Author Topic: stock stripping  (Read 1454 times)

Offline varsity07840

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stock stripping
« on: September 24, 2023, 10:19:19 PM »
I'm ready to bite the bullet and refinish the stock on a  Pedersoli suppository rifle with a rather blond European walnut stock. It's a great shooter but the color has always annoyed me. Here's my concern. The rifle has excellent wood to metal fit.  Am I running too much of a risk of taking the wood down below metal in the stripping process? The butt plate, for example has a case color finish so there's no correcting a problem in that area.

Offline varsity07840

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2023, 04:02:05 AM »
I guess I should have left out the Prep.H  My bad. Does the rest of the question bother you as well?


« Last Edit: September 25, 2023, 04:11:18 AM by varsity07840 »

Offline Frozen Run

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2023, 04:55:34 AM »
It's a great shooter

That's the end of the rainbow right there, I'd leave it alone.

Offline Hungry Horse

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2023, 06:02:25 AM »
 If they use the same finish procedure they use on their muzzleloaders you’re in for some tough going. I owned a Harpers Ferry with a finish on it that made the stock look like white pine, with a coat of clear varnish on it. But a bullet proof sealer was put on the wood before the finish that was almost impossible to remove. I also owned a Tryon with the same sealer on it. I finally got the finish off the Tryon with an aircraft paint stripper, and a lot of scrubbing with Scotchbrite.

Hungry Horse

Offline Dphariss

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2023, 06:25:52 AM »
If they use the same finish procedure they use on their muzzleloaders you’re in for some tough going. I owned a Harpers Ferry with a finish on it that made the stock look like white pine, with a coat of clear varnish on it. But a bullet proof sealer was put on the wood before the finish that was almost impossible to remove. I also owned a Tryon with the same sealer on it. I finally got the finish off the Tryon with an aircraft paint stripper, and a lot of scrubbing with Scotchbrite.

Hungry Horse
Sounds like a plastic or epoxy. Epoxy stripper might work unless you tried that too.. it works on some plastic finished “things”.
He who dares not offend cannot be honest. Thomas Paine

Offline varsity07840

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2023, 07:36:50 PM »
If they use the same finish procedure they use on their muzzleloaders you’re in for some tough going. I owned a Harpers Ferry with a finish on it that made the stock look like white pine, with a coat of clear varnish on it. But a bullet proof sealer was put on the wood before the finish that was almost impossible to remove. I also owned a Tryon with the same sealer on it. I finally got the finish off the Tryon with an aircraft paint stripper, and a lot of scrubbing with Scotchbrite.

Hungry Horse

Yeah, that's why I'm afraid I'd take off too much wood.

Thanks.

Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2023, 08:04:16 PM »
Might be easier and more satisfying to re-stock it.
D. Taylor Sapergia
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Art is not an object.  It is the excitement inspired by the object.

Offline varsity07840

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2023, 08:49:32 PM »
Might be easier and more satisfying to re-stock it.

True enough, but my skill level in a scratch build would not give it the quality it deserves. And, Treebone wants more than I paid for the rifle to do a 90% inlet duplication. I find that to be outrageous, but there it is.


Offline Daryl

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2023, 06:06:19 AM »
I once stripped and re-finished a Browning epoxy-plastic-finished stock. I used "Circa 1850 Paint Stripper" and it worked well.
Just be sure to wear protective gloves. It is a caustic solution. I wouldn't breath the vapours either. It worked. The owner wanted
a finish like the original, but done in oil. It took 6 months and 56 coats of True Oil, sanded down to the wood after each 5 coats, plus
the final 3 ultra thin coats plus the final polishing with a rough/oil mix. It looked brand new with all the normal HUGE pores filled perfectly.
TI charged the owner $600.00.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline kutter

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2023, 05:12:51 PM »
I usually scrape old finishes off of stocks to be refinished instead of toying with chem stripper soln that usually won't do much to the modern epoxy type toppings around.

A simple sharp knife blade (I use an old jack knife w/a approx 4" blade). Hold it at a near 90* angle to the wood with your thumb right behind the blade itself. That'll prevent any chattering and with a little practice you can strip the old finish off in curls most of the time. Right down to the fresh wood, No need to go any further.
Being careful and letting the grain and feel of the scraping tell you if you need to change direction, you can get a very smooth and even job done.
The concave portions clean out just as well with a bit of lighter handling of the blade and from different angles.

It takes me about 30 to 45 min to completely strip a butt stock of  SxS shotgun.
I just completed another one , one of those imports from the East with the very heavy color tinted epoxy finishes.

It's nice not having to deal with liquid strip soln's and then water rinse, discolorations, drying, etc.

Some light sanding and it's ready for my re-finish.

Offline bama

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2023, 07:27:03 PM »
Good sharp scrapers can remove this finish but its a lot of elbow grease to get it done. It shouldn't be to bad since there is no carving or the like.
Jim Parker

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Offline varsity07840

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2023, 07:39:42 PM »
It's a great shooter

That's the end of the rainbow right there, I'd leave it alone.

I TOOK YOUR ADVICE. IT STAYS AS IS. THANKS TO ALL FOR THE FEEDBACK.

Offline Frozen Run

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Re: stock stripping
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2023, 08:22:47 PM »
Glad I could help, enjoy the gun.