Refinishing Wood Stock

[ilovepotatos]

Hey guys and girls. Just about to get to bed here, it's about 4:30 in the morning.

Anyways, I've decided to actually DO something with my week off this week. I'm going to try to finally get my russian capture's stock refinished.

When I get the shellac off, should I use pure acetone or BLO? The BLO supposedly might make it too dark? Anyone here agree with that? I personally think that's BS. But I heard someone suggest Acetone and I haven't heard anything about it until now.

I've got a flat buttplate, I've learned that buttplates weren't blued. I definitely know cupped plates weren't blued. Were flat buttplates unblued as well?

Finally, is it safe to put my stock in the dishwasher once I get the shellac off, to raise the bumps? The original finish will still be on the stock, would that get messed up at all if it goes through the dishwasher? I know I could use a wet towel and an iron to raise the bumps, but I'm worried about burning the wood accidentally, as my patience with these kinds of things is usually very low. I'm bad at these kinds of things because if I don't see results right away, I get impatient.

I tried Isopropyl alcohol to get the shellac off late last year. It barely phased the stock. I've learned now that fingernail polish remover works wonders. Since I've got a red glue stock, it SHOULDN'T be a problem to use that to get the shellac off the stock.

 

[Claven2]

Anyways, I've decided to actually DO something with my week off this week. I'm going to try to finally get my russian capture's stock refinished. Make sure you actually want to do this. If you do, your rifle won't be representative of a Russian Capture anymore. It will be just another mismatched K98k. Not meaning to preach, but just be aware that this is the case.

When I get the shellac off, should I use pure acetone or BLO? The BLO supposedly might make it too dark? Anyone here agree with that? I personally think that's BS. But I heard someone suggest Acetone and I haven't heard anything about it until now. ok, what are you doing with acetone? Shellac is removed with either isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits. Acetone won't remove shellac. It will bleed some stain out of wood, but if there's stain in your wood, it's not from the Russians but is part of the original German finish. Not all K98k's were finished blonde (most weren't). BLO will darken wood slightly. The original german finish was "buffed flax seed oil". Guess what? Linseed oil is made from flax seeds. On a K98k, if you use linseed, consider using raw linseed without driers as it will likely take better to densely laminated stocks. Acetone is NOT a finish. It's a finish remover.


I've got a flat buttplate, I've learned that buttplates weren't blued. I definitely know cupped plates weren't blued. Were flat buttplates unblued as well? I think you need better reference material. May I suggest Backbone of the Wehrmacht by Richard Law? Flat buttplates were left in the white, but were case hardened which imparts some rust resistance. Cupped buttplates could have been blued or white. It depends on the maker and the year of manufacture.


Finally, is it safe to put my stock in the dishwasher once I get the shellac off, to raise the bumps? The original finish will still be on the stock, would that get messed up at all if it goes through the dishwasher? I know I could use a wet towel and an iron to raise the bumps, but I'm worried about burning the wood accidentally, as my patience with these kinds of things is usually very low. I'm bad at these kinds of things because if I don't see results right away, I get impatient. Ignoring the wisdom of the dishwasher method in general (I'm NOT a fan), putting a laminated stock in the dishwasher will surely ruin it. Also, I doubt it would physically fit anyhow. The dishwasher will remove any original finish under the shellac and probably warp and start to delaminate a laminated stock. Wet towel and an iron will work on walnut or solid hardwood stocks. It won't generally work on a laminate as the layers are too thin and dense and impregnated with adhesive. Live with the stock's flaws - it's part of its history IMHO. Also, work on patience. Your milsurps will look 1000% better if you patiently conserve them instead of running to the finish line by taking shortcuts.


I tried Isopropyl alcohol to get the shellac off late last year. It barely phased the stock. I've learned now that fingernail polish remover works wonders. Since I've got a red glue stock, it SHOULDN'T be a problem to use that to get the shellac off the stock.Nail polish remover is... wait for it... acetone. And yes, it will affect red glue if left on for any amount of time. If Isopropyl alcohol wasn't working for you, you weren't using enough. Get a paintbrush and LIBERALLY brush it on. Then keep brushing the same spot over and over till the shellac melts. Next use a plastic scraper to carefully scrape the goo off while it's still wet.

Hope that helps!