Stripping a Winchester Post 64 Stock
- Thread starter cowbelly
- Start date
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yeah, todays strippers are neutered so bad they won’t even soften most varnishes let alone melt them.
Heat guns darken the wood, sandpaper rounds off sharp edges if not used with caution, scrapers work but take a lot of elbow.
Heat guns darken the wood, sandpaper rounds off sharp edges if not used with caution, scrapers work but take a lot of elbow.
if the ordinal finnish it will not be oil
The last stock I did was so straight forward I don’t remember anything specific about it so it would have been 1851 stripper.
But if you have a stubborn coating you might want to look into Loctite Chisel Paint Stripper SF790.
I’m not sure it’s compatibility with wood so I’d confirm or test it on a scrap piece first but it’s the last stripper I’ve seen available with Methylene chloride so if you do try it take the appropriate safety precautions.
Note: if you have any white spacers in the stock protect them from any stripper you use as the stripper will likely melt them.
But if you have a stubborn coating you might want to look into Loctite Chisel Paint Stripper SF790.
I’m not sure it’s compatibility with wood so I’d confirm or test it on a scrap piece first but it’s the last stripper I’ve seen available with Methylene chloride so if you do try it take the appropriate safety precautions.
Note: if you have any white spacers in the stock protect them from any stripper you use as the stripper will likely melt them.
Butcherbill
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
The only post 64 stock I refinished was already flaking to some degree, so it was an easy job.
I don't know about furniture stripper. Try it, but I think the stocks were done in polyurethane. 1850 might only soften it - the gel would be better. In theory that clear coat should just wipe off after the gel eats away at it. It'll take multiple applications, and you'll still be sanding the stubborn spots.
Steam out the dents, condition and stain (if you want to), then hand rub with tung oil. I've used a 90/10 Tung/Pure Beeswax mix with great success on old gun stocks and knife handles. Warm it up (carefully) to blend then work it in to the grain ... buff and repeat a few times.
I'd advise that you avoid Tru-Oil. It can be okay, but there are way better choices like Tung, Walnut, Boiled Linseed, etc oils.
And, very importantly, don't buy your Tung/Linseed/etc. oil at the big box stores. That plastic bottle stuff they sell is junk. Go to a specialty paint and stain store or hit the Lee Valley, etc.
Some of those post-64s used birch - a lot of them did actually. If you have birch consider a water-based stain as they don't take oil stains so well.
Good luck and have fun.
Steam out the dents, condition and stain (if you want to), then hand rub with tung oil. I've used a 90/10 Tung/Pure Beeswax mix with great success on old gun stocks and knife handles. Warm it up (carefully) to blend then work it in to the grain ... buff and repeat a few times.
I'd advise that you avoid Tru-Oil. It can be okay, but there are way better choices like Tung, Walnut, Boiled Linseed, etc oils.
And, very importantly, don't buy your Tung/Linseed/etc. oil at the big box stores. That plastic bottle stuff they sell is junk. Go to a specialty paint and stain store or hit the Lee Valley, etc.
Some of those post-64s used birch - a lot of them did actually. If you have birch consider a water-based stain as they don't take oil stains so well.
Good luck and have fun.
Any stripper should work just fine if you stay away from the eco versions. Work on one or two long pieces of foil. Shiny side up. Paint the stripper on heavy with a brush doing 1/3 to 1/2:the stock per strip. This will keep things from drying out. Wrap stock up in the foil and let sit 5 minutes. Unroll foil and go at it with 4x4" pieces of the green scrubby pads or softer steel wool working with the grain. Use a stiff bristles toothbrush on the checkered. A 1.5" plastic scraper will come in handy. Work fairly quickly. You aren't aiming for perfection here. It'll probably take 2-3 stripper applications on each area of the stock and you probably won't get everything.
An old towel, dampened is great for wiping the stock down well after stripping. Let it dry for a day or 2 and start the sanding process starting with160-200 down to 400. Dont apply so much pressure that you create runways by taking off too much wood. You'll develop your own methods. There will be some darker areas on stock where the old finish has gone deeper but just keep working the "area" until they're gone. Then thd fun begins and you can take that stock as far as you want to go. Anything from a satin to gloss to mirror finish. All depends on how professional you want it to look. If you only want to do the oil and slurry process once every 2 weeks and enjoy handrubbing oil into the stock for an hour at a time choose BOL. I started there but will likely never return. Used to go through 4-5 45 minute sand/slurry/handrub per stock but 12 is the norm now. Like I say it's up to you how professional you want the stock to end up. I've seen guys proud of what some of us would call abominations but to each his own. A couple of finished samples attached. Both were badly beat up when I got them.
An old towel, dampened is great for wiping the stock down well after stripping. Let it dry for a day or 2 and start the sanding process starting with160-200 down to 400. Dont apply so much pressure that you create runways by taking off too much wood. You'll develop your own methods. There will be some darker areas on stock where the old finish has gone deeper but just keep working the "area" until they're gone. Then thd fun begins and you can take that stock as far as you want to go. Anything from a satin to gloss to mirror finish. All depends on how professional you want it to look. If you only want to do the oil and slurry process once every 2 weeks and enjoy handrubbing oil into the stock for an hour at a time choose BOL. I started there but will likely never return. Used to go through 4-5 45 minute sand/slurry/handrub per stock but 12 is the norm now. Like I say it's up to you how professional you want the stock to end up. I've seen guys proud of what some of us would call abominations but to each his own. A couple of finished samples attached. Both were badly beat up when I got them.
Attachments
That is gorgeous.
I might dig out a rifle just to try something with hand rubbed oil.
I've done scraping a couple of times but never used stripper.
The stripper stage is a bit messy. I law the stock on a couple of ling sheets of aluminum foil, slop the stripper on with an old wood handled paint brush then wrap the stock in the foil, give it 5 mins, unwrap then go at it with a plastic scraper. It will usually take 2-3 stripper coats. Stripper and residue can be removed from checkering with an old thicker nap towel. I'm not afraid to wipe stock down with a damp cloth a day or so before I start sanding. Ill use a fine point awl to gently run through checkering following the pattern.
