Stripping Finish on Dixie Mountain Rifle Stock - Suggestions Please

[sheriff john]

Same "project" rifle. Miroku Dixie Mountain flinter, bought "pre-buggered up" from internet. Came complete with numerous scratches and dents in the wood and apparently someone's idea of tiger striping. Tried "Liquid Gold" to hide scratches which look good -for awhile. I know how to raise dents and scratches. What stripper to use is my question. DGW gunsmith said he "had no clue" as to what the original finish was. So, what stripper do you use?

This is NOT a pretty gun, has no historic value. Sanding before stripping probably won't work b/c the Liquid Gold is now "Sticky Liquid Gold" which actually caught fire two days ago from spilled ffffg around the pan. Considered acetone on rags (?)/ Thanks.

 

[Colonial Boy]

Try gently scraping off the finish, partiularly the sticky stuff.
For a scraper file the edge of a piece of light sheet steel flat then raise a continuous burr by rubbing an edge with hardened steel, such as the safe edge of a file; alternately use some broken glass (but be careful).

 

[Norman Brooks]

As Colonial Boy says. Scraping...

 

[davidmc62]

I have heard good things from others, though I have not tried it myself about Citrstrip (you can get from most places) for removing old finish. I also refinished my DGW Miroku Mountain rifle. Because I was completely reshaping the whole stock I just filed, scraped and sanded to my liking.

 

[sheriff john]

I have heard good things from others, though I have not tried it myself about Citrstrip (you can get from most places) for removing old finish. I also refinished my DGW Miroku Mountain rifle. Because I was completely reshaping the whole stock I just filed, scraped and sanded to my liking.

Any idea what the original finish was? I think I have a mixture on top. (Well, I know part of it's Liquid Gold). Bought several 3mm machine screws to replace missing set trigger adjustment screw. Naturally, they're not slotted, but at the moment it's better than a hole. Thanks for the info.

 

[Dale Lilly]

I have heard good things from others, though I have not tried it myself about Citrstrip (you can get from most places) for removing old finish. I also refinished my DGW Miroku Mountain rifle. Because I was completely reshaping the whole stock I just filed, scraped and sanded to my liking.

Citristrip is good stuff but a little slow. Best free scraper??? Broken hack saw blade shaped by grinding to the desired shape.. easy, free, changeable and disposable. My kinda tool. Polecat

 

[ppb]

Here’s one way…

 

[davidmc62]

Any idea what the original finish was? I think I have a mixture on top. (Well, I know part of it's Liquid Gold). Bought several 3mm machine screws to replace missing set trigger adjustment screw. Naturally, they're not slotted, but at the moment it's better than a hole. Thanks for the info.

No Im not much of an authority on finishes and to be honest. Once I had reshaped the stock and sanded to my liking, all the finish and a whole lot of wood was gone. If your not going to change the architecture of your rifle, I would definitely try some sort of chemical striper first. Cabinet scrapers are good but you will have to be the judge when it comes to using them. Go too deep and now your removing wood also.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Don't remember the name or brand, but I use a plastic scraper that's just like the retractable steel razor blade ones. It won't cut or gouge into the wood like the steel blades & removes the finish that is softened by a stripper safely. You can buy the plastic blades only & scrape with them without the handle. Think I got them at Ace Hardware. Citri-Strip is my preferred stripper & the only finish it wouldn't soften enough to scrape off is the super shiny stuff Browning used back in the 70's. Most all factory finishes are a sprayed on Polyurethane of some kind & most any stripper will dissolve them given enough time.

 

[leverfred]

I use glass, no sandpaper.

 

[james johnston]

I've stripped many military stocked with ez off oven cleaner and a good stiff toothbrush....thourghly rinse entire stock with cold water and let dry for a few days untill dry..then sand and stain to the desired color

 

[sheriff john]

Experimenting .....tryng to not disassemble barrel from stock as the pins are quite small & wood quite brittle. So far, acetone is really working well. Much of what appeared to be deep scratches disappeared with the multiple layers of whatever was applied. At some point an attempt to "tiger stripe" the stock was made. Cute.

Had a "pan guard" - an accessory I'd never owned. It's intended purpose not withstanding, it served very well to accumulate spilled priming powder for me. I've had less spectacular fireworks, just not 6 inches in front of my face. It's gone.

After raising dents and some gentle scraping/sanding, a very dark stain ought to hide most of the "tiger stripe". Hope so. Thanks again to all.

 

[deerstalkert]

Sheriff John, you do know that pictures are required?

 

[oldwood]

Citrus strip and steel wool. Follow the instructions. Scrapers remove too much wood. "til you scrape then sand , too much wood can be removed. Caution...

 

[sheriff john]

Citrus strip and steel wool. Follow the instructions. Scrapers remove too much wood. "til you scrape then sand , too much wood can be removed. Caution...

Yup. Trying to go too fast is a problem that creates more problems. This thing looks like it rode in the bed of a pickup truck to hold down barbed wire (during a hard winter). Some take pride in crafting a $2,000 rifle from carefully selected parts. Many of my projects start with a $100 derelict, add $100 worth of parts, and sell for $100. Meanwhile, it's a fun thing to do. Cheaper than a divorce.

 

[deerstalkert]

Yup. Trying to go too fast is a problem that creates more problems. This thing looks like it rode in the bed of a pickup truck to hold down barbed wire (during a hard winter). Some take pride in crafting a $2,000 rifle from carefully selected parts. Many of my projects start with a $100 derelict, add $100 worth of parts, and sell for $100. Meanwhile, it's a fun thing to do. Cheaper than a divorce.

we went to the same school of economics!

 

[davidmc62]

[

After raising dents and some gentle scraping/sanding, a very dark stain ought to hide most of the "tiger stripe". Hope so. Thanks again to all.
[/QUOTE]

Yes take pictures and post, we all want to share in your efforts. I actually tried to add faux striping to cover up what ever ugly wood grain was in my stock.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Use Citristrip before you do anything else. You may have to use more than one application. It will strip oily dirty old military stocks. It's good stuff. Afterward raise dents and sand, or scrape. Any way first things first: Citistrip.

 

[sheriff john]

Very nice! My resident millennial (daughter) is absent. Thus, I post no photos as my skiil set is lacking in that regard. What stain did you use ?

 

[Whitworth]

Check the ingredients, you want one with methyl chloride, that removes about every type finish. YMMV