Stock refinishing project

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Ruger1nut

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
766
Location
Honeoye NY
Has anyone ever tried to refinish and re-stain a wood laminated stock? Can the brown be changed to gray and the gray to blue ect.

Just a thought, basically I am trying to take a brown stock, target gray 77/22 Hornet and make into a gray stock, polished stainless rifle. looks like based on my other post the gray can be polished off but not sure about refinishing the stock.

I am sure they were originally stained before lamination so not sure how well it will work

Dave
 

bub

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
245
Location
NE Ohio
While I have not done a full stock, I have refinished a laminated Romanian pistol grip forearm for my Norinco MAK-90. The forearm was used and abused, the varnish was flaking off and there was lots of dirt ground into the wood in places. Sorry, no before pics, rest assured that it was pretty bad but salvagable, with no major structural damage, dents or cuts.

I started off by using Citristrip, which is a relatively mild chemical stripper. I was afraid to use anything stronger out of fear that it might dissolve the glue holding the laminated wood together. It worked fine, but I still had some of the old, crappy brown stain on it. It took a while since Citristrip is pretty mild but eventually worked.

I then soaked the forearm in a mild bleach solution for a few hours. The bleach bleached out all the remaining color, leaving me with a stark white laminated forearm which matched the US laminated pistol grip I'd bought (among other parts) for 922r compliance. Again, this didn't hurt the glue the Romanians used. Water on bare wood equals lots of raised grain, so I had to sand after this step to get it smooth again.

I then stained the forearm, pistol grip and solid wood upper forearm a reddish-brown color in an attempt to match the reddish color that was originally used. I quit before I got to where I thought I was going because I liked the way it looked. I used 2 different Minwax stains but can't remember what I used. Again, it didn't hurt the Romy laminate.

I then finished the wood parts with amber shellac to make the red in the stain stand out. I REALLY like the way it turned out. When seen in person, the finish has a depth to it that it seems that you can fall into it. The wood also "glows", for want of a better work, in direct sunlight. As always, forgive the pic, I'm NOT a pro photographer.

mak90-1.jpg


Having said all that, I'd approach laminated wood with caution. There's no way to really know what kind of glue was used and what will melt it. I think you'll be OK with Citristrip since it is really mild for a chemical stripper. It will just take more time and more coats to get it all off. I think you'll also be OK with a bleach solution soak to try and remove any remaining color. Just remember, proceed at your own risk and go slowly. You can't undo whatever you do in the first place. Do too much and the stock may be beyond repair. Good luck and be sure to post pics.

Bub
 

mike7mm08

Buckeye
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
1,709
Location
Milwaukee Wisconsin
Refinishing a undyed laminate is pretty straight forward as the previous post explains. But anything colored you cannot do anything more than take off what ever sealer is used and re apply a new sealer of choice. Most laminates are finished with a spray on polyurethane of differing levels of gloss. The color is actually put into the wood under a vacuum. The individual layers of the stock are put together after the are colored. You could possible use a stain to darkening the existing colors but you could not change them. Unfortunately in you situation it is time to start stock shopping.
 

valkrider8

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
110
Location
PA
I have stained two laminated stocks. One black and another green. I will try to get you pics and post them for you. The green shotgun stock was for a turkey gun I was building but I don't think I care for the color and will probably strip and do over this winter. The black one was a Ruger rifle that I think turned out very nice and I am happy with.
 

mike7mm08

Buckeye
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
1,709
Location
Milwaukee Wisconsin
valkrider8":375sd3b3 said:
I have stained two laminated stocks. One black and another green. I will try to get you pics and post them for you. The green shotgun stock was for a turkey gun I was building but I don't think I care for the color and will probably strip and do over this winter. The black one was a Ruger rifle that I think turned out very nice and I am happy with.
Did you just end up with one solid color or did you still have some contrast between the different layers?
 

valkrider8

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
110
Location
PA
You can still see the contrast (grain) in both stocks. I did apply several coats of stain on both and as I did they got darker and some of the grain blended in. The first coat was light on both and the grain stood out pretty good, I was trying to get them dark where as you have to look close to see the contrast. Like I mentioned before, the black one turned out well, the green shotgun stock I think I went to dark. I think I will take a mulligan on that one and perform a do over. :lol: :lol I will work on some pics.
 

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