** Photos Added ** Need Help with Cartouche Spencer Stock FINISHED

[Two Flints]

Hello,

I just came into possession of a Spencer stock that has seen better days  It is pretty solid and has no cracks or splits in the wood, but one area of the wood surface seems to have been exposed to heat and that section has a burnt appearance.

The section enclosed by the red arrows and lines is the burnt surface.



Anyone have suggestions on how I can lighten that section and get it to look like the original walnut appearance?  I don't expect miracles, just want to lighten the stock somewhat.  BTW, the rest of the stock is just dirty and will clean up OK.

Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

Two Flints

[St. George]

It looks like it's close to 'char' - so it's likely little can be done.

Were it mine, I'd try direct sunlight and lemon juice and hope the bleaching properties of lemon juice can lighten the wood somewhat.

Or...

Take it to your local museum - the one that has enough money to have a restoration specialist - and ask them.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[G.W. Strong]

You could try a boiled linseed oil scrub with 0000 steel wool. This method is not significantly abrasive and typically lightens the wood a fair amount while providing good oil to the wood. It produced a nice finish as well. If you want instructions let me know.

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

Figured I didn't have too much to lose   . . . some very light sanding followed by rubbing (household) bleach into the dark wood, a number of times over a two day period and the results were very encouraging    After each application of bleach, left the bleach wet on the wood, and let the stock dry outside in the sun.

From the way it was


To how it is now




Trying to decide if I should keep doing this process a few more times or stop where I am.

Nice solid original Spencer stock

Two Flints

[Sagebrush Burns]

That cleaned up very nice!

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

I did the bleach process two more times, and after the wood was really dry from being left out in the sun, I applied Tru-Oil to the stock, let it dry, and then did some light rubbing with 0000 steel wool. I then cleaned the stock surface with a clean, dry cotton cloth.

I then applied Tru-Oil again, let it dry and then light rubbing with 0000 steel wool again, followed by cleaning the surfaces with a clean, dry cotton cloth, which gave me a semi-matte finish appearance

This is the end result





The stock has a cartouche which I am having a hard time making out with my"getting old" eyes.  Can anyone help me out with the three letters of the cartouche?







Two Flints

[WCR]

I wish I could tell you the answer to the cartouche, but not able.
I did look in my "Spencer Repeating Firearms" by Roy M. Marcot, and here are your choices, unless I missed one.
Model 1860 one or more of the following: MMJ, DAP, TWR, WW, EAW.
Model 1865 one or more of the following: DAP, AHN, EAW, ECN.
Model 1865 Burnside one or more of the following: HEV, GC, LH.
Springfield Armory conversions, one or more of the following: ESA, LCA, TJS, or ECW.

Hope this helps you, or someone to answer the question.

WCR

[Two Flints]

Hi WCR,

I'm leaning towards the LCA as the cartouche initials . . . thanks for responding

Two Flints

[Arizona Trooper]

I was thinking (hoping) for that too! LCA would be Lucian C. Allin. He was the brother of Erskin S. Allin, who was the master armorer at Springfield from the Civil War through his death in 1879. Lucian was the filing shop foreman after the war. He inspected some Trapdoor Springfields, (cadets mostly, as I recall). He may have inspected refinished arms after the war. Your stock looks refinished. There appears to be the shadow of two older cartouches under the LC?. If it is LCA, that's an uncommon cartouche.