Refinishing over Chromium Trioxide

A friend has ask me to re-finish his Hawken Rifle. The stain is chromium trioxide with linseed oil finish. I plan on re-finishing with aquafortis and oil finish. Is there any way to lighten or bleach out this CTriox? I have already used acetone on the stock.

When I refinish any stock, I remove all of the old finish. Then start again on unfinished wood. Some old finishes can be a bear to remove, but strip ease usually does the job in one or two applications and a good going over with heavy duty scrungy pads, followed with 0000steel wool.

If the chromium trioxide is left on the stock it will eventually take on a green tint over time with exposure to the sun.

Oh, I know that ever so well. CTriox. stains so deep in some spots that you cannot sand it out. I was hoping for the impossible which would be something to draw it out or bleach it out. Something! Guess I was hoping for an expert chemist here.

A quick Google search says that chromium trioxide can be neutralized with baking soda. Try removing as much as you can and rubbing a baking soda solution into the wood. Let it sit a while and clean off the residue. Maybe you could stain over it after that.

I used to buy a product called ‘Parke Wood Bleach’. It was a bottle of industrial strength bleach that really removed old finishes and a bottle of industrial strength peroxide to remove/neutralise the bleach afterwards. Worked really well for me. But Lowes’ quit carryin’ it & haven’t been able to locate an online source for it.

EC, I neutralize the acid back when I built the rifle in 1974-75. At that time when GreenRiver Rifle Works started, I purchased a barrel from them. That was one straight-shooting gun and it has downed more deer than I can count. After I had it a couple of years, I sold it to my friend and had not heard of CTriox turning green. Over the years I saw that gun turn greener and greener. I hated the way it looked, so in a weaker moment, I told him I would refinish if he would pay for the stain and browning solution. Before this is done I might be re-stocking it for him.

If it kept turning green, it must still be working. The chromic acid is still in the wood fibers somewhere. A good sanding and some dark stain may be all that can fix it. Quien sabe!!

I have been at it. I think you're right. The green is sticky and clogs the sandpaper. Sand a bit and use acetone on it and repeat the process Just hope the stain will take on the little bit of deep old stain that will be left.

cannonball1 said:

I have been at it. I think you're right. The green is sticky and clogs the sandpaper. Sand a bit and use acetone on it and repeat the process Just hope the stain will take on the little bit of deep old stain that will be left.

Click to expand...

If it turned the stock greener with age, the chromium was still working. Since it is an acid, a weak base like Baking Soda solution will neutralize it now that you have gotten the top layer/s of finish off of it by using the Acetone. So I strongly recommend you do that and then wash the stock down with clean water and that should take care of the problem. Then use the Aectone again to dry it and let it hang inside or outside in the shade to dry.

Gus