Fox Collectors

Wondering what kind of factory finish was used on SW stocks. I have late Philly 20 ga and early Utica 12 ga. Touched up a couple of minor stock scrapes with BLO and they completely disappeared! I was surprised because there were a few residual areas around the wrists that had obvious varnish-like coatings. I steel-wooled them off and gave the entire stocks the finger tip BLO treatment and they look like a million dollars now. I was very pleased and got to wondering what the original finish had been. I'm sure that both guns have had multiple owners before I acquired them, but they have been well cared for. Just wondering if the original finish was oil and someone in the last 80 years just slapped something on top.

A H Fox was using Du Pont "Duco" nitrocellulose base lacquer on Sterly stocks in the later 1920's and that carried over to Fox/Utica, although I have some info that Utica at least experimented with something else. On the Duco, I'm thinking at least one other ingredient made the finish more flexible and kept it from cracking due to drastic temp changes. I don't know what was used on Sterlies before the Duco.

Thanks for the info. The Duco makes sense from the remnants I removed. I'll just keep rubbing in the BLO. That old wood keeps soaking it up and it looks great as well.