"Gorilla Glue" removal from stock?

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

Background:
In 1939, my Granddad purchased a new Colt .45 Government Model M1911A1. He was a bullseye shooter, and made a mod to the sights for a better sight picture (nice wide front blade, wider notch in the rear sight). He also replaced the curved backstrap with a straight version; but kept the curved backstrap.

When Granddad passed away in 1980, I wasn't able to convince my Dad that I needed it more than he did.

One day while he was shooting it, the original walnut stock split clean in two on one side with the grain, right through the screw holes. Naturally, I chastised Dad for trashing it (half in jest, of course).

A few years ago, I was visiting my folks - and Dad decided to attempt to repair the crack, using Gorilla Glue. I have no idea what possessed him to use that stuff.

Dad took his final flight a year ago, and I took possession of this fine old Colt last summer.

The Gorilla Glue left a visible nasty yellow seam running right through the stock.

I have considered trying to chip it away using a checkering tool or perhaps a scribe, but I realize that my skills are rather limited in this area.

Does anyone have suggestions as how to minimize this ugly yellow joint without damaging the original checkering or finish of the rest of the stock?

[eta]
Grandad's .45 is the blued Colt. The cracked stock is the left one; not shown.
The other is a 1917 Colt M1911.

[Hardcast416taylor]

My experience with G glue is that the wood will break in a different spot than where it was glued! I would use a dental pick and try to carefully remove some of the surface formed glue. I would then experiment with a wooden toothpick and model paint of roughly the same grip color to paint the glue seam,Robert

[Gunfreak25]

SierraWhiskey, the gorilla glue on your pistols grips can be removed with a product called "StripX" from walmart. It is a wood stripper designed for wood, the stuff comes in red cans and gold cans. The stuff in the red can is the normal formula designed for stripping light varnishes off of wood. The stuff in the gold can is an extra strength formula designed to remove tougher stuff like epoxies and polyurethanes. After removing the glue the grip will need to be repaired again as well as reinforced from the underside with some fiberglass cloth.

I would gladly repair the grips for you. They would be repaired in such a way that the work is darn near invisible and the checkering on the grips will be saved. I guarantee my work to last the owners lifetime. If your interested just drop me a PM here. -Tom

[koehn,jim]

Lowes home improvement sells a product Lift off Foam Sealant that has worked for me in the past. It softens it and gentle scraping with dental picks does the rest. Hope this helps, Test it on the back of the grip to see what it does to the finish first.

[Shiloh]

The key is gentle scraping with something softer or the same hardness. Old toothbrush or the plastic toothpicks with the floss stung on them. Try not to exacerbate the damage any more. Good luck Sir!! Let us know how it goes.

Saw a guy use Gorilla Glue to fix a rifle stock. It didn't hold as there was years of gun oil and other assorted petroleum based products on and in the wood. It complicated the problem for sure.

Shiloh

[Gunfreak25]

Yep, the issues with normal glues is explained in my sticky above here in the gunsmithing section.