Cracked 1896 Krag Stock

[Kevinakaq]

Just purchased this fine rifle which has a cracked buttstock. Normally I would slightly spread it apart and use some good wood glue and clamp. Read some articles on using CA (Cyanoacrylate aka superglue) to repair but worried about excess and cleaning it off without damaging the finish. Thoughts?

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222177

Thanks in advance,
Kev

[bob208]

I have been using method number one. have never had a problem or a complaint so I see no need to try anything else.

[Marlin356]

Mask off both side of the crack. Then use super glue GEL. Pump it in, clamp gently, clean any excess with a new razor blade. Remove tape, hit gently with BRONZE wool. Apply some Linseed. Good to go.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Looks like the crack goes clear through that side, from the outside surface to the hole for the cleaning equipment? One solution would be to drill a proper sized hole from the top of the heel of the stock beneath the butt plate down through the crack and a bit farther, then get as much AcraGlas Gel into the hole as possible, stuffing/pushing it in with a small screwdriver or similar tool, then run in one of the all thread brass stock repair pins. Cut the stub off flush with the top of the stock, and the repair would be hidden by the butt plate when installed. If the visibility of the crack on the surface of the stock continues to bother you, then you would either have to open the crack a bit into a "V" and fill it with stained AcraGlas Gel, which you would then have to sand flush to the surface, or close the crack as-is using a pore filling technique I'd be happy to describe if it is needed. Either way, you'd end up having to refinish the stock, so the pin method might serve you best if you want to retain the original stock finish.

[country gent]

I have used wood glues and epoxies to repair cracks. I slightly spread it and then apply the glue. I use a low pressure rubber tipped blow gun to push it into the crack good. It may take several applications before the crack is full saturated. then clamp snuggly but not super tight you don't want to push all the glue out you need some for the bond. as it cure remove the excess. A light rub down with very fine steel wool when cured and it should not show. I have used the upper glues for making pens and it can be hard to keep it from all soaking into the dry wood not leaving enough for a good bond.

If fibers or a small area is gone a loght sanding with the glue wet will fill and make a very good match

[Kevinakaq]

Decided on drilling it out with a 3/16” bit about five inches deep. Used an 8-32 threaded rod, epoxy dyed dark brown. Epoxy freely flowed out when packed the length of the crack. Setting up now. Looking good so far...

Thanks for the comments.

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[Ballistics in Scotland]

That sounds like it should work, but I would probably just have glued it, and bound it tightly with rubber strip or tubing to force the joint together. It isn't like it runs across the direction in which force would be applied. It has probably done a lot of shooting with that crack.

It is fairly simple with a new crack, but an old one will probably have dirt keeping it from coming together properly. A solvent would help, but the problem is finding one that won't harm the stock finish, except maybe soap and water. I have thin fibreglass tape and unwaxed dental floss, either of which should do a useful amount of cleaning, stretched between the ends of a sort of wire tuning fork of which you can get one limp into the oiler hole.

Either epoxy or superglue could be used. The outside of the stock can be protected with tape, wax or grease - and where is the Krag that has never encountered that before? I have a supply of the fluid once used to erase errors in wax stencil copying, just a wax solution in ether, although I don't know if it still exists.

Many brands of epoxy are as good as Accraglas, and a lot of things can run you short of time. So I would like one of the slow-setting ones, though you don't really need their last edge of strength. For superglue I would prefer the liquid versions, as they flow into the crack by capillary action. You would have to be quick, though. I would use it from a bottle, with a fine hypodermic needle attached, and I would practice first with pieces of scrap wood.

[Goatwhiskers]

My method is to rub a little JPW with a rag right up to the edge of the crack. This is to keep the excess epoxy from sticking to the wood. Then working from the inside use a pocket knife blade to spread the crack. Using regular Acraglas apply a bead on the outside of the crack, then use a Bic lighter to heat the 'glas, it will thin the epoxy and cause it to flow into the crack quicker than wicking, also deeper. You can apply more if you don't think you have enough. Then remove the knife blade, you will see the crack partly close, then clamp. I usually usually use a strip of inner tube wrapped tightly. After curing the excess epoxy can be easily peeled from the stock surface without damaging the finish and the crack will be full to the surface. GW

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Heating Accraglas will indeed make it more fluid, but it will also accelerate the hardening. Fine if you have everything set up right to avoid any delay...

With the slow epoxies, about two hours in warm weather to six, you can mix them with a little alcohol and it will evaporate before it impairs the hardeness of the cured epoxy. I wouldn't count on that with the fast ones, though.

[Geezer in NH]

Two part epoxy for me. SG has not held over time.

[Kevinakaq]

Update photo.

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Will put rifle back together tomorrow. Have dies and brass coming in early next week from Midway. Need to pick a boolit out to test her with... bore is in very good condition.

[gnoahhh]

The thing about heating epoxy or thinning it with solvent is that you will definitely compromise the integrity of the joint. This from a West System engineer. Something to consider when contemplating such deeds.