How to remove stain from a stock?

[B-Davis]

To All:
I need some help! I just won a Plymouth Rifle at an auction and it is a project gun. Most of what needs to be done, I have no problem with doing. I have come to the conclusion that it is going to be a shooter and not a collector. That is fine with me, I rather have it functional than rotting away.

With all that being said, I still want it to look pretty decent. The worst thing cosmetically is that the fore end is spliced to the back of the stock under the lower band. It appears (only seen photos) to be a good splice, but the two pieces are completely different colors.http://www.n-ssa.org/vbforum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif (Literally: chocolate brown against light beech wood colors)

I am contemplating about "stripping" both pieces of the stock down to bare wood and re-staining them to get a more consistent color through out the stock. My question is, what is the best method to remove all of the old stain to get to bare wood? I do not want to use harsh modern chemicals and ruin the wood any further. Any thoughts or ideas on how to remove the old stain and get to bare wood with out sanding?

Bryan Davis

[Rebel Dave]

Tough to do, is remove stain. it gets into the grain, and pores of the wood. Usually it has to be sanded off(stain, after the finnish). Finnish can be removed with sanding, or chemicals. You might have to restain to a little bit darker than whats on it now, to retain the size and shape. My opinion only. others might have other ideas.

Rebel Dave

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

Bryan I saw the gun you bought, my suggestion would be to get a new piece of wood, because to me it doesn't even look like walnut. So matching the color will be really tough....

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Know of anyone with a large commercial dishwashing machine, like a Hobart? Presuming the stock you are interested in stripping is not a "collector" piece, this is a method that will remove any oils, dirt, and also many of the dents and other minor handling marks as well.

[B-Davis]

Joe,
I have been thinking about replacing the stock. Before I do that though, I want to see the back end of the stock first. It looks VERY dark and you can not even see wood grain. I wonder if it is just layers of stain. I have been looking at several methods of stain removal, and it can be done with out sanding, it just takes time. I will have to take pictures and let you know about the progress.

Bryan

[Maillemaker]

I stripped my Euroarms P53 using commercial paint stripper from Home Depot. This took off the polyurethane finish and a good amount of the stain.

I then came back with leather dye and boiled linseed oil, which is far more penetrative than stain. I doubt it could ever be stripped now.

Steve

[B-Davis]

27192720

Here are just two quick pics of how the wood looks. As you can see on the butt stock, It has been cleaned/polished with somehthing, because there are fluid run-off stains. It is extremely dark, you can not even really see any grain.
On the other picture, there is the spliced wood. It may not be walnut, but I think I could still get it to closely match if I am able to get both pieces down to bare wood.
Any thoughts? I know it will be a labor of love and I am in no rush.

Bryan

[dennis g]

I'd take alcohol & 0000 to that stock. It may end up looking real close. I have an original 42 that looks a little close to that.

[edrutecki]

Believe it or not I once used "easy off" oven cleaner to strip a stock on an import M-1 Carbine stock. Took it down to bare wood in no time.

Your results may vary.

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Old time wood-finishers, carpenters, and cabinetmakers used ammonia vapors to darken wood, but there are also a number of “bleaching” techniques to lighten wood. Below are just a couple of them available on-line:

http://www.americanwoodworker.com/blogs/techniques/archive/2014/02/11/aw-extra-12-26-13-bleaching-wood.aspx
(http://www.americanwoodworker.com/blogs/techniques/archive/2014/02/11/aw-extra-12-26-13-bleaching-wood.aspx)
http://finishingiq.com/ContentLibrary/ArticleDetails/tabid/692/ArticleId/927/Wood-Bleach-Tips-and-Techniques.aspx
(http://finishingiq.com/ContentLibrary/ArticleDetails/tabid/692/ArticleId/927/Wood-Bleach-Tips-and-Techniques.aspx)
http://www.jrreding.com/BleachingWood.pdf (http://www.jrreding.com/BleachingWood.pdf)

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Old time wood-finishers, carpenters, and cabinetmakers used ammonia vapors to darken wood, but there are also a number of “bleaching” techniques to lighten wood. Below are just a couple of them available on-line:

http://www.americanwoodworker.com/blogs/techniques/archive/2014/02/11/aw-extra-12-26-13-bleaching-wood.aspx
(http://www.americanwoodworker.com/blogs/techniques/archive/2014/02/11/aw-extra-12-26-13-bleaching-wood.aspx)
http://finishingiq.com/ContentLibrary/ArticleDetails/tabid/692/ArticleId/927/Wood-Bleach-Tips-and-Techniques.aspx
(http://finishingiq.com/ContentLibrary/ArticleDetails/tabid/692/ArticleId/927/Wood-Bleach-Tips-and-Techniques.aspx)
http://www.jrreding.com/BleachingWood.pdf

[B-Davis]

Thank you! Quite insightful! I will have to see how "dark" the back of the stock is to decide what path I will be taking.

[RaiderANV]

I second what Richard said. I run it through a commercial dishwasher at a friends restaurant several times on hot only and it takes everything out of the stock.

[John Bly]

Once you get it stripped and cleaned up, get some Chestnut Ridge dark walnut military stock stain and stain the front end to try to get a match with the back half. You may need to stain the back half lightly to get a color match. Make the front slightly darker than you think it should be. When the stain is dry rub on a mixture of 50/50 turpentine and boiled linseed oil. While the stock is still wet use 0000 steel wool to rub out the front half to match the back half. You can also rub out areas such as the grip and forearm where one would hold it to simulate wear patterns. Chestnut Ridge is the best stock stain I have ever found for restoring military type finishes on older firearms. Brownells used to sell it but does not list it any more. I found it at a gun show the last time I bought it.