Does anyone here know of a way to lighten old oil soaked cracks in the wrist of a stock? There's 2 on the top coming out of the tang and 1 on the bottom - same area - same reason, lousy inletting. I have soaked in denatured alcohol and other solvents. The wood dries out but the cracks stay black.
Have pics, but don't see how to add.

Maybe steam the oil out- fill an un-used, clean, quart solvent can about half full with water, pierce the cap with a nail, put it on the stove or a hotplate. Hold the wrist in the steam jet to remove the oil (steam/wipe repeatedly). I have used this method successfully before.

It's a good method to raise dents, too.

Make a medium thin paste of powdered chalk or gypsum with methyl/ethyl alcohol. Paint it on to the crack and let it dry. Place the stock next to a space heater and heat the wood til it is hot to the touch. Let it cool and brush off the residue. This should drive the oil out of the wood into the dried paste. Scrub out the treated area with an old toothbrush dipped in alcohol. If the crack is still dark, make a warm solution of wood bleach(oxalic acid) according to directions and paint it on the stained wood. Rinse with water to neutralize.

If that doesn't do it, you will need to go ahead and glue the cracks with super glue and clamp. Deep cracks will need to have epoxy glue driven into them. After it has set, a dowel hole can be drilled below the wood line into the crack and a fiberglass wrapped dowel glued in. Then sand, stain, and seal the wood. After the sealer completely dries, the crack can then be concealed with acrylic artist colors or a colored lacquer made by mixing dye powder with lacquer and brushed on with a small artists brush or a air brush. The technique is to apply the color and quickly smear it with a finger tip to blend. If you screw up, just wipe off and re-apply. When you get it where you want it, spray on a coat of clear sealer to lock it in, then finish with the product of your choice. Make sure you correct the inletting or bedding problem that caused the problem prior to final finishing.

If you can find it- K2R spot remover spray-you spray it on -it dries to a powder that absorbs the oil- try the supermarket

Bobster and others, thanks. I should have been more detailed. I used whiting several times both with denatured alc and acetone. It turned brown the first time only. Also added heat. All of the wood had to be removed between the tangs and I am making a solid aluminum block/pillar to replace. This is a commercial 98 FN Higgins. The inside has been hollowed out and stuffed with rags and den alc. It dried up pretty clean. The cracks are tight shut - just black lines. I would have to wedge them open to glue them or clean any better. I've been leary of doing that. I'm going to try the steam then the acid and see what happens. I set up photobucket - now to get them to post.