Will steam help this ?

[APG]

I have a bad dent in my stock and I'm wondering if steaming will fix it. It goes against the grain. Cut it pretty clean. Pretty deep also. What about some type of filler? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I have a bad dent in my stock and I'm wondering if steaming will fix it. It goes against the grain. Cut it pretty clean. Pretty deep also. What about some type of filler? Any help would be appreciated.

Never tried steaming, so all I can give is a guessed opinion: I think it would help, but only a small amount because of the torn grain. IF you are care-full I don't think you will make it any worse. Fillers will make it smooth again, but unless whoever does it has expertise in matching wood grain and color it will look like a fill.

Larry

 

[hawkeye2]

The wood fibers are broken, steam won't do anything for it. You'll need a filler.

 

[frankie]

I have a bad dent in my stock and I'm wondering if steaming will fix it. It goes against the grain. Cut it pretty clean. Pretty deep also. What about some type of filler? Any help would be appreciated.

Steam won't help if wood is cut. It only works on dents. I use acra glass and when you mix any filler make sure you get the bubbles out first.

 

[mushka]

A filler is what is needed. Fine wood dust from sanded wood and try and match with stain to match the place to be repaired. Not quick and easy but it's your best bet.

 

[david w]

I agree with the previous posts. A small dent can many times be removed with steam. Once the fibers of the wood is broken, it can't be reversed. A filler with the proper stain will be the only solution. The fix will not be invisible, only improved..

 

[DuncNZ]

Steam wont be the total fix but it is worth a try , I use a clothes iron on high steam and a wet fine weave piece of cotton pillow case . place the wet cloth over the dent ,place point of the hot iron on the cloth and hold it for a few seconds , remove and see if any change has taken place , then repeat as necessary or until more no change has taken place . Maybe nothing will change but maybe it will and the less filler involved the better . Have a crack at it and see what happens .

 

[Eric Krewson]

I wish I had pictures of the cut wood I have steamed out with an old iron, like mentioned it won't come out all the way but will close the gap considerably.

My last was a TC stock that someone had to have batted rocks with it like a baseball bat, literally. Some of the dents came back to the surface, the worst ones went from being a deep cut in the wood to a fine line that I could fill with superglue and sawdust to be almost invisible.

The process works best if you soak the dent with water first, put a damp washcloth over the dent and hold the iron on the dent for 10 seconds or so and repeat over and over until the wood doesn't swell anymore.

 

[Pete G]

Try steam first.

 

[APG]

I wish I had pictures of the cut wood I have steamed out with an old iron, like mentioned it won't come out all the way but will close the gap considerably.

My last was a TC stock that someone had to have batted rocks with it like a baseball bat, literally. Some of the dents came back to the surface, the worst ones went from being a deep cut in the wood to a fine line that I could fill with superglue and sawdust to be almost invisible.

On the steaming method should I remove the finish or can it be done with the finish still on?

 

[Robby]

What Eric said.
Robby

 

[Eric Krewson]

To steam that deep of a dent your finish will be toast after you steam, best to scrape it off so you can soak the wood before you hit it with an iron.

I have no idea how yours will come out, that is a BIG depression.

 

[LME]

I have a bad dent in my stock and I'm wondering if steaming will fix it. It goes against the grain. Cut it pretty clean. Pretty deep also. What about some type of filler? Any help would be appreciated.

Steam will raise a dent but you are wasting your time if it is a cut? If you can fit a piece of wood in a cut it might be your best bet?

 

[Norman Brooks]

Steaming may bring some of it out. Having broken fibers will limit that. Me I call dents and scratches use mark...

 

[French Colonial]

I agree with the above comments, do the steam first and raise the grain as much as possible, your still going to have to do more work but not as much.

 

[Whitworth]

Steam it a bunch of times. When it fails to raise anymore consider using filling in the low spot with light coats of finish to build up to the surrounding wood. Don't let the cut grain scare you. Over many years I've seen and done some M1 Garand stocks that most would take one look at and just throw away. Good luck.

 

[French Colonial]

If you steam first you can always use the filler later. If you use the filler first you probably cannot go back and steam it.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

To steam that deep of a dent your finish will be toast after you steam, best to scrape it off so you can soak the wood before you hit it with an iron.

Agreed..,
I'd strip off the finish with Citristrip, then rinse of residual stripper, then soak with water, and then steam and use goggles when doing so. As another person wrote, you won't make it worse. Hopefully you will end up with a mark that you can live with, and then only need to refinish the stock. A proper "filler" job is a rare thing ; there are lots of gun stocks out there that were not properly filled and it's obvious. Give the steam a good, hard try.

LD

 

[COTNTOP]

I repaired a stock not long ago with the same type dent Steamed affected area real good with plenty of water. Kept rag hot with plenty of moisture until area was saturated, then steamed are really hard and was impressed with the outcome. Some old guns look pretty good with a few blemishes and not being just perfect. Don't give up on steaming too quick.

 

[LME]

To steam that deep of a dent your finish will be toast after you steam, best to scrape it off so you can soak the wood before you hit it with an iron.

I have no idea how yours will come out, that is a BIG depression.

If it is a cut with a piece missing I can't see how steaming would help? If it is a dent steam will cure the problem best. You can't raisie wood that is gone?