Stock repair help

OMG! the blasphemy. That is going to be tough. it will entail removing all grease and stains as per usual (Circa works awesome). Then the hard part. Soak the bare stock in distilled water allowing the wook to swell a little. Then it will be a painstaking job with a magnifier and #11 scalpel (or very fine X-acto knife) to tease the crushed wood fibres out as much as possible (I also use a dental pick for fine bits). Then you will need a good filler that will take a stain. I try to prematch the wood by adding actual stripped fibres of wood and saw dust that matches the original. You will never remove the entire pattern as the crushed wood cross sections will be almost impossible to hide. However, after long careful preparation and restoration it will look acceptable and with very light sanding and staining before oiling you should get a decent restoration. Good luck - sounds like a great winter project.
This was taught to me by a guy that restores antique artifacts for the RC Church. Works well in Enfields, so far...
Cheers
Dr.Oz
 
I would leave it, as it is part of the history of the stock's adventure. You may do more damage to the wood.
 
You might also be able to lop off the bottom, and laminate fresh chunk 'o' wood there. Contour to original.

I have never successfully hidden deep, or intentional gouges/carving with filler. Even have gone so far as to make my own filler from the very same wood. I have had moderate success finding similar coloured wood, and gluing it in. The line where it's glued doesn't scream "look at me" if both chunks have similar grain, and colour.

Being on the bottom, it's not going to be viewed much regardless.
 
Looks to be a little too severe to bring all the fibres back up with moisture, which by the way, works like magic. I have revived several stocks that looked like that they had been used as cricket bats using a steam chamber.

Don't use filler, because even when finished and stained, it will visually jump right out at you no matter how well it is done.

I would probably consider a different method, which I have used in the past with good success. I believe the method is called a "Dutchman" patch repair in the woodworking and furniture world. Cut out the whole area in a very shallow (1mm deep) rectangular-ish section and inlay a piece of veneer. Sand and apply your finish. With careful selection of veneer, you won't need to stain it for a match. Sounds simple, but patience and a steady hand with a hobby knife or scalpel is needed.

Look for craft stores that sell marquetry supplies. The veneer is about 1mm thk. They will have walnut and all kinds of other colour wood sheets, plus the tools and the glue (fleabay has kits listed). It would be a half hour fix by someone skilled in the art. (Marquetry is the making of an artwork or picture out of wafer thin fitted wood veneer pieces, as opposed to paint.). Ask at the store who are their local marquetry artists, they might be open to patching it for you.
There are many pieces of old antique furniture still around decorated with marquetry, using wood, ivory, mother of pearl. Table tops can be quite durable if hardwood is used.

Anything is repairable, with time and effort (or money). I think that your stock is a project with good potential.
 
"...a painstaking job with a magnifier..." That won't work. That stock has been cut, not stamped. Like can14 says, leave the carving alone. The wee crack on the side can be fixed with a needle style epoxy applicator and a clamp.
 
another vote for leaving it as is....I don't think those carvings qualify as true "bubba" handiwork....more history there than anything, unless it was done last week lol
 
IMHO, you can either carve it out into a dovetail and do an arsenal-type patch, or you can steam up the area as best as possible and then sand the area down as much as it can bear. Either way, it won't be as-new again.
 
I don't think it is Korean, their national flower has 5 petals. It could be Japanese, they have a lot of 8 petaled emblems based on the cherry blossom:

cribbed from the interweb :

The 8 petaled flower of the cherry tree was adopted by feudal Samurai because the flower is detached from the branch at the apogee of its beauty in order to die. It symbolizes a degree of maturity within the individual which is summarized by the expression, "Strong within, but gentle without."

In Eugen Herrigel's "Zen in the Art of Archery" (1953) it is said that "It is not for nothing that the Samurai have chosen for their truest symbol the fragile cherry blossom. Like a petal dropping in the morning sunlight and floating serenely to earth, so must the fearless detach himself from life, silent and inwardly unmoved."
 
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