Stripping varnish from checkering.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I just picked up this Remington 700 in 300WM. It belonged to a local guy who carried it a lot and shot it occasionally, hunting Sambar Deer (Elk sized Asiatic deer), which is exactly what I intend to do with it. The stock and external fittings are well worn, but the barrel is like new.

The area where Sambar has very impressive rainfall and is mostly cold and wet. The previous owner has sealed the stock with a heavy varnish, but the old impressed checkering is filled in. I will have a go at re-cutting it when I get it cleaned up.

It looks like a job for paint stripper and a toothbrush to me, but do any of you guys have any other ideas?

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Bolt%20Rifles/300WinMagRemington7009.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Bolt%20Rifles/300WinMagRemington7007.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Bolt%20Rifles/300WinMagRemington7001.jpg

As you can see the finish completely covers the checkering. It almost looks like it has been sanded down.

My first Remington (apart from Remington and Eddystone M17s and a Mosin Nagant made by the big green) :D

Mick.

[stocker]

Mick: I don't think that is the old impressed checkering. It looks like the machine cut version. And it is either well worn or he did sand over it. Stripper will do the trick but confining it to the checkering is not likely without masking tape and a lot of care. once you get it scrubbed out you should have an easy go re-pointing the diamonds as the lines all seem pretty intact.

By the way, did you ever pick up the 99 Savage you were looking at a couple or more months back?

[Four Fingers of Death]

No, I still hum and harr about it. I have been a complete spendthrift lately :( I probably should pick it up because I will always get my money back on it. Mick.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Nick,

There's a post about using various strippers over on Milsurpshooter.net done by Cabinetman. It's an excellent reference for figuring out what a finish actually is and then stripping it off. I highly recommend you read through that post and the other sticky posts in C&R stock cleaning there. I"ve had extremely good luck with many stocks I've refinished using methods I've gotten from that forum.

Here's a direct link to that post. You can back up from there and find the rest of the stickies.

http://p102.ezboard.com/Determining-quotfinishquot-type-amp-Spit-Coating-instr/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm34.showMes sage?topicID=630.topic

Hope this helps,

Dave

[Four Fingers of Death]

Dang, tat was great, lost an our or two pouring over that lot. Thanks, Mick.

[Rick Hodges]

Mick,

I don't know if you have ever checkered before or not. I was taught to checker after the finish was done and had been allowed to harden for a month or more. I usually use Tru-Oil and when done I use a toothbrush and work a little of the finish back into the newly cut checkering. Unless you find that existing finish too glossy and garish try to cut the checkering as is. If the finish is a soft gummy varnish you will have no choice but to strip and refinish befor attempting to recut the checkering.

Good Luck - Rick

[uscra112]

I've been advocating this with great alacrity for a while now. First thing you do, you run it through a dishwasher with plenty of dishwasher powder and the water heat set to max. If that's real varnish, it will take a lot of it off. If it's the plastic variety, (ugh) it won't do much, but you'll have a nice clean stock to start stripping.

[Frank46]

I have seen many references about washing your stocks in the dishwasher. But I gotta ask, are you married after doing this. I was sorely tempted to try this in our dishwasher but chickened out. Maybe another wash to clean out any gunk left behind the first wash?. Frank

[357tex]

Frank
If I handed my dishwasher a gun stock to wash I would get it back upside my head.:-D

[schutzen]

If this is an older stock and does not have polyurethane varnish, this works well to strip it. Purchase the following: 1 box Argo corn starch (blue box) the kind your Grandmother starched shirts with (yes, it's still available, check the grocery store) and a small box of Sal Soda (True Value Hardware). In a 2 qt stainless steel pan, bring 1 qt of water to a rolling boil. While this is boiling, dissolve 3 table spoons of corn starch in 1 cup of cold water. When the water is boiling, add one table spoon of Sal Soda. Get this fully dissolved and return to a rolling boil. Now add the dissolved corn starch and stir until it curdles. Remove from heat and apply to the stock with a brush. After it cools (approximatley 45 minutes) wash it off with water. Repeat the treatment as needed.
A side note here, this works well to degrease/remove oil from old stocks.