A free Japanese rifle...

[AmericanKraut]

Nice work Joe, sadly some things can not be brought back 100% but at least you saved it from turning worse. It looks a lot better now!

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks, Ben!

I felt my thumb squish into the damaged section of the wooden butt plate and my heart sank.

The photo makes it look worse than it actually is... the damage is about 1/4 of the thickness of the butt plate.

[Shadwellarmy]

Congrats Joe, Nice catch

[GIZMO8Z]

Congrats Joe, Nice catch

Thanks! The next step is to fire it, I suppose!

I am also going to bring the bayonet to a custom wood worker to make up some replacement grips.

[AZPhil]

Great work bring that old warhorse back from extinction. You saved it from rotting in a basement!!!!!!
I hear they are pretty good shooters to, So Have fun!!!!
Once again Great Job!!!!!
Semper Fi
Phil

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks, Phil!

I thought I had stabilized the butt plate, but it's still so fragile. Idk what to do...

[Walkwolf]

Looks like the stock cleaned up nicely. I use linseed oil - it really
brings out the wood grain - looks good the way it turned out
though. Sadly, the butt seems pretty far gone.........

[Adrian Stevenson]

Nice work Joe!

[Lidman]

I agree, nice work Joe
It's not everyday you get something worthwhile for free,
and it looks like you have saved it from a slow and sorry fate.
Well done mate.

Brad.

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks for the kind words, guys!

To clean up the stock I just dunked a towel in warm water with dish soap. I rung the towel out so it was barely damp, and then gave the stock a quick wipe down. I didn't want to go too crazy, just enough to take off the dirt and dust while NOT taking off the red urishi finish. Once the stock dried, I wiped it down again with a wax impregnated stock cloth.

About 1/10 of the butt plate is gone ... I'm so bummed out. If it continues to get worse, I might buy a reproduction and have a custom wood worker help me mount it and color match it. Maybe... Idk...