newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
Greetings and thanks for a great site!
I have a 1913-vintage 12 Gauge Sterlingworth that came to me years ago with a rotten old Hawkins recoil pad that didn't fit on board.
It was obviously off of a smaller gun.
The butt of the stock is cut in a curve, as in it isn't a flat plane.
Is this curved surface correct, and what was the standard LOP of these guns?
It's currently 13-1/2" and is awaiting a repro buttplate from Connecticut Shotgun.
If this is an incorrect move, what sort of recoil pad is proper, and where can I locate one?
If this average condition gun were yours, how would YOU treat it?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide,
JohnC IND
I have a 1913-vintage 12 Gauge Sterlingworth that came to me years ago with a rotten old Hawkins recoil pad that didn't fit on board.
It was obviously off of a smaller gun.
The butt of the stock is cut in a curve, as in it isn't a flat plane.
Is this curved surface correct, and what was the standard LOP of these guns?
It's currently 13-1/2" and is awaiting a repro buttplate from Connecticut Shotgun.
If this is an incorrect move, what sort of recoil pad is proper, and where can I locate one?
If this average condition gun were yours, how would YOU treat it?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide,
JohnC IND
Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
Another question RE: 1913 Sterlingworth: What's the best way to dry the oil out of the head of the stock?
Mine is SOAKED.
Thanks
JohnC IND
Mine is SOAKED.
Thanks
JohnC IND
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Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
The normal length of pull for a Sterlingworth of that vintage is 14-inch. From the 1914 A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalogue --
This method was posted years ago on doublegunshop.com a couple of decades ago. Works great.
From – Wonko the Sane – Cleaning old dirty gun stocks.
Pretty, old guns do not have to have unpretty, old wood. If you like grimy wood go for the whole schmeer and leave the gun grimy too. I noticed that the pics of Ripon's Purdey in Shooting Times and Country was grime free, by the way. Wiping with acetone will get the surface stuff off fine but it takes a soaking to really get it clean. Be aware that using a brush on old oil soaked wood can damage the wood a bunch. Soaking and wiping (and a thorough sealing as detailed in Newell's book) will not do that. This is how I do it. You can e-mail me if you want, but Newell's book is really the source you need. Check the posts below somewhere about it and then hit a book search engine to get a copy.
THE METHOD This is a word.doc now so I will never have to write it again but can post it every week. Oh boy! Anyway, here it is. Get a disposable aluminum roaster pan at the supermarket that is large enough for the stock. Stop by your Home Depot or whatever and get a gallon of acetone and a gallon of alcohol. If the stock has a plastic finish you might want a can of some paste stripper too. Use that first if the outside finish requires it. If the stock has a varnish or oil finish the acetone will lift that with no problem. Then toss the stock in the roaster and pour in the acetone (it will also neutralize the paste stripper). Cover the wood until it floats. Then pull off a good length of aluminum foil and make a cover for the "tank", sealing it as well as possible. Be aware that acetone is highly volatile and smoking the cigar over the top of it is not recommended. I let the things soak for several days, turning the wood over a couple times a day. When you feel like you're tired of that, and the acetone looks like it has quit changing color, pour the acetone back in the can, rinse the roaster out with alcohol, and then soak the stock in the alcohol just like you did in the acetone. When you yank the baby out of the alcohol bath it will be CLEAN! And you can seal it and refinish it anyway you want after you let it dry a couple days.
works for me
Charles
This method was posted years ago on doublegunshop.com a couple of decades ago. Works great.
From – Wonko the Sane – Cleaning old dirty gun stocks.
Pretty, old guns do not have to have unpretty, old wood. If you like grimy wood go for the whole schmeer and leave the gun grimy too. I noticed that the pics of Ripon's Purdey in Shooting Times and Country was grime free, by the way. Wiping with acetone will get the surface stuff off fine but it takes a soaking to really get it clean. Be aware that using a brush on old oil soaked wood can damage the wood a bunch. Soaking and wiping (and a thorough sealing as detailed in Newell's book) will not do that. This is how I do it. You can e-mail me if you want, but Newell's book is really the source you need. Check the posts below somewhere about it and then hit a book search engine to get a copy.
THE METHOD This is a word.doc now so I will never have to write it again but can post it every week. Oh boy! Anyway, here it is. Get a disposable aluminum roaster pan at the supermarket that is large enough for the stock. Stop by your Home Depot or whatever and get a gallon of acetone and a gallon of alcohol. If the stock has a plastic finish you might want a can of some paste stripper too. Use that first if the outside finish requires it. If the stock has a varnish or oil finish the acetone will lift that with no problem. Then toss the stock in the roaster and pour in the acetone (it will also neutralize the paste stripper). Cover the wood until it floats. Then pull off a good length of aluminum foil and make a cover for the "tank", sealing it as well as possible. Be aware that acetone is highly volatile and smoking the cigar over the top of it is not recommended. I let the things soak for several days, turning the wood over a couple times a day. When you feel like you're tired of that, and the acetone looks like it has quit changing color, pour the acetone back in the can, rinse the roaster out with alcohol, and then soak the stock in the alcohol just like you did in the acetone. When you yank the baby out of the alcohol bath it will be CLEAN! And you can seal it and refinish it anyway you want after you let it dry a couple days.
works for me
Charles
Share the knowledge
Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
WOW! Thank you so much for sharing the knowledge!
