A while back I replaced a Pachmayr white line disaster on a classic Mauser, with a London Guns red rubber pad from Brownells.

For those not familiar with this pad, it is ergonomically although not very attractively shaped to fit the curve of your shoulder. I want to get rid of the curve and round off the edges, as you see on 99% of red rubber pads on both custom and factory rifles. Being soft rubber, it tears like crazy when you try to shape it.

Any suggestions? How do the pros finish these pads and have them look like they were molded with that contour and smooth finish?

Todd

put it in the freezer overnight and then try shaping it.

While a lot of folks report good results from freezing the pad, it's never worked for me. I guess it's too far from my freezer to the belt sander. Plus, grinding creates enough heat that the pad thaws early into the grinding process.

What does work for me is to lubricate the pad while sanding it. Depending on the brand, I'll use either WD40 or water. Put a little on the pad and grind away.

I use a high speed 12" disk sander for shaping. It works very well on the soft natural rubber pads.

Thank you for the responses. I have tried the freezer idea, and found that any shaping generated enough heat to soften it very quickly.

A long time ago I remember a post from one of our stockmakers, Bill Soverns or Chic Worthing perhaps, that mentioned the use of vaseline or something like that - but, I have not been able to find it in past searches. Anyone remember that?

Spray the pad with WD40 and used 120 wet paper to shape it finish it down to 320 wet with WD40. Wash it with Simple green after.

Thank you! Will try it.

I use a corse paper at high speed and get a very smooth finish. you can boil the pad and shape it to a curved buttstock. I finish it by hand with different grades of sand paper.I inlet the top V and reshape the back of the top to round. I also round the toe of the pad. It is the best/easiest pad to cover with leather. I prefer the Silvers pad, but the London guns is a close second. I prefer the Silvers color.

What flays the rubber and makes the little tears is sanding by hand with the grain of the stock, but after the stock is finished or near finished you can carefully hit it very lightly with the sander if your adept at this, or just finish by wet sanding the rubber only until all tears are gone.