Removing dents

[hortonstn]

When driving in the last pin on a finished rifle I accidentally put a small ding in the stock
Any tricks to remove this? The stock is stained and sealed
What a bummer!,,,

[Bob McBride]

The only possibility I can think of is a few layers of a cotton T-shirt and an iron. Use lots of steam. Works on a bare stock. If you can steam heat the ding it might lift even sealed. If there’s any other way I’d love to learn of it.

[FDR]

Folded wet "T" shirt and a very hot soldering iron. The smaller soldering iron gives you more control over a small area.

Fred

[TommyG]

This is no help for your current dent, but when I drive pins in the finished stock I use a 4 " square of leather with a pin hole in the center and lay it over the started pin just in case I have an arthritic moment.

[sdilts]

A wet cleaning patch and soldering iron works great. You can be pretty precise with this. I've used this on more than one finished stock.

[Mike Brooks]

I encourage dents.

[hortonstn]

Thanks guys I think I'm with mike

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Make your pins about 1/16" too short.  Drive them in from the off side, and remove them from the lock side (right handed gun)  The short pins leave a hole into which you can safely put the tip of your pin punch without slipping off into the adjacent wood.  Always put the pins in from the left, and remove from the right.

[hanshi]

My guns seem to collect dents from exposure to air.  They do add character...or something similar.

Taylor, Why drive pins in the off side and pull out the lock side?  I've always done it just the opposite; no particular reason, just have.

[Daryl]

I always push the pins out the same side I put them in from, which is the right side.

I do prefer wedges & hooked breeches, like on my A. Verner rifle & 20 bore flinter by Hunkeler.

[Craig Wilcox]

I always push pins and wedges out the side away from the lock.  Dovetailed sights also.  Install them from that side, un-install them from that side.