Tough ‘mud’-like stain removal?

[Flint62Smoothie]

Whilst my left-handed 50-cal 44”, B-weight flint longrifle is still at my custom builder’s place in-process, I decided I’d use my old Austin & Halleck 50-cal flint Mountain rifle for the upcoming late Winter flintlock-only deer season in PA this year.

I’ve always liked this flint rifle, browned barrel in roundball twist, as it also has a full caliber breech and none of that sub-caliber “patent breech” like the Lyman GPR or any of those Italian imports use. That said, it appears to have been a nice maple blank with some stripes in it, but hidden by a very dark almost ‘walnut’-like stain on it. So I decided to strip it, using citri strip, and refinish it.

The finish came off OK, but OMG the stain is on there like a permanent mud? So I’m now too far into it to turn back ... but does anyone know of a good stain stripping method other than mechanical removal like cabinets scrapers?

[SingleMalt]

I'd guess that if the stain is in the wood, mechanically stripping it may be your only option.  Since you've already removed the finish, scrape a small section with a single edge razor blade.  That'll tell you everything you need to know.

[L. Akers]

Try a bit of chlorine bleach on a spot that won't show too much to see if it will lighten the color.

[Black Hand]

There are wood-bleaching compounds that can be purchased. No idea if they will work for your application...

[Flint62Smoothie]

Thanks for the comments guys. Well good thing there was a football game on, as I got it 90% stripped using scrapers. Only problem areas will the typical spots w/ end grain features - like the end of the cheek piece.

But I’ll try that chlorine tip - thanks again!

[flehto]

Many years ago I stripped a modern stock of its varnish  and then used oxalic acid {wood bleach} to undo the stain. It was walnut and the oxalic acid even made the natural walnut color disappear. Came out really nice after restaining. ....Fred

[Hungry Horse]

My guess is it’s not the stain you are having troubles with. Many production guns have a muddy sealer applied to them before the shiny finish. Italian imports are notorious for this stuff. I owned a Tryon that had a beautiful piece of walnut for a stock, and a nice thick coat of this goop hiding most of it. The only stripper I could get to touch it was one used for stripping epoxies, or aircraft, finishes. I got the stripper from an automotive paint store.

  Hungry Horse

[Black Hand]

Some use acetone as the stripper - should dissolve (nearly) any finish but may not remove stain (as well as greases & oils). Use Acetone outside with solvent-resistant gloves, lots of paper towels and a good breeze to clear the fumes (or a solvent-rated respirator).

[Hungry Horse]

Acetone didn’t work for me on this stuff. It is some type of industrial sealer, that they combine with a colorant. The color will dissolve with acetone, but the sealer stops any new stain from penetrating the wood. I used an industrial epoxy stripper, and then sanded the stock with very fine sandpaper. This revealed any spots I missed because the sealer will polish to a shine, where the wood won’t. Depending on the density of the wood, the sealer may be mostly on the surface, or in softer wood quite deep for a finish. I had to redo a Navy Arms Harpers Ferry three times before I got it where spots of finish did’nt just rub off with a little handling.

  Hungry Horse