So I have picked up a used Armisport 1842 and I am going to turn it into a 30" Macon conversion.

I am wondering if I should strip the entire stock before making the modifications to the stock, and then refinish it, or, would they have just done the cutting/carving and then refinished the bare exposed wood?

I believe in period these stocks were simply dunked in boiled linseed oil for finishing. I imagine in period they would not go to the trouble of stripping the stock but simply carve it down as needed and rub in some BLO and send it out.

What do you think?