Getting a K98

[necropimp]

for gun pics here's what i find works best...

good lighting is key daylight outside is really good but if not available indoor lighting preferably from multiple sources from different angles will work
tripod is really good idea

now what i do is i set the camera to the smallest aperture setting and tweak the exposure time because i tend to be using expsoure times measured in seconds (on indoor shots) the tripod is needed and i use a timer to kill any any camera shake from pushing the button

 

[LukeFF]

Personally, I prefer looking on gunbroker and buying firearms that I am happy with their appearance and manufacturer. I know what I am getting when I bid on it (for the most part) as opposed to getting a frankenstein variation from a vendor that does the picking for me.

I know what you mean. After looking at my new Mauser tonight and seeing the mismatched serial numbers, it dawned on me that'd it be really nice to have an all-matching one. So, I did a bit of searching and found a nice 1936 ERMA. I think I've been bit by the Mauser bug.

 

[LukeFF]

for gun pics here's what i find works best...

good lighting is key daylight outside is really good but if not available indoor lighting preferably from multiple sources from different angles will work
tripod is really good idea

Yeah, it wasn't the greatest of lighting conditions, since it was after dark. Taking pictures outdoors doesn't really work for me, since I live in an apartment complex, and I don't really want people to know I have firearms in my residence. I'll wait 'til tomorrow to take some better pics.

 

[necropimp]

yeah an apartment would get in the way of outdoor pics if the range you go to is an outdoor range take a camera along... decided to take my SMLE to my backyard for some photos yesterday morning

best of the pics

and with a few minutes of poking around in photoshop i came out with these

 

[Peter.Steele]

Well, I took some pictures of it tonight, but they didn't come out too well. I guess I'll have to try again tomorrow.

Anyways, it's in pretty good condition, with just a few little dings and nicks in the stock. Bore looks really good, and the bolt is nice and smooth. It's a 1940 Mauser - Borsigwalde "243." Did a cleaning over on the bore, receiver and bolt, and I plan to take it out to the range on Saturday.

Two questions: what can I use to clean off the lacquer/shellac off the buttplate and other areas, and what can I use to clean up/polish the metal finish? I've heard car wax is good, but I'd like to get a second opinion.

Honestly, I'd leave it just the way it is. Don't mess with it. The shellac and the patina are not from misuse or neglect - they're a legitimate part of that rifle's history.

 

[LukeFF]

Honestly, I'd leave it just the way it is. Don't mess with it. The shellac and the patina are not from misuse or neglect - they're a legitimate part of that rifle's history.

I dunno. Part of me says to keep it the way it is, since it's part of the rifle's history, and the other part wants to get rid of that icky feeling I get on my hands when I grip it. At the least I'll apply some wax to it to bring out the shine in the finish.

 

[Peter.Steele]

I dunno. Part of me says to keep it the way it is, since it's part of the rifle's history, and the other part wants to get rid of that icky feeling I get on my hands when I grip it. At the least I'll apply some wax to it to bring out the shine in the finish.

It is, of course, your rifle and you can do with it as you please.

HOWEVER.

I would STRONGLY recommend against putting wax on it. This is something that cannot be readily changed back later without damaging the shellac underneath.

 

[necropimp]

the sticky feeling is cosmoline not shellac... wrap the stock in a towel, put it in a black plastic bag, and sit it in direct sunlight for a while

alternatively a hair dryer and alot of patience

 

[OneShot]

LukeFF;
If you are concerned with the stock, use a damp rag and a iron and basically "steam" out the nicks and dings in the wood. Be patient and take your time but this technique will work. I used it on my M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbine and they came out great!

 

[LukeFF]

I took the rifle out to the range today for the first time. The weather wasn't that great, with the wind blow my flimsy target board all over the place, so my accuracy wasn't the greatest, but it was damn fun shooting nonetheless! There's something to be said when one has the loudest rifle on the range and people are asking about it during every cease-fire.

Anyways, it shot pretty well, given the circumstances. I had a couple of rounds that didn't want to fire the first time I pulled the trigger (all 1952 Yugo), but overall they fired off really well. And man, can that thing kick!

 

[LukeFF]

LukeFF;
If you are concerned with the stock, use a damp rag and a iron and basically "steam" out the nicks and dings in the wood. Be patient and take your time but this technique will work. I used it on my M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbine and they came out great!

Thanks! I'll remember that. What setting should I use on the iron?

