The factory walnut stock on my my Model 70 is pretty good-looking, although it is nothing extraordinary. However, it has two or three very deep dings in the forend, which would have to be removed by sanding and reshaping. I assume this would mean having to strip the factory finish (polyurethane? epoxy?) off of the whole stock, including the checkered part of the stock, and then sanding the forend, and then refinishing. I assume that the wood is stained, and that after sanding I will not be able to match the old stain, which would mean having to sand the rest of the stock and restain it. This sounds like a huge project. If you have refinished stocks, I would appreciate your advice about whether this would be worth trying, or whether the project would be so time-consuming that I should just chuck the old stock and pay about $300 (gulp) for a comparable new replacement stock.

try this: Wet the area with the dents using plain water and keep it wet for a couple days.

Using a heavy damp cloth to cover the dents, apply a hot iron to the cloth to steam the dents to cause them to swell. With luck you will cause the fibers to return to normal and all you need to do is to sand lightly with 150 grit and use a little tru oil applied with your fingers to touch up.

Vapodog: I think these particular dents are too deep to be steamed out.

Some dense hardwoods will not respond well to steam most factory ones will though. Unless the dent has severed the grain or cut into the stock, you would be surprised what can be steamed out. Scrape off the finish material with a razor blade, where its dented in take the finish off and slightly around the area but not too much. With a damp rag and large soldering iron go at it ( sometines the tip of a clothes iron at the highest heat setting will work ). You should see the wood take on the water so you know you have the finish off. The wood will not swell as much where you left the finish on. You don't want to have to sand soo much you end up with and odd shaped stock or divet. You can touch up with polyurethane clear and a lint free rag. If its going to require complete refinishing, I wouldn't waste my time with that wood unless I could get the stock to fit the shooter properly. I hate refinishing wood. I have trouble getting a nice finish on wood due mostly to my lack of patience with it and my preferance for composite. I admire the master craftsman who can shape, fit and finely finish wood stocks.

Thanks, guys; your comments were most helpful.

I have had very good luck taking the finish off an A-Bolt and a Parker-Hale with common stripper.I dyed my Winchester M-70 with analine dye.I then wetsanded in a tung oil finish (sealer)steppng up ,320,400,600, 800grit wet-dry.You sand then wipe across the grain,you do that evernight (15min)til you have finish then step down a grit.My last was hi-luster tung oil.I did have to repoint the checkering. I get most of my supplies here http://www.leevalley.com/home/main.asp?SID=&ccurrency= There are better finishing methods,but that's a quick and very easy.

Just want to give a "heads up" on analine dyes. When in the liquid form, they are known carcinogens. The bad stuff is absorbed thru skin. Use protective gloves, plenty of ventilation. I once did a seminar for the ACGG and had the help of an MD re stock finishes. Look out for Tolune, xylene, etc. Some are allergic to tung oil.

You want to try to do the rework job without reshaping the stock by over sanding if possible. Get some paint remover and use it to get as much of the old finish off as possible. Then use sandpaper.

Try to select a stain that is just a wee bit darker than the old stain.

Ive removed some considerable dings on some old stocks, but if the wood is "torn" or "cut" the iorn method wont work. It is certianly worth trying if you aren sure.

One last thing, be prepared to take the recoil pad or butt plate down a bit in size, before refinishing but after you are done sanding, to make it fit again.

Refinishing an old stock is really rather easy if you do it right, and like Chic says, lifes too short to hunt with an ugly gun.

[ 11-02-2003, 03:55: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

BigBrass,

Since you are in California, some varnish removers may not be available to you. The one I like the best is called "Dad's" and it will remove surface varnish and stain from both the smooth and checkered surfaces.

You have some good advice on the dents. You should give steaming a few trys before sanding and reshaping.

As to removing part of the stain and trying to match the old, I would reccomend you strip all the stain and lightly re sand. Matching old stain finishs accurately is very difficult. Stain the gunstock all at once and resign yourself that it will not look like a well aged gun, but a newly stained one.

I would suggest that you practice staining in unexposed areas until you acheive a color you are satisfied with.

You can find good stains at any hardware store. You can also order from here, if you like:

http://www.woodfinishingsupplies.com/default.htm

Good luck,

Dave

I did a Browning rifle for a friend and used a spray on stripper from Lowes but can't recall the name. I kept it wet and went over the stock 3-4 times with 0000 steel wool over the course of a couple of hours. I used a wood filler with a little light brown dye in it, then stained the stock with medium walnut. I used Tru oil hand rubbed 5 or 6 coats with steel wool between each coat then wax with steel wool for the final polish. The whole thing took about 2 weeks working at night and letting everything dry for 24 hours between coats and it came out looking great. Even though I know the areas I used filler I can barely find them.

I just removed the finish from a beat-up stock using a spray on stripper from Serwin Williams paint store. It is very gentle on the wood and very fast. I removed the action, taped the buttpad, removed the grip and taped the forend. Spray it on all over, wait twenty minutes and spray on a second coat. Wearing rubber gloves and using lots of rags I wiped off the finish ten minutes later. I then repeated where the finish was still a little tough and used a toothbrush (wear a facemask) to remove the finish from the checkering.
I let it sit overnight and in the morning did my sanding and repointing of the checkering. Very easy.
Caution. It will melt anything plastic. I forgot the grip cap and it will now have to be replaced.
I would have done it anyway.
Goodd luck,
Frank

[ 11-02-2003, 19:32: Message edited by: Frank Martinez ]