Do I need to strip my stock to lift a dent?

C

C.308

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So i got a tiny little dent in my New CZ 455 LUX. Not a big deal but if I can fix it without causing more damage or having to strip the finish I will give it a try.

I am aware of the moisture/ heat methods but have yet to attempt.

My question is this,

Is it worth trying to lift this dent if I dont intend on refinishing the stock? Will I likely cause more damage to the finish with the water and steam? (We are talking about a dent that is about .5cm in diameter and less than 1mm deep.

I plan on using gentle heat and keeping it directly over the dent. Likely a warm soldering iron on a dimmer switch or other means of keeping the heat/ steam just on the dent as much as possible.

I can live with it, but this is the only gun I ever purchased that won me over with its looks, so I'd like her to stay pretty for as long as possible.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I've only ever done it to stripped wood furnature. I have seen a few videos on YT about it, last one was yesterday as a matter of fact. Guys alias was
Sasquatch something or other... I have a CZ 527 with a safe scratch like yours. Didn't even break through the finish.

He didn't strip the wood first, but I did see some clouding that faded quickly in the video. Longest he left the iron on the damp cloth was about 30 seconds, average time was about 15 seconds I think. It took him about 6-8 tries before he said it was good.

I'd test on something else first. I've seen so many old tables with white rings to think it's a no brainer.

Found the link again;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yumEnN5vXPg
 
Hmm. I almost didnt even see the dent. Might not be worth the risk of further damage. Maybe I'll wait for a bigger mishap and give it a try at that point hah.

Thanks for the help.
 
I believe the finish on you CZ is a mixture of Boiled Linseed Oil and Varnish. I have a bottle of Brownelles Linspeed that I use to cover such repairs you are attempting.

DON'T SAND the area. Use a Q tip to apply furniture stripper to the area. Next proceed as suggested in the video but only on the dented area. Make sure the Iron is at its highest heat setting. Make sure the rag is WET, NOT DAMP.

When you first place the iron on the cloth, rest it gently until the water heats up, then press it HARD against the cloth and wood. Hold it there for at least three minutes. The wood needs to heat up as well so it will absorb the water being forced into it as it expands. You may have to repeat the process. CZ stocks are usually very dry and stable but they aren't especially dense.

You don't have to wait for the area to dry. Usually the heat will cause the moisture to evaporate quickly.

Next, using a disposable latex glove, dip your finger into the finish material you want to apply. Don't be shy, rub a generous dollop over the area, including the area the finish WASN'T removed. The fresh BLO/Varnish mix will melt the original finish and blend in, as well as covering the raised dent area.

Let it dry. BLO/Varnish mix likes at least 24 hours in a well ventilated area to dry properly. You may have to smooth the refinished area with 1000 grit wet dry paper. If this is necessary, mix the BLO/Varnish with Turpentine in a 50/50 mix and apply a very thin coat over the area with your gloved finger. Wipe it in with wide sweeps. The thin mix will finish off with the same gloss as the rest of the stock.

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I couldnt resist so I carefully gave it a shot.

I taped off the surrounding area with masking tape followed by some thick foil tape. Using heat from an iron sparingly, I took my time applying heat to a wet cloth over the dented area. I poked 3 small holes in the finish to allow the steam to penetrate. I kept them as superficial as possible.

The dent mostly came out. The 3 holes became more visible as the stock dried. I lightly sanded the area with a 1500 grit/ 0000 combo to smooth them out a bit, and touched it up with some stain.

Im happy with it. Looks much better. Not perfect but I can live with it until I inevitably put a worse ding into it and have to refinish the whole stock. You can really only see where it was from certain angles. No big deal.

Thanks again.

And thanks, Bearhunter, for the detailed instructions. Funny, I havent checked in here since before i decided to try it. I have some furniture stripper too, and might have tried it that way had I seen your post in time!

View attachment 211025before
View attachment 211026during
View attachment 211027after
View attachment 211028after
 
That looks a lot better, I wouldn't try to fix it any more than you have. Sometimes a bit of BLO or Tung oil will help blend the finish in also.
 
Nice, good job. I just noticed you said ".5". Mines a 5" long scrape where the butt rubbed against a scope or charge handle. I'll fix it one day over the winter. Try the BLO and varnish mix.
 
Zen_Seeker said:
Nice, good job. I just noticed you said ".5". Mines a 5" long scrape where the butt rubbed against a scope or charge handle. I'll fix it one day over the winter. Try the BLO and varnish mix.
Click to expand...

Ouch! I like these little projects but not on a brand new rifle ha!

I Have some BLO and will add a little. I have finished 3 or 4 stocks with BLO, and I really like how it turns out. I find you get what you put in with it. With some patience and effort I have had some wonderful results.
 
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