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Stock clean up
- Thread starter DanRum
- Start date
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kansas_volunteer
45 Cal.
I like to "wash" stocks with methyl alcohol using 4-aught steel wool. Bronze wool might be better. That will take off any common surface oil or varnish without altering the underlying condition or color of the stock. Then fresh oil, varnish or even beeswax can be reapplied. If the scratches go deeper than the surface finish then you're stuck with them unless you want to start sanding, I guess.
I just finished a TC Renegade build out of random parts and a stock that looked like it had been used as a baseball bat for hitting rocks. It actually had some of what looked like hatchet cuts on the buttstock that cut into the steel butt plate.
Not to be discouraged (I got it real cheaply) I hit it up with citrus furniture stripper first and scraped what looked like some kind of plastic gunk factory finish off the whole thing.
Next I attacked the dents with thrift shop iron and a wet wash cloth, surprisingly most of them steamed right out. I even got a partial correction on the hatchet cuts but still had a few places to fill with super glue and sawdust.
I then sanded and sanded and sanded some more, until my baseball bat stock looked like a new one.
I finished my stock with 5 coats of Chambers oil finish, it came out better than new.
I guess the bottom line is how deeply do you want to go to clean up the stock.
I suspect a little steaming, light sanding and a couple of light coats of finish will do the trick.
One thing about the Chamber's finish is it is compatible with just about any finish and blends well as a top coat.
Not to be discouraged (I got it real cheaply) I hit it up with citrus furniture stripper first and scraped what looked like some kind of plastic gunk factory finish off the whole thing.
Next I attacked the dents with thrift shop iron and a wet wash cloth, surprisingly most of them steamed right out. I even got a partial correction on the hatchet cuts but still had a few places to fill with super glue and sawdust.
I then sanded and sanded and sanded some more, until my baseball bat stock looked like a new one.
I finished my stock with 5 coats of Chambers oil finish, it came out better than new.
I guess the bottom line is how deeply do you want to go to clean up the stock.
I suspect a little steaming, light sanding and a couple of light coats of finish will do the trick.
One thing about the Chamber's finish is it is compatible with just about any finish and blends well as a top coat.
Soap and water works just fine. Just do not allow to stay wet very long. Many museums clean fine antique furniture this way.
