Removing a Acraglas Stock finish?

[vintovka]

As title says i think this is what i have, Whats your guess? This one was a quick assembly of parts from at least 4 other rifles plus 2 Browning Mountain Barrels and, Griffith plugs/lock and new parts from the Hawken Shop decades ago. The finish looks very tough but scratches easily and looks plastic like, I have heard of acraglas as a finish but first i've encountered. Stained too dark for me and obscures the stripes. Would love to avoid any aggressive sanding.

 

[deerstalkert]

i did a browning BLR22 with that horrible finish on it. best I found was broken glass scraper. took 4 hours and was ready for oil.
I was 40 years younger though. don't think my hands could take it today.
maybe some citris strip?
one other may be straight old Lacquer thinner or Acetone. may end up final scraping it though to open the pores.
best of luck.
D.

 

[nhmoose]

Call Brownell's and ask for technical help. They may have good advice.

 

[vintovka]

Will make an attempt when i feel better. I will say this one (AKA "Frankencapper") fits me better and hefts nicer than all the other "hawkens" i have tried including both GPRs, The Sharon defarb and the customized 32" TC. Will prolly build a case for it and the second barrel (.45) and sell off the others. I do wonder who originally built it and why i wound up with just the stock. Theres a worn silver cheek piece inlay but it is unreadable. If it wern't for the glas finish it might pass for an original.

 

[deerstalkert]

many times those plastic finishes are basically just a shell, without a real bond to the wood. on that little browning , when i started with a scraper it came off in big chips. but that was Brownings own super finish. i had loaned it and the borrower had let it slide down a composition shingled roof. couldn't have ruined the finish better if he had dragged it behind his car down the 405 hiway.

 

[Norman Brooks]

Have you thought about scraping the finish off, just a thought. I have done that with a Turner Kirkland that the finish scratched easy. Then sand lightly with 320 grit sandpaper.

 

[Flintandsteel]

First of all, Acraglass is not a finish, it’s an epoxy for bedding. I would assume a hard varnish of some kind, like tru-oil, etc.
The only way to refinish it properly, is to take it down to bare wood, and start over. It’s a real pain.
A suggestion…… get a maroon scotchbrite pad, and a some Pumice powder, and gently rub it down. Should make it less shiny, and give a more hand rubbed appearance.
You can always refinish if that doesn’t work.

 

[vintovka]

It does seem soft and scratches pretty easy with as little as finger nail pressure. If i survive this cold i will have at it with a scraper and maybe the heat gun. The current stain and finish severely detract from its looks. I will also say the .45 barrel weight really changes its whole "feel" so it will remain an accessory for limited bench use. I am glad i did a quicky rebuild on the stock when i got it circa 1989. The cost of the parts are now a whopping 300-700% more right now (if you can find them). Sadly I can not recommend this type of restoration/salvage to newbies anymore.

 

[vintovka]

First of all, Acraglass is not a finish, it’s an epoxy for bedding. I would assume a hard varnish of some kind, like tru-oil, etc.
The only way to refinish it properly, is to take it down to bare wood, and start over. It’s a real pain.
A suggestion…… get a maroon scotchbrite pad, and a some Pumice powder, and gently rub it down. Should make it less shiny, and give a more hand rubbed appearance.
You can always refinish if that doesn’t work.

May try this first. Wonder if tru'oil would work after.

 

[ZUG]

Do what Flintand steel says - it is easy and most likely give you the results you will be happy with. I like 4/0 steel wool rubbed LIGHTLY over the entire surface and if this does not work well then rub a LITTLE harder until the sheen is removed then apply a coat of good wax.

 

[springfield art]

As title says i think this is what i have, Whats your guess? This one was a quick assembly of parts from at least 4 other rifles plus 2 Browning Mountain Barrels and, Griffith plugs/lock and new parts from the Hawken Shop decades ago. The finish looks very tough but scratches easily and looks plastic like, I have heard of acraglas as a finish but first i've encountered. Stained too dark for me and obscures the stripes. Would love to avoid any aggressive sanding.

I've used that Orange spray can finish remover several times on those "poly" finishes; you need to do it couple of times, don't soak wood in water as it will swell. Just wipe off after it crinkles up and use plastic or wood instruments to scrape from crevices. Use glasses, gloves, mask; it's not a very unpleasant spray which is why they say you can use indoors. Can't recall the name, but it's in an orange/blue can I think; any hdwe. has it or paint dep't.

 

[rich pierce]

Fire. Joking of course. Scraping is a good bet but there will be perceptible wood loss. Heat gun as you suggested may help. You now say it’s soft so acraglas seems unlikely.

 

[vintovka]

I couldn't resist, snuck out to the shop and give it a careful little scrape with a razors edge. IMHO it is brittle, very thick and has many runs and globs from less than careful application. The scrapings show lots of dark brown color was mixed in the glass before it was slopped on. Will still try usual mix of strippers but think the blade may be best. FWIW whoever glassed it did inside and out, Will leave inside alone.

 

[waksupi]

Sherwin Williams has Boat and Aircraft Stripper. It takes off a Weatherby finish, should work for you.

 

[vintovka]

Sherwin Williams has Boat and Aircraft Stripper. It takes off a Weatherby finish, should work for you.

Will try a combination of scraping and this. On close inspection the globs and runs are pretty thick and scrape off easily. Orig builder musta used 2 boxes of glas to due all this. Reminds me on what an Elk Hunter wanted on his .58.

What concerns me is the wood to metal fit could be affected. Think i will keep most of the no easily removable metal like buttplate, toe plate, escutcheons nose and thimble in place to avoid damage during finish removal. Can always re polish and brown all the iron. Will also strip tang and triggerplate down and keep them in place as well. I pulled and replaced the escutcheons to release the captured wedges as they were in the way . May have the the silver presentation plate engraved and dated as this is pretty much it for this old man, This is the plan - health dependent.

 

[painter]

Stripper isn't real effective on fiberglass resin. At least in my experience

It might soften it some, but it won't remove it like paint.

 

[waksupi]

I kinda doubt it's Acraglas. Once set up, it's harder than woodpecker lips.

 

[vintovka]

I kinda doubt it's Acraglas. Once set up, it's harder than woodpecker lips.

Its same stuff barrel and tang are bedded in so doubt its anything else. FWIW i tried a dab of pure acetone, let it set till it almost evaporated -- might have well have been water. Still gonna try MEK,

 

[Scota@4570]

Sherwin Williams has Boat and Aircraft Stripper. It takes off a Weatherby finish, should work for you.

Bingo. The remover is nasty and noxious but it works.

You have a plastic bowling pin type finish. These were products like fullerplast and Glasscote. They are two part catalyzed industrial finishes. Amazing stuff, you can shoot a walnut stock with an air brush and completely fill the grain in one spray session. Weatherby and Remington used this stuff. IT is fast to do and tough.

One thing to try before you buy noxious stripper and invest time in a refinish project. Cut the finish back with abrasive. Try scochbrite (or steel wool) and automotive rubbing compound wetted with Windex. You can take the shine out and make a dull non-reflective finish. IF the color is in the finish, and it may well be, you will find as you rub it out thinner it will become less dark. If you cut too deep you will have to refinish or add other finish on top.

 

[tgfrench]

Probably mimwax polyurethane with a stain mixed in.