Tom-in-Pittsburgh
32 Cal
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- Apr 18, 2020
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I picked up an old T-C New Englander that needs a new finish. What do you folks recommend for finish removal? (winter project)
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Stripping a Buttstock Finish?
- Thread starter Tom-in-Pittsburgh
- Start date
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Citristrip is what I have used on TC's.
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I second Citristrip. When it has done all it can do, I then switch to acetone with a rag.
Another vote for Citristrip
LD
LD
Last couple of times I stripped a stock, I used a rasp, scraped it, then sanded it smooth. Chemical strippers are faster, but raise the grain and actually require more finish work, IMO.
Not familiar with T/C finishes, but if it's an oil or some other non-varnish or non-poly finish, you probably don't need the mess of a stripper. I've done same to old milsurps with acetone and Simple Green and hot water with Scotchbrite which takes off the outer finish and color leaving the wood and penetrated oil and color mostly intact with just a raised grain to knock down, then refinished with new stain if and as needed and then oil, shellac or whatever top finish as desired.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Does the citristrip get old finish out of the pores? I have one I'm planning to do soon and kinda wondered about it.
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I’ve used oven cleaner with success on milsurps, but wear gloves or 
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I have done several TCs, Citristrip on the first one and cheaper Kleen Strip on the second, both worked well. Plan on a couple of applications to get everything out of every nook and cranny, the stuff works better in warm weather, you can use Citristrip indoors, Kleen strip needs to be used well in a well-ventilated area. You can use a putty knife to scrap off the finish after the stripper works, after the second application I wash the stock very well with a water hose and a scrub brush.
First coat of Kleen-strip outside, it was around freezing so I had to put black plastic over the stock to heat up the stripper to get it to work.
Working
Stripped down to the smallest pore.
The comment about all of the sanding work involved if you strip a stock is incorrect, the grain of the two stocks I stripped was raised about the same amount as if I whiskered the stock which I do 4 or 5 times anyway and before I apply a grain sealer to the stock and sand the sealer back to bare wood 3 or 4 times before I apply the final finish.
Done, I go for a satin finish, I apply 5 or 6 coats of Tru-oil with a piece of scotch bright pad to cut the shine.
First coat of Kleen-strip outside, it was around freezing so I had to put black plastic over the stock to heat up the stripper to get it to work.
Working
Stripped down to the smallest pore.
The comment about all of the sanding work involved if you strip a stock is incorrect, the grain of the two stocks I stripped was raised about the same amount as if I whiskered the stock which I do 4 or 5 times anyway and before I apply a grain sealer to the stock and sand the sealer back to bare wood 3 or 4 times before I apply the final finish.
Done, I go for a satin finish, I apply 5 or 6 coats of Tru-oil with a piece of scotch bright pad to cut the shine.
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Most of the factory finish can be scraped off with a piece of broken glass. No gooey mess or fumes.
You actually prove my point. Not everyone whiskers a stock, nor is there a need to if not using a stripper, which then requires washing off.
There are a thousand ways to refinish a piece of wood, and pretty much they all work, with varying degrees of effort and resulting success. You don't know if you don't try.
But knocking the whiskers off a stock is much simpler than rasping and scraping away the rasping lines. And no rasp is going near a stock that I intend to refinish only.
When using citristrip, coat stock real good then place stock in a trashbag rolled up tight. Most of the time I leave stock over night because the TC finish can be tough.
Sand, whisker a few times, apply sealer, apply True Oil.
Nice job!!
Some of us like putting in the effort for a better overall finish, some want it quick and easy, both methods are just fine because the only one you need to please with your method is yourself.
