Wood Stock Help (refinish Work)

PDXGraham · October 8, 2017, 02:42 PM

Can anyone help me bring this wood stock back to life and look good again? When I was a kid for some reason I made some marks on it with a ball point pen or sharpie I can’t remember. Well I wanna make it look decent again and have no idea how to get these stains out of the wood, I’ve sanded on it and tried using deluted bleach but nothing I tried works. The rifle it self isn’t anything special, abliteral hardware store .22lr from coast to coast hardware, but it was my first rifle I got when I turned 13 and it has sentimental value

JWT · October 8, 2017, 03:19 PM

Try a paste of water and baking soda rubbed in with your finger and removed by rubbing with moistened cloths.

Try tooth paste.

Try alcohol.

Try nail polish remover.

Good luck.

tobnpr · October 8, 2017, 04:58 PM

^^^
Add a melamine foam eraser sponge to the list, too (like Mr. Clean).

Pathfinder45 · October 8, 2017, 05:05 PM

I would use acetone, the true wonder-solvent. Use plenty. Goes on wet; dries in a flash; ready for immediate finish coatings.

jmr40 · October 8, 2017, 05:28 PM

The only way you're going to get that out is to keep removing wood until you get deep enough to be below the surface of those deep scratches. Start with coarse sandpaper until the marks disappear then work up to finer grades. I'd use files to start with, but I've done enough woodworking to know how to use them. Most people will be less likely to make a mistake with sandpaper.

You will in effect re shape the stock. Be sure to remove the same amounts from both sides and from the entire length of the stock. You don't want to sand out a depression in the wood.

If it were mine, I'd not put that much effort into THAT rifle. But it is yours. If there is enough sentimental attachment then go for it.

cw308 · October 8, 2017, 05:29 PM

Try those hard white pen eraser's , dampen the wood first , the pore's will swell use the eraser , then fine sand paper an 0000 steel wool to shine the wood . Stain a few coats ,spray with clear lacquer gloss a few coats then use the 0000 steel wool to smooth the finish.

Scorch · October 8, 2017, 06:02 PM

All these suggestions are just going to make it worse.

You will need to strip off whatever finish is there, sand it smooth, stain it, then apply finish. You can buy sandpaper at the local hardware store (200, 320, 400, and 600 grit).

Sand with a sanding block. When you have removed the marks, move to a finer grit. When you have worked through the various grades of paper, wet the wood, then sand to remove the whiskers. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Then stain. Then apply finish.

Don Fischer · October 9, 2017, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmr40

The only way you're going to get that out is to keep removing wood until you get deep enough to be below the surface of those deep scratches. Start with coarse sandpaper until the marks disappear then work up to finer grades. I'd use files to start with, but I've done enough woodworking to know how to use them. Most people will be less likely to make a mistake with sandpaper.

You will in effect re shape the stock. Be sure to remove the same amounts from both sides and from the entire length of the stock. You don't want to sand out a depression in the wood.

If it were mine, I'd not put that much effort into THAT rifle. But it is yours. If there is enough sentimental attachment then go for it.

When I refinish a stock I seldom use sand paper. But there are times I find only sand paper can fix a problem. our's is one of them. Sand just enough with 400 grit paper to remove the scratch's. And feather the sanded area away from the scratch's. I don't know if you feather the wood before finish but that area could probably use it.

T. O'Heir · October 9, 2017, 11:42 AM

"...effort into THAT rifle..." It's an excellent stock for teaching yourself how to finish a stock though. And sandpaper is how it's done.
Hand an old aunt who said toothpaste works on ink on a shirt. Dunno what it'd do on wood. Very much doubt it'd do much of anything, but it's worth a try.
I do know that sand paper will work. You will have to sand the entire side to keep it mostly even using the various grades of paper, like Scorch says.

Smoke & Recoil · October 9, 2017, 02:33 PM

Scrap it down with a piece of broken (flat) glass...pull the glass with the grain.

Ricklin · October 9, 2017, 03:07 PM

Too late for you, never start with sandpaper.

A proper refinish begins by chemically removing the original finish. Ink on wood is a .....difficult. Other posters have some ideas that are worth a try.

Use a sanding block. I like the hard rubber 1/3 sheet that 3M makes and mostly used by auto body guys. It has hard rubber flaps on each end that are lifted to expose tacks that hold the paper. Great little tool.

