Removing varnish from chequering?

Frank the Manc

whats is the best way of removing the varnish form the chequering of the stock of a shotgun?

im going to sand down the stock on my beretta auto but want to be sure of everything before i start.

i intend starting with a 400 or 600 grit paper finishing up eventually with 1200.

there are some minor scratches & dents to the woodwork that i want to repair, then i wouldnt mind staining it a slightly darker colour also, should the staining be done before or after i finish all the sanding.

does anyone have any advice to give me on this regarding what stains or varnishes i shoudl be using or any other problems to look out for?

id imagine sand papper would be better than a chemical remover but then there is the problem of the chequering, is it down to going over the chequering with something like a scribing tool?

thanks.

gunhappy_ie

Take apart your stock, get some stripper from a hardware store. You might find that that youll need to experiment because some of the commercial stuff is crap. Put it on a place (like under the recoil pad) so if it damages it the wood it wont be seen. Then use a tooth brush around the checkering and wipe off with a clean rag. Spirits is great for getting the grime off the varnish since you are removing it anyway it wont matter if the stronger spirits melt off the varnish. Sand and fill is next, find a filler that matches the finish you want. Test it if needed by letting some dry, and stain it so you see what colour it will be or you could end up wit your filler a different colour than the rest of the stock. After sanding, filling and more sanding you can then stain your stock. When it comes to the revarnish my advice is not to paint it on but spray it. Ull probably be using it from a aerosol can which can give good results but youll have to practice in good natural light. Its hard to get used to but can be done. LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY.... TAKE AND POST PICS :P :P happy shootin !

benhurt1

To remove dents and scratches...place a damp cloth on the area after removing the varnish and iron it. The heat will raise the indentations.
I'd avoid fillers unless there are serious gouges because it's very hard to match.
I use linseed oil on my stocks and find it's a lot nicer than varnish. After removing old varnish, rub liberally with linseed, then rub with brown paper until dry to touch. Repeat process between 10 and 15 times (more coats equals darker finish). Very intensive but the finish is beautiful!

Mellor

Nitro Mors and a tooth brush would sort out the checkering.
Then sand, then raise dents as outlines above,
then the linseed oil (or any similar oil).

Frank the Manc

sound for all the replies, i decided to go for Nitro Mors after much sanding and getting no where, heres where im at so far:

after removin the varnish a lot of the damage had disappeared.
there is a deepish scratch to the front of the grip, a good gouge taken out of the handguard and some small dents on the right side of the stock.
im in the process of raising the dents but dunno whether or not to get filler or to leave as is.

Before:








During:



After:




I started going over the chequering without taking a before shot so all i have is a pic of the left hand side


heres what it looks like half way through, you can see the line in the middle:


and on the right:


i read in an old airgunner magazine years ago about raising dented woodwork and i though it said that you leave a damp cloth on the mark witha book on top, overnight and then iron with a cloth over it then the next day, but that seems like too long given benhurt1's post.

what are the advantages of using a boiled linseed oil over raw oil does any one know?

will a hand rubbed oil finish be as durable as varnish when it comes to repelling water?

should i try gettin a filler to match or leave well enough alone, id hate to have gone to all this trouble without fixing the main problems?
has anyone any experience with Birchwood Casey's blue touch up pen, there are two lines along the barrel from where the handguard rubbed along it, id like to tidy them up while im at this:


likewise on the opposite side

benhurt1

[/QUOTE]i read in an old airgunner magazine years ago about raising dented woodwork and i though it said that you leave a damp cloth on the mark witha book on top, overnight and then iron with a cloth over it then the next day, but that seems like too long given benhurt1's post.

what are the advantages of using a boiled linseed oil over raw oil does any one know?

will a hand rubbed oil finish be as durable as varnish when it comes to repelling water?

should i try gettin a filler to match or leave well enough alone, id hate to have gone to all this trouble without fixing the main problems?
[/QUOTE]

The more serious the dents the longer it'll take to raise.
Raw linseed is best.
Water resistance is excellent as long as you don't take shortcuts with the amount of coats.
Ask a coffin maker or similar professional about the filler.