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Thread: antique stock fix

  1. #1
    Boolit Man
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    antique stock fix

    Guys, this trapdoor stock has a small crack visable in the photo, from what I have read, use epoxy, heat it a lil so it flows into crack and clamp. ok. my question is once I do that I thought maybe a light coat over the rest of the receiver and tang area to give it some extra strength. im talking light coat to soak in. I don't want to remove any wood really to allow for the coat unless that's the best action. I want to preserve the originality of the stock, and at the same time I would like to stop any future cracks from shooting. thoughts? thanks...denny
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    As oil soaked as that crack looks, you would be wasting your time infusing the crack with epoxy- it won't adhere worth a darn. You would have to excavate the crack to expose fresh wood to the glue. I would inlet and glue in a couple little straps of wood to bisect the crack in a couple places. Or (thinking out loud), cut shallow mortises across the crack and fill them with epoxy to act as straps? Drill a shallow hole at the very end of the crack and fill it with epoxy to keep it from extending in future.

    As for coating the interior surfaces with epoxy, I don't think it's going to buy you the added strength you're looking to achieve.

  3. #3
    Boolit Man
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    yea, and the crack I sanded lightly, and scrubbed with denatured alcohol to get it as clean as it is now.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I had an 1899 Krag carbine stock that was black with old soaked in oil like that. I cleaned most of it one summer afternoon by scrubbing the blackened areas with acetone and a green weenie, aka scotchbrite pad. I couldn't tell that it removed any wood, just the oil.

    For any repair to work, the oil has to come out.

    Robert

  5. #5
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    Denny303,

    You could try what I used to do to "degrease" old Mauser military stocks: Place the stock in a BLACK plastic trash bag & surround the stock with kitty litter. Seal the bag. - The place the bag in a hot place (like the trunk of a car) on a hot Sunny day. The combination of heat & the absorbency of the kitty litter will "de-oil" the stock quite well.
    Then you can repair the stock with epoxy "peanut butter".

    Alternatively, you can run the stock through a BIG/commercial size dishwasher & then slowly dry-out the degreased stock.
    (Applying artificial heat to the wet stock may well crack it.)

    yours, tex

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Does the crack go thru the stock or a surface crack.? If you can get the oil out using epoxy to fill the crack will work You can help work the warmed epoxy into the crack with a rubber tipped blow gun sealing the end against the stock over the crack and forcing the epoxy in with air pressure. I might even consider cutting a light V down the length of the crack to add surface area and help work epoxy in. As above a couple "cross bars" of wood or small dia brass rods would help also.

  7. #7
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    Where the crack is, it is only over the mainspring portion of the lock, and adds no real strength to the wood. I wouldn't worry about that. I would be more concerned if the crack extends backwards from the end of the breech, into the grip area. Does the rear of the split end in the lock mortise? If so, I'd just leave it alone.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  8. #8
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    I think you will be ok with the crack. I have a couple like this. The only thing I have done for the worse ones is with a v chisel cleaned out the crack well and widening it and then fill with epoxy. I do not recommend covering the whole area with epoxy it does not seem like much but you will probably not be able to get the barrel to fit back in right.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I'd soak the cracked end in acetone for a day or two. It might take off the surface finish, but that's the breaks.

    There used to be this stain lifter stuff that came in a tube, that was silica gel soaked in solvent. The solvent carried the stain out, and the silica gel absorbed it. This might work, if you can find some. It may have gone out of fashion as I think it was for cleaning your Blue Suede Shoes back when.

    I mix the two part epoxy as usual, and thin it with a few drops of Lectra-Motive Electrical Parts Cleaner from NAPA. I then pick up the solution in an eye dropper and apply to the crack and the surrounding wood, wrap with waxed paper and wrap tightly with rubber bands or clamp in some method that will close the crack.

    If the thinning is done right, the epoxy will soak into the wood, penetrate to the end of the crack and still set up and cure, although the solvent will have to evaporate before this happens. I leave the setup clamped overnight, at minimum.

    Lecture-Motive is about the only chlorinated solvent left on the market, as far as I can tell. This technique will not work with acetone or alcohol solvents, as they react with the epoxy, or the water in them reacts with the epoxy.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    .

    For a more invisible repair, I've found it best to drill a few holes in the stock's wood an unseen area (under the buttplate or in the inletting) to make some sawdust to mix in with the epoxy.

    Using the stock's sawdust seems to blend better than using sawdust from some other piece of wood, walnut or not.

    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Thinning epoxy with solvents and heating it artificially are two good ways to diminish its bonding strength. For a superficial crack it's no big deal, but not recommended for structural strength.

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    the stock is nowhere as oil soaked as it may seem, but it does have some on the surface. Waksupi, yes the crack is above the very thin area of the mainspring mortise/barrel channel and appears to stop going rearward there, and I believe when the seller removed the lock, that's what cracked it as its fresh.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Denny303 View Post
    the stock is nowhere as oil soaked as it may seem, but it does have some on the surface. Waksupi, yes the crack is above the very thin area of the mainspring mortise/barrel channel and appears to stop going rearward there, and I believe when the seller removed the lock, that's what cracked it as its fresh.
    I would just treat it like a sore pecker then, and not screw with it.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    I would just treat it like a sore pecker then, and not screw with it.

    I like the way you think, waksupi !

    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Put the stock in the oven at 150 for a few days till it stops drippings oil or make a hot box with a lightbulb and do the same. Then epoxy it and put wax paper over the crack on the outside of the stock and wrap it tightly and completely with string
    upon removall you should barely see the crack
    NRA High Master XTC
    DR# 2125

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy 22cf45's Avatar
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    If you get the crack super glued up satisfactorily, you need to determine what caused the crack in the first place and correct the inletting or it will probably do it again.
    Phil

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Cyanoacrylate glues are known for working even through oil. After removing the oil from a carbine stock so I could glue on and shape a piece of walnut, epoxy still wouldn't hold. A couple drops of CA glue, that I use for building my radio control planes, are still holding well in the area of the recoil plate.

    http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCX43&P=7

    Note that CA requires moisture to cure correctly. You may need to get some accelerator (usually called kicker).

    http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNXS4&P=7

    If you use CA, you should still keep the crack clamped closed for 24 hours for maximum strength.

    If the crack won't close completely, get one of the gap-filling versions, such as medium or thick.

    There is a difference between the super glue you can find at K-mart and the purer hobby versions.

    Cheers,
    Richard

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    I would just treat it like a sore pecker then, and not screw with it.
    This really did make me laugh out loud. Awesome!

    I'm going to borrow this.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    I would just treat it like a sore pecker then, and not screw with it.
    Ah yes, you do have a way with words Ric.

  20. #20
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    Quote Originally Posted by ammohead View Post
    Ah yes, you do have a way with words Ric.

    It's a gift.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check