and the wood. Just like it must have done with this stain.

never heard of Hoppies 9, now i have to google it

I think hoppes #9 smells good

Everyone asleep in class, rubber is pores. When you sretch a rubber band out, dirt and any other thing will be under it and pressed into the wood. Wrap a cotton rag around before the rubber band. Also ..go slow with the Kotton Kleaner,...worked on my M-91. Judi and her Mosin's [/quote]


Judi most of the rifles I have are much darker than the one shown as they are Finns and the mark is actually white or at least lighter where the band has been resting. Crazy huh? Has to be something chemical from the heat and traveling with them in the trunk or truck back. Bill

What I DON'T put Ballistol on I put Hoppes #9 on, and Vis-a-versa....great stuff.