I had tried it this way...
I found when you left this gun in a hot car, it would soon get wet from the oil coming out of the wood.
So, I got a black contractor's trash bag and a box of cornstarch.
I put the stock head in the cornstarch in the corner of the trash bag and wrapped it up, and left it on the dashboard of a closed pickup in the sun in my yard.
Every day I'd toothbrush the brown cornstarch off of the stock and stick it back into the bag in the uncolored stuff until the next day.
I did this throughout one summer and got a lot of the oil that way.
The gun has been in the safe for a few years and it seems to be oily again.
I look forward to trying this method before a refinish. (Tung Oil)
I'm assuming you mean Denatured Alcohol?
Thanks again for the advice.
I had tried it this way...
I found when you left this gun in a hot car, it would soon get wet from the oil coming out of the wood.
So, I got a black contractor's trash bag and a box of cornstarch.
I put the stock head in the cornstarch in the corner of the trash bag and wrapped it up, and left it on the dashboard of a closed pickup in the sun in my yard.
Every day I'd toothbrush the brown cornstarch off of the stock and stick it back into the bag in the uncolored stuff until the next day.
I did this throughout one summer and got a lot of the oil that way.
The gun has been in the safe for a few years and it seems to be oily again.
I look forward to trying this method before a refinish. (Tung Oil)
I'm assuming you mean Denatured Alcohol?
Thanks again for the advice.
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Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
I've used this procedure several times, with good results, and always used the denatured alcohol for the last bath. I had a Belgian gun with a little wrist, that I soaked, that split through the wrist as it dried. I suspect I left it too long, and truthfully, the grain was wrong through the wrist anyway.
Unless you have pretty short arms you would probably like to lengthen the pull by adding a pad that is thicker than the buttplate you've ordered. You can always order a Kick-Killer leather lace on (or velcro) pad from Cabela's. or one of the higher priced ones from Galazan, to lengthen it. That way you can leave the proper buttplate on it. I use the lace on pads on almost all my doubles to get a longer LOP. Protects the original buttplate too. Here is one on my 1918 BE grade:
Good luck, SRH
Unless you have pretty short arms you would probably like to lengthen the pull by adding a pad that is thicker than the buttplate you've ordered. You can always order a Kick-Killer leather lace on (or velcro) pad from Cabela's. or one of the higher priced ones from Galazan, to lengthen it. That way you can leave the proper buttplate on it. I use the lace on pads on almost all my doubles to get a longer LOP. Protects the original buttplate too. Here is one on my 1918 BE grade:
Good luck, SRH
Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
Thanks for the suggestions, Stan. What was the source for the pad in that photo? I like the looks of it.
How long is too long to leave a stock in the Acetone and then the Denatured Alcohol?
I dried it with the cornstarch when the head by the lever was splitting at the annular rings...
The Acraglassed repairs could let go in the soak, but I can do them over.
How long is too long to leave a stock in the Acetone and then the Denatured Alcohol?
I dried it with the cornstarch when the head by the lever was splitting at the annular rings...
The Acraglassed repairs could let go in the soak, but I can do them over.
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Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
That particular pad is the Kick-Killer and is sold by Cabela's. Very reasonable and well built. You can get it with laces or a velcro flap. Something about velcro just doesn't fit with a 96 yr. old gun, to me. But, I know I'm weird.
I think I left the stock that split in the acetone for nearly two weeks and the alcohol for nearly that long. I have used the procedure since then with no problems. Kinda play it by ear. As Wonk said, when the acetone stops getting darker in color it has done about all it's going to do.
SRH
I think I left the stock that split in the acetone for nearly two weeks and the alcohol for nearly that long. I have used the procedure since then with no problems. Kinda play it by ear. As Wonk said, when the acetone stops getting darker in color it has done about all it's going to do.
SRH
Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
Followup on the acetone soak of the stock: The Acraglass did let go, it got real soft first. The stock's in the alcohol now.
The aluminum turkey roaster worked somewhat, it was difficult to seal it well enough, the acetone was down to a quart or so after a week and a half.
I'm not disappointed in the results, I repaired it before, and a repair now is much more likely to adhere to the wood than before the soak.
Thanks for the advice and the encouragement.
The aluminum turkey roaster worked somewhat, it was difficult to seal it well enough, the acetone was down to a quart or so after a week and a half.
I'm not disappointed in the results, I repaired it before, and a repair now is much more likely to adhere to the wood than before the soak.
Thanks for the advice and the encouragement.
Re: newbie with questions about my 1913 Sterlingworth
Why soak the entire stock, when you are removing oil from just the head of the stock?
I use a container to soak the head in to remove oil using less acetone and alcohol,
that lets me dump out the old and put in fresh.
The whole stock laying in a acetone, alcohol and oil bath is removing oil from the head,
but is spreading it to the rest of the stock.
The old mix is then poured through a funnel lined with oil absorbent material used for oil spills, this traps the oil and lets me reuse it.
.
I use a container to soak the head in to remove oil using less acetone and alcohol,
that lets me dump out the old and put in fresh.
The whole stock laying in a acetone, alcohol and oil bath is removing oil from the head,
but is spreading it to the rest of the stock.
The old mix is then poured through a funnel lined with oil absorbent material used for oil spills, this traps the oil and lets me reuse it.
.