Dent and Ding Removal

[Squirrel pizza]

Hi All, if I get a ding in the stock I can't live with I use the same repair method every time. First I remove the finish at the offending sight with a chemical peeler like Zip Strip, trying to keep to a minimum by applying with a Q-tip or similar sized wand. Then steam with a wet rag and iron, poking ocationally with a poker/needle thingy. (Please excuse the use of technical terms), until the wood swells, let dry, sand if necessary,stain,seal, yada  yada. Does anyone know a better way? Something more efficient than the wife's clothes iron? Thanks, Mike

[FDR]

I use an electric soldering iron instead of the wife's iron. The smaller size lets me localize the heat to the ding.

Fred

[Squirrel pizza]

Seems like it would be hard to control and lead to burns.

[FDR]

I use the solder iron as a heat source and a wet cloth the same as you use with your wife's iron. The smaller tip of the solder iron let me concentrate the heat over the ding/wet patch. I use a high heat tip on the solder iron.

[Squirrel pizza]

It makes sense, just seems like it would be easy to mess something up.

[FDR]

As long as the rag remains wet you are only creating steam to expand the wood fiber. Several gun cleaning patches, stacked and saturated with water will raise most dents unless the wood fiber is broken.

[SR James]

Plus 1 for the soldering iron. You can control heat by limiting duration of contact and the number of layers of damp cloth. Don't let it dry out.

[draton2681]

Use a bottle cap between the iron and wet rag to centralize the heat over the dent. ( Metal of course, I can picture someone using a plastic cap and asking why it doesn't work).

[54ball]

 Honestly I don't mind dents and dings. To me honest dents and dings look wonderful on the stock when I "blacken" age them.  It's much much better looking than just a fresh dent or gouge that sticks out like a sore thumb IMHO.

 The only thing about your method that might be problematic is the finish removal. It may be fine on an oil finished stock but others...not so much. Too there is matching the stain which could be problematic as well. The bottom line is..... you can steam the dent without removing the finish. 

[Daryl]

The solder 'end' with the round copper disk is ideal for dent raising. They should be available at most GOOD hardware stores who well soldering irons and parts.

[kutter]

I've used an electric soldering gun(pistol grip type)  for the heat source for many years and never had a problem.
I wet the wood surface first where the dent(s) are to soften the fibers up. That seems to help.
Don't be stingy with the water on the cloth you are using to create the steam. The soldering gun generates temps far in excess of a steam iron, so it can make that water and  turn it  to steam  fast and lots of it.
I took one removeable  soldering point that was kind of worn and burned out for soldering and filed it clean, Then hard soldered a copper penney to it. That works nice for dent removal with the soldering gun as it has a larger area, but not too much that it doesn't heat up quickly.

It's still a chore to raise dents,,they don't all just pop right back out and some never restore all the way back out. But it's the best way I've ever found to begin getting the stock back into shape.

Sometimes you just leave things as they are and live with the honest wear they get as you use them.

[Mike Brooks]

Never seen a dent I didn't like.

[Dewster257]

I'm with Mike. I lament the tiniest blemish on any of my modern firearms, but I like the character little dents and scratches give my longrifle.

[David Rase]

Never seen a dent I didn't like.

That's why we are anxiously awaiting your rebuttal thread on dent and ding application. 
David

[bama]

On an oil finish you do not have to remove the finish before raising the dent. I use a torch to heat a piece of steel about 1"x2 1/2"x1/4"thick held in a pair of vice grips. I then place a wet cloth or paper towel over the dent and use the piece of steel as my heating iron to steam the stock and raise the dent. I was surpised the first time I did this that the finish was not affected. I lightly hit the finish with some 4/0 steel wool and reapplied a little oil and all is well.

I have never tried this on a hard finish but would be tempted to try it before removing the finish.

[Squirrel pizza]

Lol David! I'll give it a try. Seems I have many to choose from. Teach me to look at a shale hill and say
"I can do this".

[bobw]

I was in a class a while back with a guy that did furniture restoration.  He told me on a dent in wood, with finish applied, using a razor blade lightly cut through the finish in several place at the bottom of the dent.  Put water in the dent, let it soak in and then steam if required.  Never tried it myself...yet.  But it does go somewhat along the same lines as what Bama said.

[Squirrel pizza]

Makes sense to me. figured someone would have found a product like the uludium 236 explosive space modular that worked wonders on dings. If you are unfamiliar with the uludium 236 explosive space modular I'm sorry for you. A fine tool.

[Pete G.]

Makes sense to me. figured someone would have found a product like the uludium 236 explosive space modular that worked wonders on dings. If you are unfamiliar with the uludium 236 explosive space modular I'm sorry for you. A fine tool.

...or a judicious application of di-hydrogen oxide.