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

If you want to remove the russian shellac, pour denatured alcohol on some steel wool and lightly go around the wood to get it off. I did this to my K98 because the shellac looked horrible as if it was just blasted on with a brush (which it was). I also gave my k98 a very light coating of stain to protect the wood; BLO was not an option with the amount of deep, deep gunk that is embedded in the wood. It would not have looked right.

I would NOT recommend the above for a real collector's piece, however.

 

[LukeFF]

If you want to remove the russian shellac, pour denatured alcohol on some steel wool and lightly go around the wood to get it off. I did this to my K98 because the shellac looked horrible as if it was just blasted on with a brush (which it was). I also gave my k98 a very light coating of stain to protect the wood; BLO was not an option with the amount of deep, deep gunk that is embedded in the wood. It would not have looked right.

What type of stain do you recommend?

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

What type of stain do you recommend?

Depends on what you are going for. I don't really rate one stain manufacturer over the other, it just depends on what look you are going for and how you want it to appear. For instance, on my K98 before I removed the shellac and some of the gunk in my wood, it had a very bad appearance because the way it had been treated. I removed the shellac, added some dark brown wood stain and gently applied it over. I can remove this any time I want, but it covers over the gunk that was on the stock before and I don't have to worry about water seeping in during the winter when I shoot. Previously I had blotches of black covered by red shellac. Eww Ivan, just eww.

Here's my result:

Do you have a picture of the K98 you have? It can clean up very nicely and could be better off using BLO (boiled linseed oil) and much closer to factory original than mine is. That finish looks great if all of the gunk can be removed. On mine, that was not really an option.

EDIT*

Here's your K98:

That actually appears to be fine. I believe that you'll be able to remove the shellac off of it and get a much cleaner look if you want using Denatured Alcohol and the 'softest' Steel Wool, which I think is #0001?. If that's the case and what you want, I recommend BLO as I said above to get it closer to what it was prior to Ivan.

 

[LukeFF]

That actually appears to be fine. I believe that you'll be able to remove the shellac off of it and get a much cleaner look if you want using Denatured Alcohol and the 'softest' Steel Wool, which I think is #0001?. If that's the case and what you want, I recommend BLO as I said above to get it closer to what it was prior to Ivan.

Thanks. I actually don't have that K98 yet; I just placed the order for it this past Thursday. I'll keep the BLO recommendation in mind, though.

Here is my current K98, and what it looked like before I cleaned all of Ivan's crap off this afternoon:

And what it looks like now. I used #01 steel wool to clean it up. (amazing how much dirt came off in the process, lol):

BLO for this as well? (keep in mind, I'd like to stay as close to the original color)

 

[necropimp]

i say leave it... finish for K98 stocks is one of the most widely debated topics... mainly because orignal finish was so varied

i think different makers used different finishes and possibly even had the finish they used change at different stages of the war

some stocks were issued with no finish

 

[THunter]

I myself clean my stocks using a combination of acetone and/or denaturated alcohol and fine steel wool. People that use paint stripper, dishwashers, oxy clean, purple power etc. are just lazy and waaay too harsh on the wood. This is the only way that i feel is effective yet safe on the wood.

Depending on how the wood looks, Ill either leave the bare wood and put a coat of howards feed and wax on it or ill rub a few coats of RAW linseed oil mixed with paint thinner at a 1:1 ratio then follow up with howards feed and wax.

LukeFF, if you going for a darker reddish color, use BLO. if you want a more yellowish golden color i reccomend puting a coat or two of RAW linseed oil (can be bought at true value hardware store). If you like how the color is currently and just want more grain contrast just rub 2 or 3 coats of howards feed and wax.

 

[LukeFF]

If you like how the color is currently and just want more grain contrast just rub 2 or 3 coats of howards feed and wax.

I think that's what I'm going to do. By looking at the finish under the buttplate I can tell the current color of the finish is pretty close to the original, so I think I'll just add some wax to it and call it done. It certainly looks a great deal better than when I got it, and it just needs a bit more work to get it looking right.

 

[fiftyone]

Hi guys, the only gun I've fired in my life was an Enfield 303 when I was in the Army Cadets(UK), before they threw me out (" no discipline 51, no discipline) !

Anyhow, what wood is used here, I would just be interested to know !

 

[1 3 3]

damn your rifle looks so much better after cleaning the wood like that. i would totally do the same thing when i purchase my gun, but im always nervous doing things like that.

i'm still leaning toward getting a 91/30 though