Repairing Tack Holes in a Stock

[Hawk54]

I picked up a Pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle recently that the owner had decorated with some brass tacks. The tacks were poorly done so I don't want the tacks in the stock. What would be the best way to repair the holes. I was thinking I could strip the finish and then steam the holes like you would to remove dents. The holes might close or close enough that when I sand a stain to refinish the stock the holes wouldn't be noticeable. Anyone else dealt with this before?

 

[2 shots]

toothpick fillers.

 

[Hawk54]

toothpick fillers.

I thought about that but these tack holes are small. Would have to use just the tip of the toothpick. Would watched a You Tube video where a guy did that to five a hole in wood. Do you prestain the toothpick to try to get a closer match or sand and finish together. Seems the toothpick which was unstained would show up lighter against the wood of the stock. Jut wondering. Once you glue the toothpick in place, that's it. The guy in the video put the plain toothpick in the hole and then sanded and stained. But it wasn't a gun stock.

 

[Whughett]

Tacks would have just displaced the wood fibers. Steaming should force most of the wood fibers back together. Might take several attempts. I’d suggest the tip of a soldering iron and a wet cloth to keep the steaming localized.
Should be able to fill any gaps with a wood filler such as used to fill pores on an open grain wood like walnut.

 

[Hawk54]

Tacks would have just displaced the wood fibers. Steaming should force most of the wood fibers back together. Might take several attempts. I’d suggest the tip of a soldering iron and a wet cloth to keep the steaming localized.
Should be able to fill any gaps with a wood filler such as used to fill pores on an open grain wood like walnut.

That is what I was thinking. No wood was removed. The tack just pushed the wood aside and steaming might cause the wood to swell and close.

 

[Acorn Mush]

My guess is that you would stain the toothpicks before gluing them in the tack holes. In my limited experience once glue is dried on wood, stain will not "take" on it. If one of the holes is in a out-of-the-way spot you might do a test by gluing a toothpick in it, letting it dry, then lightly sanding the top of it and spot it with stain to see if it "takes".

Just had another thought. If you strip the stock in order to use your toothpick idea, consider inserting the toothpicks without any glue. Then stain the stock, but prior to sealing the wood, add a drop of the thinnest CA glue to each of the toothpick "plugs". Thin CA is used in model-building and is made to wick into tight joints. It should be available at almost any hobby store.

As a first step, it seems you would have nothing to lose by trying to steam the holes closed as you initially suggested.

Good luck, and please keep us advised of your progress.

 

[oldwood]

The old time proven rule is ,use a filler the same color as the final color of the stained wood.

 

[tenngun]

Bees wax?

 

[Canadian Dragoon]

Wood dust from the stock mixed with thinned shellac.

 

[Semisane]

Wood dust from the stock mixed with thinned shellac.

BINGO!

 

[Whitworth]

Wood dust from the stock mixed with thinned shellac.

After you steam them.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Whatever you do they will probably still show up.

 

[deerstalkert]

toothpick plugs will show up much darker when stained. you would be staining end grain.
i'd try steaming with gentle tapping the wood around the hole when it is hot and wet. repeat as many times as needed.
then when you finish it, wet sand the first couple coats and the slurry will act as a filler.

 

[Hawk54]

toothpick plugs will show up much darker when stained. you would be staining end grain.
i'd try steaming with gentle tapping the wood around the hole when it is hot and wet. repeat as many times as needed.
then when you finish it, wet sand the first couple coats and the slurry will act as a filler.

I was thinking it would be hard to get the toothpicks to match. The tack holes are very small and I am thinking steaming first and like you said apply some gentle pressure around the hole to coax the the wood to move back into place. Worth a shot. I can always do some inlays over the spots.

 

[Hawk54]

I will take some before and after pictures. If it works maybe it can help someone else with a similar issue. I got the rifle for $450 and it has only been shot probably ten times if that many times. Worth some time to get it looking good again.

 

[sheriff john]

No matter what, if they were in a design, the pattern will be hard to hide. Try one or two first - what ever method you choose. Interesting project. Thanks for posting. A few tacks or an elaborate lay out?

 

[Hawk54]

No matter what, if they were in a design, the pattern will be hard to hide. Try one or two first - what ever method you choose. Interesting project. Thanks for posting. A few tacks or an elaborate lay out?

They are in a straight line in two places on each side of the stock. The back ones are a line two inches long and front are four inches long. Here are a couple of pictures.

 

[Hawk54]

I pulled the lock off and it has been shot but not a lot. The pan looks like new and the frizzen face has flint scratches and some powder fowling behind the lock face. Rifle looks to be have been either hunted with or used for reenactment. Has handling marks on the stock from being carried or not stored carefully but they are minor finish marks and easy to remove. Bore is nice and shiny. Should be a fun project.

 

[COTNTOP]

You got to iron those rings that the tacks made anyway. I sometimes block sand my oil and that makes a thick slurry and will probably fills the holes after several coats.

 

[Hawk54]

You got to iron those rings that the tacks made anyway. I sometimes block sand my oil and that makes a thick slurry and will probably fills the holes after several coats.

Agree. The more I can raise everything the less sanding I will need to do. I was thinking to use a stripper for the finish. I wonder if I should put toothpicks in the holes to keep the stripper out of them? Keep the wood as natural in the holes as possible.