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tbarnes66

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After getting in the white, I was test firing my new rifle and a very large bumblebee caused a moment of distraction and it fell off my shooting bench and now I have my first nick. After sanding, it's more noticeable than I had hoped. Is there a fix? I really don't want to sand down far enough to solve the problem. Thanks
Nick.jpg
 
If it is a compression, you can soak the immediate area in water. Then take some aluminum foil and place it over the dent. Now take a hot soldering gun and slowly rub it over the area to raise the compression. It may take several attempts. But works great.
 
Cut a small piece of sponge approximately the size of the ding. Prop or clamp the gun in a position that the sponge will lay on top of the ding.

Wet the sponge and lay it on the ding. The moisture will cause the area to swell. Some times it will pull all of the ding out. Sometimes the treatment will need to be repeated a few times to get the desired effect and sometimes it doesn't always get it all out, but at least it will lessen it's effect!

Palepainter, posted while I was typing, basically its the same process he is just adding heat to help the dent rise. Be careful not to burn the area with the heat!
 
Yer rifle got a beauty mark? :shocked2:
Heavens to Besty. That's the first time in history. :wink:
I know you are upset. Just follow the advice given so far. If the mark remains just finish the rifle and carry on. It is part of the story and history of that rifle. And, I guarantee, it won't be the last beauty mark it will get.
 
Just wait till you get it all finished and then knock it over and step on it in your driveway :redface: :redface: :redface: I almost cried.
 
Same as above but I use old white cotton t-shirts saturated with water and folded like you would do a handkerchief. Place it over the wounded wood then apply the tip of the steam iron.

Now this only works on a compression dent and it looks like you have some broken wood fibers there. Steam it and raise it as much as possible and them sand. If anything you won't have to take as much wood off. As Rifleman said, you will have a beauty mark.

If you haven't done it before you can always make this the first gun you try aging techiniques on.

My question is, why did you take the risk of firing the gun in-the-white? I try to resist the temptation to do this.

I know a lot of guys do it but if you get powder residue on it while shooting or cleaning it can get into the wood and then you have another problem. Oil transfer is another problem, whether it be from your hands during shooting or cleaning it will inhibit the woods ability to take stain.

Apparently it can be done but the care I would have to take and the risk vs. reward prevent me from doing so.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
I thought, maybe incorrectly, that it was SOP to test fire in the white. I understand what you're saying about powder residue, but it seems that if there is a mechanical concern, it's better to know about it before finnishing.

Anyway, I'll try the suggestions and post another picture with the outcome. And while I have been hunting for 41 years, this is the first time I have ever dinged up a rifle. I also have some ocean view property............
 
I do like j.d. said with a wet cotton cloth and an iron...............watch yer top knot................
 
jdkerstetter said:
My question is, why did you take the risk of firing the gun in-the-white? I try to resist the temptation to do this.

I know a lot of guys do it but if you get powder residue on it while shooting or cleaning it can get into the wood and then you have another problem. Oil transfer is another problem, whether it be from your hands during shooting or cleaning it will inhibit the woods ability to take stain.

Apparently it can be done but the care I would have to take and the risk vs. reward prevent me from doing so.

Enjoy, J.D.

Actually its a pretty good idea even with the chances of a mess up for a fowling piece if you want it to shoot where you look. The stock places your eye as a rear sight and it needs adjusting.
Best option is to put on a finish that can be done over when you have to rasped on the stock for fit
 
A wet cloth and a hot iron is the easiest way to remove a ding. It will pop right up.
 
tbarnes66 said:
I thought, maybe incorrectly, that it was SOP to test fire in the white. I understand what you're saying about powder residue, but it seems that if there is a mechanical concern, it's better to know about it before finnishing.....

I proof barrels outside the gun. Tie it to a tire and use a fuse.
 
Rich Pierce said:
tbarnes66 said:
I thought, maybe incorrectly, that it was SOP to test fire in the white. I understand what you're saying about powder residue, but it seems that if there is a mechanical concern, it's better to know about it before finnishing.....

I proof barrels outside the gun. Tie it to a tire and use a fuse.
Best advice yet Rich.

As far as mechanical issues, dry firing is the answer. You should know whether or not your lock and triggers work together long before the gun leaves the bench, long before final shaping. You don't need to load the gun to know this.

Capt. Jas. raises a good point about firing a fowler to adjust final fit....and a good solution in applying a finish that you can repair if necessary. :wink:

Apparently a lot of guys shoot white guns though. I just try to avoid it.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
A small piece of dampened sponge got most of it, then I placed a folded dampened cotton swab on it and heated it with a soldering iron. It's pretty much gone before I even started sanding. I would have never thought to do that. Thanks all for the help.
Nick.jpg

AfterNick.jpg
 
I know this is an old thread but I have a question about this process of removing dents because I have never tried it. I have a T/C Hawken that I purchased new and had to send it in to have some work done at T/C. When I got the rifle back the work that I sent it in for was completed beautifully but the rifle now has dents in the stock. (2 near the nose cap and 1 near the toe)These dents appear to be from improper packaging for shipment on T/C's part.It appears the barrel banged around in the box enough to cause these dents on the stock. I decided not to send it back to T/C again for fear that it will take forever to get it back like it did the first time and who knows what kind of condition it would be in when it finally arrived ? I think we all know that T/C's CS is not what it used to be!! Anyway hunting season is close so I decided to just live with the dinged up stock so I can get sighted in by hunting season and learn from it. Reading this thread got me wondering if this procedure may help me out. My questions are : Does this work on a stock that is finished or does the finish prevent the moisture from getting into the wood ? If this does work on finished stocks,will this application of moisture & heat discolor the finish in the applied area or cause any otheer type of damage that could potentially look worse than the dings ? I am fully aware that a hunting rifle is going to get dinged up with use and I am comfortable with that but I would prefer,if possible,to be the cause of my own dings and have a story to go with each one rather than to start out this way. LOL!! Thanks in advance!!
 
The dented wood will probably respond but the heat and steam from the process may discolor or cloud the finish on your gun.

By "cloud" I'm referring to the transparent look of the oil finish changing to a translucent gray color.

Because of this possibility although I've used the steam/hot iron method many times on a raw stock I haven't done it on a finished stock.
 
Does anybody know what finish T/C uses over their stain? I suspect it is the same spray on finish they use on their CF guns. If that is the case it will surely cloud as Zonie indicates and will be problematic to fix.

If it were a rubbed in oil finish it would not be difficult to sand down, use the steam iron method and then repair.

Being an unknown finish complicates things.

Good Luck, J.D.
 
Thanks for the help guys!! Think I'll just let 'er be. After all,it is gonna be a "meat stick".
 
FWIW... I've used this process on a linseed oil finished stock using a damp cloth & iron. It didn't harm the finish at all.
 
On those oil finishes you are generally OK. It's those synthetic finishes that tend to cloud. They are basically a clear plastic when cured and will react like it. You see it commonly on modern CF's that have those thick shiney finishes so popular a few years ago.

Back in the day they were able to bend the wrist on shotgun stocks by wrapping them in swalding wet rags for a time with no ill effects to the finish. Leaded boiled oil finishes.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
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