Removing dents

[himem777]

Anyone know of a way to remove dents in the stock, without sanding them out. I once read of a steam method, but I do not remember it.

 

[NJ Longbeard]

AN old carpenters trick ,if its bare wood sometimes you can spit on the dent and allow the wood fibers to swell. It works best on more porous woods and usually need to repeat the process several times to get the best result and then follow up with sanding. This is not miracle fix ,but you can get decent results hope this helps.... :thumbsup:

 

[Rogue River]

I've used a damp wash (terry cloth) cloth with a steam iron. I've only done it on an unfinished stock. Don't know if it will work with the finish on. Just lay the cloth on the stock and apply the iron for a few minutes and keep checking the dent. As long as the dent is not sharp the steam will usually remove it.

 

[wulf]

I have used a soldering iron to put the heat to
a specific spot with good success. On a damp
cloth,of course.

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu probably will have to remove the finish to take dents out of a finished stock. Use a very damp cloth over the wood, and then use a heat source- an iron, or soldering iron, or even a heat gun( for removing paint). It often takes multiple applications before you see the wood begin to lift.

Using steam to remove dents will almost always result in raising "whiskers" in the wood, which then must be taken off with a scraper. Then refinish the stock.

Most shooters leave the dinks, and scratches as a testament that the gun has been used, and well loved as a tool for hunting. Many hunters can tell you a story that goes with ever dent or dink or scratch to the stock and barrel. There is Nothing wrong with owning a gun that has dents and dinks in the stock or scratches on either the stock or metal parts. They do tell stories.

I do know men who have had guns for 20 or more years who decide to baby their favorite guns by refinishing them- both metal and wood. That is the time to take out the dents. :thumbsup:

I worked on the stock of an OLD, Well-used, Winch. Model 52 target gun my brother in law bought from the store at Ft. Leonard Wood, back when he was in the Army reserve in the 1960s. The base was selling off these old guns- bought for training soldiers back in the 1930s-- so that they could buy new guns that didn't have worn out barrels. Gene put parts together to make up the best rifle he could from the parts, and brought the wreck to me, after I married his sister. It had serious dents, scratches, as well as hundreds of shallow dinks in the wood, and the metal was almost devoid of its parkerized finish. I spent three days steaming Deep dents and scratches out of that stock- never sure just what kind of success I would ultimately attain. I was just stubborn, and kept at it, convinced I could win that battle with enough time. I did.

The stock I refinished and returned to him was so much better, and retained only a gray outline of a scratch near where the bolt handle notch was located, that my BIL hardly recognized the gun. It was another 20 years before I worked on a stock that was in even worse shape, and had an even greater satisfaction when I returned that gun to its owner.

I currently have another surplus rifle in m possession with a stock that is in terrible shape. I haven't decided whether to leave it "as is", or to refinish it. I'd rather leave it "as is", because refinishing the stock is not going to contribute much to increasing its value, while leaving it in its present condition lets me- and others who see it-- wonder what kind of tales it could tell if only it could talk. :wink: :hatsoff:

 

[buford87]

+1 on what rouge river said with the wash cloth and common steam iron . Be patient and a lot of the dent will come out...........watch yer top knot...............

 

[himem777]

Thanks I knew some one would know how. The gun is new and I am clumsy hence the need. :cursing: BTW its one of three I am working on 2 Hawkens and 1 long Gun.

 

[StewartLeach]

You're right, Paul, stock dings and metal scratches do tell stories. The really big one on the off side of my Renegade stock reminds me of the broken ankle sustained while dragging a doe muley down a snow and brush covered slope. Lucky I was only a couple hundred yards from the Jeep.

The ankle healed fine before the next season. The graunch mark- really a deep gouge from a rock- was sanded to remove the splinters and sealed with a couple of coats of Tru Oil. And now I'm old and wise enough to not drag a deer out by myself.

White Fox

 

[sutherland]

I've steamed dents out of a lot of stocks. As long as the wood fibers aren't cut or crushed, you'd be amazed at how well steaming will expand the wood to fill in the dents. Never sand a stock until AFTER the dents are steamed out. A plain old clothes iron will usually suffice for steaming. Just put a moist, thick rag, like a square of an old hand towel, on the dent and hold the iron on it until it quits steaming. Don't hold the iron on after the steam stops or you could scorch the wood. You may have to remoisten the piece of rag and steam the dent as many as twenty or more times to completely raise a dent. I've always planned on refinishing the stock after steaming out the dents. I've heard that dents can also be raised by laying wet blotter paper on them overnight (on bare wood). Hope this helps.

 

[hogslayer]

Try a ice cube which slow melts adding water to the spot before steaming,this works on dry untreated wood every time,worth a try.

 

[himem777]

Thanks for the post men. :thumbsup:

 

[juancho]

On the other hand, I just remember seeing a gun with some kind of simbol that was made by pressing it into the wood , and the stock sanded smooth.It was later steamed out of the stock.
It was a military gun from WW1 time period.
I have never seen that before or after :idunno:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Regimental marking stamps, along with inspector stamps were commonly found on Government produced firearm stocks up to WWII. Some people, in refinishing the stocks, would steam out the stamps, not realizing the historical significance and value of the stamps. This was commonly done in the 1950s, when everyone was " sporterizing" surplus guns that were being sold for very low prices. The guns were not considered worth much. No information was available to tell what the markings meant. So, owners got rid of them as "unsightly".

My own father did this with a Springfield Trapdoor .45-70 rifle he bought from some friend back in the early 1930s, during the depression, for $2.00, which included the socket bayonet and two boxes of military, semi-smokeless powder, 500 grain bullet ammunition, made by the "Union Metallic Cartridge" Corporation( UMC). Today, the cardboard box the ammo came in would bring many times more than what he paid for the gun. Who knew? :idunno: :surrender: :hmm: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: When Dad died, guns like his were selling for more than $1200.00. :idunno: :hatsoff:

 

So true on the fact that use marks and dents tell stories. Some we want to forget and others we do not want to forget. If it is an original old piece it is always best to not refinish, remove dents or re brown or re blue for sure.
The iron and steam method will do it will do it.
Being patient is great advice.

 

[ronrryan]

Paul, I remember that my cousin John and I took the train into NYC to Bannerman's, in the late 40's (war was over). John was Tall, he bought a perfect trapdoor w/sling, bayonet, accessories---$7.50. I bought an equally good 50/70 rolling block saddle ring carbine for $ 5. Had we but kept 'em! Good Springfield muskets, as issued, were $2. God Bless, Good smoke, Ron in FL

 

[jerrywh]

I use the old copper soldering irons to steam dents out. I'm always on the lookout for them at the second hand stores.