Best way to restore waterlogged stock?

[sradelich]

Just returned from upstate NY, hometown of Windham in Greene County which is right in the heart of the post-Irene disaster area.

Dad's finished basement, like all others, was filled with water & mud right up to the first floor.

Brought home two of our deer rifles & I want to restore them for him. Not muzzle loaders but I know you guys can help advise on this... one is a Remington Model 725 that he purchased in 1960, after immigrating to the US when he escaped from communist Yugoslavia.

What's the best way to dry out the stocks (walnut) so that they shrink back to size. On each of them the buttstock is swollen a good 1/8" past the shoulder plate all the way around.

From research so far two options seem to be putting the stock in a plastic bag filled with kitty litter, or hanging it in in a tube with a 75 watt light bulb.

What other options are there & what's the best way to get the job done.

The metal isn't too bad, got the rust off & lost some of the bluing so I'm thinking of getting it reblacked before presenting it back to dad.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I would simply disassemble and allow to dry at normal room temps and humidity. If there are still swollen parts, and there very well may be, they can be rasped and sanded down to where they fit again. The metal parts would be my major concern. Thourough cleaning and oiling as quickly as possible is a must.
Last resort is to get it restocked.

 

[necchi]

Yup, I'd do as Rifleman.
Just dis-assemble as far as possible hang them by string or cord someplace where air can get at them from all around and wait a month.
I'd also expect there to be some shape changing going on which would require a full re-fitting, sanding and re-finish.
Not an impossible project, but not one to be done in just a week either.

 

[Bill Hall]

I agree as well. The hanging idea sounds good.

Probably best to adopt the attitude that this is going to be a complete re-do of the stock. You're not going to get away with a little sanding here, a little scraping there, spray a little finish on this spot..., just strip the wood down and start from square one. If you take your time and ask questions, it might even look better than its pre-flood condition. Good luck, Bill.

 

[ohio ramrod]

If you have an oven big enough with the proper temperature controls putting the wood in the oven set at 150 degrees will dry the wood nicely in a day or two. If you have to lay the pieces flat turn them over every two hours or so to prevent warping. Otherwise go with the hanging them and waiting.:idunno: :idunno:

 

[paulvallandigham]

First, Unless the stocks were submerged for more than a couple of weeks, the wood should not be that thoroughly soaked. After all there was a stock finish on the wood, and the wood had been dried before it was cut into a gunstock, and has dried even more since it the stock was made. If your father didn't finish the end grain and barrel/lock/trigger mortises -- which gun makers rarely do--- then there is a way to for the water to penetrate the wood. Remedy that situation when you refinish the stock.

I agree with Rifleman. Hang the stock in an air-conditioned,dry, warm room and let it air dry. Wipe mud, mildew, and any other crud off the wood to speed the drying, obviously, and try to remove all the metal or plastic parts that cover those unsealed mortises. That will aid in drying the wood.

I have dealt with stocks left in basements, and I simply strip the factory finish- a combination of paint, stain, and synthetic finish--- using Acetone, available from paint and hardware stores. Do this out of doors, and wear gloves, and a mask to protect you from inhaling the fumes. Keep the wind to your back as you work with this stuff.

I put the stock butt down in a shallow pan, and simply wash the stock, with a cheap foam "brush", with the Acetone, beginning at the top and going down to the butt. Usually, the finish just flows off- its the fastest stripping of any finish I know to use.

Once the stock is stripped rinse off the Acetone using tap water, dry the stock with paper towels, and hang it to dry for a couple of days. If you leave the remnants of the used Acetone in the pan, outdoors, the Acetone will evaporate. Then you can throw the pan away, or clean it with soap and water for re-use. I used an aluminum pie pan, I obtained with a store-bought pie, for the stock I am recalling, so simply threw it away.

Now you can remove remaining scratches, nicks, and gouges, then stain and finish the stock. In most cases, you will produce a stock that is a lot nicer looking than it was with the factory finish on it.

If a piece of wood has remained underwater for months or years, its usually too "punky" soft to save. Its the barrel and action that makes a gun. The stock is just something to use to hold onto the other parts. You can often find replacement factory stocks cheap at gunshows, and on the websites. I inventoried the guns and equipment of a gunsmith who was going through a nasty divorce and he had several boxes of factory stocks- not a scratch on them-- that he had removed when he re-stocked the guns for the owners. Most gunsmiths have the same kind of "collections". :grin:

For that reason, before you even think about refinishing and restoring this stock, you might ask your local area gunsmiths if they have a stock for his gun(s), and if so, what it would cost for you to buy it for the gun. :hmm: :idunno: :surrender: :thumbsup: You are probably going to have to have a gunsmith re-blue the rusted metal parts anyway, so what will it hurt to ask?

 

[BrownBear]

You have to be REALLY careful about drying it too fast, resulting not only in warping, but also surface cracking that spreads deeper. I had the chance to work with a pro restorer in a museum, and he started slow and stayed that way.

First step was to wrap the wood in paper towels, let it sit an hour, then change the towels and do it again for a couple of hours. Third time, do it 4 hours. Then let it sit overnight in a humid room to keep the surface from drying too fast, allowing internal moisture to migrate toward the surface. It'll happen because even though damp, the surface is still drier than below the surface. Next day wrap it in paper towels again for about 8 hours, then let it dry again in the humid room. Keep that cycle up for 4 or 5 days before moving it to an area that's really dry.

He was sharply anti-hanging before final movement into that dry room. He laid things flat, even weighted them here and there to reverse any warping that started in the slow-dry phase. He said drying too fast is the culprit, both for cracking and warping.

After it's dry as it's going to get, time to do your reshaping, then a finish with a really deep-penetrating oil to help stabilize the wood and limit future cracking. Can't remember what he used as a solvent, but he greatly thinned TruOil, like 10:1 for his first coat and really slopped it on and kept adding as long as the wood was willing to soak up more. Allow to dry thoroughly, then go on about your finishing business.

 

[Paul R]

Brownbear has given you the best advice, so far. As a professional furniture builder, I've had a good bit of experience drying wood. I hope you have good luck.
I restocked my dad's 725, because I am about 6" taller then he was. If you have to go the re-stocking route, PM me and I can give you some suggestions.

Paul

 

[Rifleman1776]

I put the stock butt down in a shallow pan

Yes, but use only a metal or ceramic type pan. Paper or plastic will dissolve with Acetone.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Of course. Thanks for the additional comment. You never know How little experience people have who read these forums. :surrender: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[sradelich]

REALLY appreciate all the comments and good advice guys. Stock is hanging & drying slowly but surely at the moment.