SKS Stock refinishing help.

Marilius

Marilius

CGN Regular
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Location
Edmonton
Oh wise and knowledgeable SKS owners of CGN, I beseech you. I have a 1954 Tula laminate SKS, and am refinishing the stock. According to the research I've done, they're all shellac finished. Since denatured alcohol is quite difficult to find, and I really don't feel like using acetone indoors (and its -37 outside, so that's out, too) I am sanding off the finish, to prep for stain and varnish. I have, I believe, almost finished sanding one side of the stock. I would sincerely appreciate help to know where I've sanded enough, where I have sanded too little, and where I've sanded too much. This is my first such project, and as much reading and Youtubing I've done to prepare, had to get in and just do it at some point. Please assist, as I'd really like to not have the stain come out uneven or splotchy since I didnt quite remove all the shellac in a particular spot. For the following pics, ignore the safety cut out, I know that isnt sanded all the way.

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Personally I wouldn't continue if you are unsure, this is something pictures won't help us see where more or less sanding is needed. I used heirloom furniture stripper on mine, waaaay easier than sanding - maybe give it a go?
 
From what I had read, just about the only things that'll take shellac off are denatured alcohol, which I can't find anywhere, or acetone, which I can't use indoors. Perhaps I shall look into that.
 
This is what I've used on my SKS and 2 mosins: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/heirloom-furniture-stripper-pure-946-ml-0495505p.html#.VMv3YXB4pql

Doesn't smell too bad so might be ok in the house. Just used it in the garage the other day around -10 and worked fine.

Im in the midst of making a "How To" video for for refinishing mosins, here are some screen grabs I pulled for you:

This is the stock 15mins after brushing the above stripper on


This is after one wipe with a shop towel


And how it looks after being wiped down with mineral spirits
 
Another vote for Circa 1850. Awesome stuff.

Ethanol is what you want to dissolve shellac. I bought a jug from Canadian Tire under the "Bio-Flame" brand of fireplace fuel. Circa 1850 is cheaper and more useful for most people, unless you like making shellac for woodworking projects. :)

Spend LOTS of time getting the oil out of the stock. Otherwise your finish may suck. Use a heat gun or some other heat source to heat up the wood and wipe off the stock. Keep at it until you think you're done and you can't get any more oil out. Wait a couple days, then do it again.

Prep is everything in woodworking. Every step you skip will show up in the end to remind you what not to do next time. :)
 
Somwhere is a thread on my 1954 Tula refinishing project. Yes, I also used Circa 1850 stripper gel... awesome stuff. I finished in multiple coats of Circa 1850 Tung oil. The key is TAKE YOUR TIME... let each coat of tung oil dry a full 24 hours without touching it. The stock turned out amazing... almost a 3-D effect on the grain.
 
TheWhole9Yards said:
Personally I wouldn't continue if you are unsure, this is something pictures won't help us see where more or less sanding is needed. I used heirloom furniture stripper on mine, waaaay easier than sanding - maybe give it a go?
Click to expand...

x2 should really not have to do much sanding at all.............if any
 
make sure you sweat all the cosmoline out.. put it in the oven (spec are on the net somewhere).. I did mine recently as well, and I didn't get it all out, the spots I missed take a long time to dry once it was varnished..
 
Just did one that turned out great with this stuff:
http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/i...ration/Strippers/1L-Safe-Strip-Wood-Stripper/
Worked well along with a plastic scraper/green scrubber, no fumes, cheap, rinses with water.

Did the oven thing too for cosmoline- 170f for 4hrs wrapped in newspaper got most of it out.

Sanding should really only be used for knocking down the grain prior to finishing. Very lightly.

Good luck!
 
Another vote for the 1850 stripper, worked good on my 53 tula. Not a laminate though, i just used some True-oil to refinish it, looks much better than the awful red finish it had.
 
Sanding alone will give you poor results as it won't get all the shellac out and will leave your finished job blotchy. If you use a good stripper like has been suggested you should only have to lightly sand of use a fine piece of steel wool. Just sanding will push the shellac into the grain of the wood.
 
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