Hey guys, new to the forums here at the firing line as a member. I've been coming on here for a while and looking at the forums as a guest and they have definitely been useful in the past. I was just looking for some advice on refinishing the stock and fore-end of an Ithaca Model 37 12 gauge shotgun. I've never refinished a stock and don't know exactly what I'm doing. Picked the gun up for pretty cheap so I figured this would be a good one to try it on. Any advice would help. Would be grateful if somebody could give me some sort of procedure to follow. There is a pretty good nick in one side of the stock. I've heard boiling it could take it out. Any info helps. Thanks in advance.
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Help with stock refinishing on 1967 serial # dated Ithaca Model 37 Shotgun
- Thread starter LK99
- Start date
Steam will only raise the grain if it has been compressed (a dent). If the wood is actually removed, steaming will not help.There is a pretty good nick in one side of the stock. I've heard boiling it could take it out. Any info helps.
To steam a dent, wet some cotton cloth, fold it in layers, place over the dent and apply the tip of a hot soldering gun or other very hot piece of metal.
If the ding in the stock was resultant from wood being gouged out, the stock must be sanded down below the ding or the ding has to be filled with some kind of filler...which usually results in an area where the color does not match exactly.
Ahhh. Okay. That does make a lot of sense now that I think about it. I'll try to upload a picture as soon as possible. I feel like some of the wood may be missing at the very surface but some of it may also be compressed if that makes any sense. This is my first gun restoration project so I'm just trying to learn the ropes at this point and try not to mess up.
"...as a filler?..." Any wood filler product. Trick is matching the colour. Epoxy glue(that what Acraglas is) is your friend. It dries clear and is easy to colour with powdered water colour paint(Acraglas kits come with a colouring agent) or just about anything powdered. You can use saw dust to thicken epoxy too. That's a really, really old method of filling holes in wood.
Otherwise, wood is wood. Gun stocks are finished/refinished using the same products and techniques used on fine furniture. And a whole lot of patience. Best to practice on old solid wood furniture first. You can probably find a side table, or the like, made out of decent hard wood on garbage day. Doesn't have to be complete either. You just want good quality hard wood to play with. A busted up table will do nicely.
"...wet some cotton cloth..." Face cloth(old one but that makes no difference depending on who else lives with you.), wet but not dripping and a regular cloths iron set on cotton. Steaming dents is one of the many things that are easier to do than describe.
Otherwise, wood is wood. Gun stocks are finished/refinished using the same products and techniques used on fine furniture. And a whole lot of patience. Best to practice on old solid wood furniture first. You can probably find a side table, or the like, made out of decent hard wood on garbage day. Doesn't have to be complete either. You just want good quality hard wood to play with. A busted up table will do nicely.
"...wet some cotton cloth..." Face cloth(old one but that makes no difference depending on who else lives with you.), wet but not dripping and a regular cloths iron set on cotton. Steaming dents is one of the many things that are easier to do than describe.
""...as a filler?..." Any wood filler product. Trick is matching the colour. Epoxy glue(that what Acraglas is) is your friend. It dries clear and is easy to colour with powdered water colour paint(Acraglas kits come with a colouring agent) or just about anything powdered. You can use saw dust to thicken epoxy too. That's a really, really old method of filling holes in wood.
Otherwise, wood is wood. Gun stocks are finished/refinished using the same products and techniques used on fine furniture. And a whole lot of patience. Best to practice on old solid wood furniture first. You can probably find a side table, or the like, made out of decent hard wood on garbage day. Doesn't have to be complete either. You just want good quality hard wood to play with. A busted up table will do nicely.
"...wet some cotton cloth..." Face cloth(old one but that makes no difference depending on who else lives with you.), wet but not dripping and a regular cloths iron set on cotton. Steaming dents is one of the many things that are easier to do than describe.""
Thanks for the advice. That's a good idea to try and find an old table leg to practice on. I will definitely try to do that.
Otherwise, wood is wood. Gun stocks are finished/refinished using the same products and techniques used on fine furniture. And a whole lot of patience. Best to practice on old solid wood furniture first. You can probably find a side table, or the like, made out of decent hard wood on garbage day. Doesn't have to be complete either. You just want good quality hard wood to play with. A busted up table will do nicely.
"...wet some cotton cloth..." Face cloth(old one but that makes no difference depending on who else lives with you.), wet but not dripping and a regular cloths iron set on cotton. Steaming dents is one of the many things that are easier to do than describe.""
Thanks for the advice. That's a good idea to try and find an old table leg to practice on. I will definitely try to do that.