Stock Refinishing Question
- Thread starter wasrupzuk
- Start date
Well the finish is stripped off and the spacers are intact - tape worked.
Lots of work to go.
More than a few dints to steam out, fix the checkering…but the biggest challenge will be to get the oil out of the wood.
Years of over oiling has seeped into the wood blackening it in places.
Challenge accepted, here’s hoping to a positive outcome.
Lots of work to go.
More than a few dints to steam out, fix the checkering…but the biggest challenge will be to get the oil out of the wood.
Years of over oiling has seeped into the wood blackening it in places.
Challenge accepted, here’s hoping to a positive outcome.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
If you are trying to get gun oils out of wood stock, about only attempts that I made was to slosh on acetone to penetrate wood and thin that oil - then sop it up with brown paper, newsprint or paper towel. Maybe there is better / easier way to do that - I would like to hear how to do. Maybe heat might make oil run, but I never tried that - as likely to warp the stock, I think? Many wood stocks that I fussed with, I do not think there was any finish at all on the inletting or barrel channel - just appears to be raw wood - able to soak in whatever gets slopped into there.
My USC tub just has wtr in it. (cold or hot)
All my cleaning, like others is done in separate containers, including freezer bags with cleaning fluids in them.
Soap or kerosene doesn't need venting as much as acetone. But should still be monitored.
Especially if the wtr is hot and you're adding a cooler cleaning solution.
For doing stocks in my 15lt tank, the freezer bag just has enough acetone to keep the stock covered , rotated a few times if it floating too much.
Small alligator clips support by wires keeps the bag suspended just out of the wtr.
Also my tank is on a small wheeled cart which is placed outside when I use it.
Even with hearing protection, I find it annoying while working in the shop.
All my cleaning, like others is done in separate containers, including freezer bags with cleaning fluids in them.
Soap or kerosene doesn't need venting as much as acetone. But should still be monitored.
Especially if the wtr is hot and you're adding a cooler cleaning solution.
For doing stocks in my 15lt tank, the freezer bag just has enough acetone to keep the stock covered , rotated a few times if it floating too much.
Small alligator clips support by wires keeps the bag suspended just out of the wtr.
Also my tank is on a small wheeled cart which is placed outside when I use it.
Even with hearing protection, I find it annoying while working in the shop.
I'm surprised you're getting away with the acetone/freezer bag combination
I guess it's ok for shorter term storage though, which was another surprise.
I always "assumed" the bags would be dissolved by acetone
This search result proves you're right about them.
Most plastic freezer bags are made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is generally resistant to acetone.
However, prolonged exposure to acetone can still cause softening or weakening of the plastic.
I guess it's ok for shorter term storage though, which was another surprise.
I always "assumed" the bags would be dissolved by acetone
This search result proves you're right about them.
Most plastic freezer bags are made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is generally resistant to acetone.
However, prolonged exposure to acetone can still cause softening or weakening of the plastic.
I’d also be interested to hear more about steaming out dents, is there a thread on this forum or elsewhere discussing the process?
Wondering how that goes, for example does stock always have to come off gun?
Someone told me once about soaking a stock in a bath tub for a couple weeks (or something, foggy memory on actual amount of time) to lift dents. This sounded a bit crazy though imo as wouldn’t it welcome warpage, and if stock previously ‘bent’ as potentially on a vintage shotgun I wonder the prolonged water exposure wouldn’t reset the alignment??
Don’t want to derail the thread! Just wondering??
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I have "steamed out" a few dents in gun stocks - is my practice to first remove metal, then strip the finish - try to get down to raw wood - many black marks go away at that stage, but occasionally is dent that is still there - will not work for "gouge" where fibres have been removed - just "dent" where fibres have been compressed. I take sopping wet with water dish cloth - lay on wood over dent, then apply a hot clothes iron - seems that steam and heat will plump up the fibres and dent mostly disappears - I do not think I have had any completely disappear - almost always needs a final touch up with sandpaper, with scraper or whatever.
Some time ago, I looked into the idea of using hot oil to straighten a warped long stock - sounds like the old school British thing is really about warming up the lignin in the wood that "glues" the wood fibres together - an entirely different process than getting moisture into wood fibres - I think you can find Brownells video on line - old dude Jack Rowe shows old school way to "bend" a shotgun stock - cotton cloth, linseed oil and flame - much fires occur - have to get that heat deep into the wood - is not a "work on surface" thing like steaming typically is.
Some time ago, I looked into the idea of using hot oil to straighten a warped long stock - sounds like the old school British thing is really about warming up the lignin in the wood that "glues" the wood fibres together - an entirely different process than getting moisture into wood fibres - I think you can find Brownells video on line - old dude Jack Rowe shows old school way to "bend" a shotgun stock - cotton cloth, linseed oil and flame - much fires occur - have to get that heat deep into the wood - is not a "work on surface" thing like steaming typically is.
