recommendation for stock refinishing?

[earlcurtis67]

I have a factory Remington Varmint special BDL that I need to get refinished. I dont have the time or resources right noe to dedicate to another project right know. Looking to have the bowling ball finish removed and go back with a satin finish.
thanks E

 

[Cold Bore]

....factory Remington Varmint special BDL....

Looking to have the bowling ball finish removed and go back with a satin finish.

Is the stock dinged up, or are you just looking to go to a satin finish?

If the stock is in good shape, you can possibly do it yourself, very inexpensively.

I had an older BDL that I needed to have reblued, and went with a beadblast finish instead of the polished blue.

Then I simply took 0000 steel wool and rubbed the stock in random circular motions.

It knocked the shine right off, while keeping the "varnish" finish intact.

A little time, and watching closely as to where things needed rubbed, and it resulted in a very even satin finish, with no swirl marks.

Rottenstone is another choice, used in a similar manner.

Worth thinking about.

 

[joshb]

Hi, Earl. Try this before you send it out. Get a piece of 1000 grit sand paper and lightly sand the stock. It'll take the shine off. Should take 15-20 minutes. Wipe the dust off with a damp cloth or tack rag. If you don't like it, you've only lost 20 min. I just walked down to my shop and did it to a piece of gloss cherry to double check my memory. The piece became satin in 2 minutes. Josh.

As I was posting this, I see Coldbore suggested the same basic process. Steel wool will work too. My sand paper was closer to my bench than my steel wool.

 

[earlcurtis67]

It does have a # of dings and wear marks, how would I get the finish out of the checkering? I worried that it will turn out blotchie. E

 

[CharlieNC]

I "refinished" the high luster stock on an old Browning shotgun my uncle gave me years ago. Unless the dings penetrate the finish deeply, place a damp rag on the stock and iron them out with a clothes iron on the highest temp. Worked like a charm for me. Then polish using 000 steel wool and lemon oil to remove the small imperfections and level out the luster. Saved stripping and refinishing.

 

[Cold Bore]

... how would I get the finish out of the checkering?

Mine is a 70's era rifle (bought it in 1976) with cut checkering, so that was not an issue.

I have also stripped older ADL models, with the pressed checkering, using the citrus type strippers.

Takes a while, and messy, but doable.

You mentioned not having time to do this one though, so that may not be an option.

 

[Ggmac]

The thick remington clear comes off easily with Aircraft paint remover in spray cans , wear gloves and the vapors burn the skin . But it will remove the clear , use a stainless wire bush in the checkering . I wash the stock after with purple stuff after the remover so the new finish will harden .
There is a chemical available that removes the shine chemically and leaves the base intact . I forgot the name but a good paint supply house would have it .

 

[joshb]

I think Ggmac is referring to paint deglosser.