stripping a Browning stock

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justinmch

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I plan on doing some modification to a BPS stock and want to strip it first and refinish it with oil after the modifications are done.

I've never done any of this stuff before, but have been told that the plastic-like finish on the Browning stocks are really difficult to remove.

Anyone know of any stripper that is up to the task?

Thanks in advance.
 
Did the same previously on a Perazzi ... i.e., stripped off the high gloss
'70's finish and converted to oil. I used Circa 1850 and "neutralized" it with alcohol before any further finish was applied. Quite happy with it. Plan to do the same on a BSS 20 ga, S x S this winter, and don't ecpect any difficulties.
 
Thanks for all the input guys. Doesn't sound like it will be too difficult to find the right stuff.

I'm curious (ignorant?) about the neutralizing with alcohol you talk about Beretta Boy. What exactly does that do? Also, how much alcohol?
 
Stripping finishes

It will help the strippers do their job if you work the finish over pretty good with 100 grit paper. You don't want to hit the wood with that grit as it will leave pretty deep scratches. Just the finish. You may have to do more than one application of the chemical stripper. Get a good cabinet/panel scraper to peel off as much finish as you can between coats of stripper.

I've just finisherd doing a European O/U shotgun that had a very tough finish. I used Circa 1850, a scraper and did it 4 times and it still left a bit of finish to be sanded off.

Just take your time to do it without removing any wood and the rest will follow.
 
I refinished a A-Bolt II that had too brittle a finish for a rifle.After trying 3M's Safe-t-Strip,I used Circa 1850.The 1850 worked much better and left the wood in fine shape.
 
A cabinet maker recommended using alcohol after the furniture stripper.
Furniture stripper is pretty caustic stuff, the alcohol helps to wash away any remaining trace of it and, additionally, helps raise the grain of the wood to further "dewisker" it ... dries much quicker than using water for the same purpose. ( If any trace of the dried stripper remained on the wood, it may well help lift any new finish you put over it !) After you've raised the grain and sanded, raised the grain and sanded ( with the alcohol, you don't need much, always sanding with the grain, using a soft rubber or felt block), working down progressively to 1200 grit, you get a VERY smooth finish to start your refinishing process.
 
The best way to get the globs of stripper off of the stock or any other project is to use wood chips.. sawdust, shavings from a wood lathe, coarse chips like you would get from a chain saw. Handfulls rubbed on the surface (use rubber gloves) will remove the stripper, get into the corners, it won't damage any checkering, it's easy to clean up, and best of all it burnishes the wood. Depending on the stripper (oil or waterbased) I then clean any residue remaining and let the stock dry. If you have raised the grain do as little sanding as possible, instead try fine steel wool, polishing with a nylon stocking, or rough clean burlap, all will smooth/burnish the stock without scratching or rounding over any detailed carvings or checkering. Its a great winter project have fun.
 
Steel wool is not the best for de-whiskering the wood--it tends to pull the wood fibers our and accentuate the pores. 320grit or 400 grit paper lightly applied is the better choice.

44Bore
 
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