strippimg a stock

[62flint]

I have a fowler with a real nice piece of maple on it. The stock is finished with this modern looking stuff. Even has a run or two in it. 
I want to strip it down and refinish it in a traditional acid stain/oil base finish.
What is the best way to strip the stock? I don't mind getting a little rough with it because I am going to reshape the cheek piece and forestock some.
Thank you

[g.pennell]

I think I'd go with a good sharp cabinet scraper.  I've used them to remove modern "plastic" looking finishes from recently made rifle and shotgun stocks with very good results.  Beats the heck out of trying to sand through to clear wood...some of the epoxy finishes are pretty tough.  Depending on the look you're after, you can leave the stock with a nice scraped finish, or sand and whisker it after you're through the old finish/stain.

Greg

[James Rogers]

If you are going to be re-working the stock that much I would probably use cabinet scrapers as well.

As far as finish removers, I like Dad's Easy Spray.  I hear Citri-Strip (sp?) is good. For tough hard finishes, I like to create a loose "oven" type covering around the treated stock. Plastic scrapers and toothbrushes are my choice for removal.

Cheek piece on a fowling gun huh? Is this in the style of a Germanic type fowling gun?

[keweenaw]

I always use any standard methylene chloride based paint and varnish remover.  Smells bad, needs ventilation but it works, doesn't raise the grain or leave any residues in the wood.  I only scrape off stuff that the varnish remover won't cut and that is pretty much limited to the plastic finishes on 1970's vintage Remington stocks.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I agree with Snyder.  I want to pull the finish out of the pores of the wood, not cut it off the surface, and I may or may not wish to change the stock as scraping would most likely do.  I use a good paint remover, a stiff bristle brush and lots of water to flush.  Then a gentle scrape and a little fine sanding in tough spots, stain and refinish.

[willy]

Scrape is the easiest and fastest.
I use a single edge razor blade.
It's flexable enough that you don't have to worry about digging in with just a little care.
Sanding is the worse way to get a finnish off.
You will use a ton of sand paper and you also risk loseing the lines of the stock .

[Artificer]

Very much agree with the use of cabinet scrapers and/or single edged razor blades for the modern plastic finishes as nothing else will cut through those finishes very well.

However, if it is not a plastic finish and especially if even scraping may take off too much wood, I gave up using most commercial strippers years ago.  A lot of traditional finishes will come right off when rubbed with a rolled up pad of paper towels dipped in acetone and rubbed hard on the wood.  If the finish is really piled on and or the stock is really dirt/oil stained, I take a bronze "chore girl" kitchen scrubbing pad dipped in acetone and scrub the stock with that.  The Chore girl pads don't leave "hairs" that will come back to haunt you later on like steel wool or even some bronze wool will leave. 

Acetone also will leave the wood surface less disturbed than many chemical strippers, though you may wish to use very light scraping, fine sanding or boning to smooth the surface down.   

What I like about using acetone is that it is completely chemical neutral and you don't have to worry about leaving even trace amounts of chemical stripper in the wood pores.  You should wear kitchen rubber dishwashing gloves or something like that when using acetone though as the acetone will dry out the skin of your hands. 

Since the early 70's, I've used Easy Off, Dad's and about every commercial stripper made (including Certi Strip and many of the orange based cleaners).  I stopped using them about 8 years ago and have never looked back after finally figuring out to use acetone. 

[Longknife]

I use Lacquer thinner, about half the price of stripper and it works real good. Last gallon I got was about 18 bucks at Lowes. Use it just like stripper, wear rubber gloves, paint it on with a brush, keep it wet a few minutes and wipe the finish off with a rag soaked in LT. Do it out side and DO NOT SMOKE!!!!!! It evaporates readily and will not leave any residue to affect the finish....Ed

[Dphariss]

If its plastic you might need a epoxy stripper.
I used it on a Browning 1878 SS with good results.
Scrapping is OK but you may have problems later with staining. Also unless you understand stock shaping you can run into problems with changing the lines.
I would strip it with something that washes off with water.

Dan

[Dave K]

Like so many other people, I have an opinion and it works for me. I will only use strippers to remove old finishes. I am scared to death of sanding an old finish off as it is so easy to alter the wood. I am afraid if I scrape the old finish I will shear off the old finish with the wood pores and still have that old finish in the wood. But, when I use a stripper, I can lift the old finish and usually any stain that was used as well. Plus, I do not alter the shape of the wood at all. When done I wash the wood well, allow it to dry well and then start working toward a new finish. Another bonus is that usually any dents will get raised in this stripping and cleaning process as well. This works for me, but your mileage may vary.

[Artificer]

Personally, I use only very small amounts of lacquer thinner due the much higher toxology levels it has vs acetone. 

[The other DWS]

toxicity of strippers and solvents can be a real factor, some of those chemicals are really bad.
 
Do they really get the old finish and stain that has penetrated into the wood out?    I've tried to do some antique furniture refinishing in the past and some of those old stains and finishes can really go deep with age and an leave a blotchy look to attempts to refinish

[keweenaw]

Using a stripper isn't a one coat business.  Even with an aggressive methylene chloride based stripper, the wood gets at least three applications, the last after there is no noticeable finish on the surface of the wood.  One also needs to use steel wool or a chore girl to get the lifted finish off the wood and not just rubbed back down.  My use of strippers started and continues in my work on modern firearms where not only does one have the basic surface of the wood to deal with, one has checkering.  Needless to say, one doesn't scrape finish out of checkering and removing finish from checkering by recutting it without stripping is terrible as the old finish and gunk both clogs and dulls cutters.  Once the finish is off - and methylene chloride is highly volatile and will completely evaporate in a day - you still need to clean the surface of the wood with a very light sanding if you're going to use a penetrating stain or dye.

Tom

[Artificer]

Tom,

Good post.  This is why I prefer to use Acetone to strip stocks when I can.  You don't have to worry about it leaving traces of chemicals you have to clean out or neutralize later on. 
Gus

[Nate McKenzie]

I have used Homer Formby's Furniture  Refinisher with much success. Follow the directions and go over it two or three times. It doesn't raise the grain much at all.