A friend came by yesterday with a Fox that has some dark staining on the forend wood. It almost looks like wood stain was applied to the surface but it's too irregular to be stain that was deliberately applied. It doesn't appear to have been darkened with a torch. I'm thinking it might be gun grease that was put on the barrels for long term storage. I tried to remove it with acetone, but that didn't work hardly at all. So the questions are, has anyone seen this before, any ideas on what this is, and how do we remove it?

Thanks in advance for replies.

Frank Silvers

Hi frank,
Sometimes corrosion of the metal in direct contact with the wood will cause similar staining, you often see it on salt era Brownings

CJ

Staining due to rust is the most likely explanation . I used to make a black wood stain dissolving iron filings in vinegar.
Very difficult to get rid of entirely but bleaching with oxalic acid is a good start . Try looking at the wood work /antique restoration suppliers ,there are a number of bleaching products available . The result may be that the wood ends up "white" but can be easily stained back to match ,but go gently with the stain on the treated area as it will almost certainly darken quicker that the rest of the wood .

Frank,
I think gunman has it right. The wood was probably against a wet barrel.

Oxalic acid should be available at any paint or hardware store. It comes in white crystals and you only need a small amount dissolved in water. Apply with a Q-tip, wait a bit and rinse it off. You may be lucky and not affect the original color.

Looks like toxic sweat from a shooter's grimy fingers to me...Geo

I've found that dissolving the Oxalic chrystals in warm but not hot water helps the process. Let's us know how this turns out.
Jim

Thanks everyone. This is on a duck gun that probably got wet often. There's some more discoloring under the forend too. I found a source for oxalic acid, ordered, and will post results when I get to try it out. Frank

Frank, please be aware that Oxalic Acid is a 'poison' so if there are kids around, just mix enough as you need each time, and keep the crystals well out of reach. I use it regularly in my work as an entomologist. It's a muscle relaxant and if consumed, it can stop your heart from beating.

Harry

Harry, this sounds like the beginning of a classic British murder mystery.... Not that a fine double would ever motivate a member of this upstanding board to crime...

With respect I unaware of any muscle relaxant qualities of Oxalic Acid. I am not saying that they do not exist I just an unaware of them. It is however quite toxic and can lead to kidney failure associated with the formation of calcium oxylate crystals (this is one of the causes of antifreeze toxicity). It is also highly tissue irritating especially to the respiratory and GI tract. Just FYI since the topic was brought up. James

I can't really tell from the pix, but if there was any waviness of the grain, the end grain will absorb more oils and dirt and look like this too.

Gents, I am reporting back as promised. I used oxalic acid dissolved in warm water, not sure of the concentration but it was 1 teaspoon in about 1/4 cup of water. I applied it several times with a Q-tip, let it sit between applications and then neutralized with a solution of borax. Of course I wore protective gloves. Also applied one light coat of stain last night and here's what I have this morning. Thanks again everyone for your inputs. Next step is to chase the border checkering.

Just as an aside, the oxalic acid arrived in a plastic zip bag with no MSDS, no Caution sheet, no nothin. I love it! Reminds me of when I was a kid and was able to buy chemicals pretty freely, and the supplier assumed you were a responsible person. Frank

Wow...that worked great, eh?
The stain seems to be completely gone!...sweet.
Nice when stuff works,ain't it???
franc

Old ways are often he best .

Looks great, Frank.

I was at the Rochester Museum of Play with the grandkids yesterday and was admiring an early chemistry set on display. I went through several of those as a kid. They weren't nearly so dangerous as the shotgun shells I dissected to make a cannon.

The warning label said "There are no poisonous or potentially explosive chemicals in this set. However, be aware that certain combinations of chemicals can be fatal if swallowed."