GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => The Shop => : thebookdoc December 22, 2009, 05:24:36 AM
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I have a rifle whose stock has some pressure marks. I was thinking I might strip, sand and refinish. It does have some checkering, so I won't be able to flat-sand the whole stock. The deepest the pressure dings get is about a 16th.
Is sanding/refinishing ill-advised because I have to work around the checkering?
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have you tried to raise the indent yet? i would try that before a complete strip and refinish
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Didn't even think that was possible...You mean something like this:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2062786_remove-dent-from-wood.html
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yup but try with just a damp cloth and an iron without saniding depending on the finsh that is already on the gun it may raise up enough to where you do not want to mess with redoing the whole stock,and do not get it to hot or you will scorch it and end up having to refinish anyway
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Steaming stocks will only work if it's bare wood IIRC.
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"Steaming stocks will only work if it's bare wood IIRC ..."
Not always.
One of the years I worked in a museum was working side by side with a funiture refinisher. I've seen him steam dents out alot .. and with the finish still on.
First time I saw him do it, I said about the same thing to him. His reply was that if you could look at the surface under a microscope, you'd see that the finish is all broken up in the dent. It's slow, and can sometimes stain certain woods like white oak, but it does work.
He used a tea kettle on an electric burner and proped up a rubber tube jammed in the spout so it pointed right at the dent and about a half inch away. He'd leave it like that for an hour or so checking occationally, then let it dry out overnight. Next day the dent would be gone. When it was compleatly dry, he'd then lightly wet sand with 600 grit, wipe it down, and go over it with padding laqueur.
Paul.
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This has all been very helpful! Thanks for the clinic in dent mending. I think I have a good idea of what to try, and if it doesn't work without sanding first, I can always try it later.
Glad I asked!
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one more tip if it does not work without sanding, take a small needle and poke the dent just into the wood to allow the moisture to penetrate enough to swell the wood.
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Good 'point' Trek.
Paul.