ShootistPRS · October 9, 2017, 04:28 PM

Ball point ink takes centuries to dry. A permanent marker uses dye the re-wets easily. dish soap and hot water will bring ball point ink into an emulsion that can be cleaned with water. The permanent ink is best sanded until there is no trace left. Both will take a lot of work and time. Just be patient with it and don't give up.

tobnpr · October 9, 2017, 08:52 PM

A note about sanding...( 3M Professional thumbs up)

Never use a coarse grit unless substantial stock removal is required- and that doesn't look like the case here. If you're not experienced enough to know when to switch to medium and then fine grit, you'll likely keep sanding with coarse until- in this case the black ink- is gone, and then you've gone too far.

You'll need to remove much more stock than was needed, just to remove the deep scratches from the coarse grit- and a heavy hand with 80 grit will leave a mess of them.

Tony Z · October 10, 2017, 01:45 PM

Use a card scraper.

Smoke & Recoil · October 10, 2017, 02:58 PM

Hey, no other old-timers on here that remembers using broken glass as a "card" ? Nice thing is, you can use the various shapes of broken glass for curves too.

hooligan1 · October 10, 2017, 03:06 PM

Or you could send it to me and make it easy on yourself...
No sweat.

bandanabandit1 · October 10, 2017, 07:58 PM

Get a damp rag and put a hot iron on it for a second to create steam. That should raise the grain enough that youll be able to sand the marks out.

Don Fischer · October 11, 2017, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smoke & Recoil

Hey, no other old-timers on here that remembers using broken glass as a "card" ? Nice thing is, you can use the various shapes of broken glass for curves too.

I still do at times!

briandg · October 13, 2017, 03:37 PM

If you use sandpaper, use a block.

You might try literally flooding it with methyl ethyl ketone but that will still probably not work. These things are permanent. They are meant to withstand anything, even years in the sun. If it's sharpie it's penetrated a bit, it will be a heavy pigment or aniline dye, neither will wash out or bleach.

WIN71 · October 15, 2017, 07:46 PM

A couple of things. The O.P's stock looks like a low grade piece of wood that was stained and then finished with something semi clear. Obviously it could have been finished with a one step stain/finish. Stain to make it dark like higher grade walnut.
Refinishing, that will at least look good, can only be done after the stock has been taken down to bare wood and the marks eliminated during the overall sanding. If you simply sand, scrape, or try to wash out the ink with some sort of concoction and put some finish over everything, nothing will match. The ink ugliness will turn into something bigger and more noticeable. Short of very dark staining that part of the stock will never look like the rest of the stock.
There are exceptions for damage repair. If you know what the original finish was. I.e., Oil, spar varnish, wax, etc. It's possible to do a small repair to be un noticeable.
As far as glass scrapers, that's a new one on me and I'm 73. I have all of my grandfathers high carbon steel scrapers. Some have various radius curves, some look like they were made from worn out hand plane blades with the edge turned to scrape. Made and used prior to sand paper and electric powered hand tools. All of the finish carpenters that had their apples together to skillfully use them are long dead. I use them only to get the old finish off of something. Then I cheat with sandpaper. Usually with sandpaper attached something that plugs into power.

NateKirk · October 15, 2017, 08:10 PM

Sanding, alcohol, then soak in linseed oil

Pathfinder45 · October 15, 2017, 08:23 PM

Acetone. Use it outdoors away from any possible ignition source, (No smoking!)! Use a cotton terry-cloth rag, sopping wet with the acetone, rub briskly and repeat. Keep wetting the rag with more acetone as it evaporates quickly. It shouldn't take more than ten minutes, max, maybe only five. Give it another five to ten minutes to evaporate from the stock before staining with a nice medium to dark Walnut stain and let that dry for several hours, maybe overnight. Then hand rub it with Teakwood oil, let dry overnight and repeat with another rubbing of Teakwood oil. But remember: Acetone; its other name is dimethyl ketone, hence the other advice to use Methyl Ethyl Ketone is your second best choice. I think Acetone is environmentally and biologically the safest effective product to use, but very flammable. It's drying time is near zero as it evaporates in seconds before your eyes. Want to know more? Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone

johnwilliamson062 · October 17, 2017, 12:15 PM

Are you close to a woodcraft?
They have wood bleach. That is your best bet to remove it.
If acceptable I recommend you try thw general finishes gel stain in the shade java. That will darken the stock so those marks blend while retaining the grain.

Tony Z · October 20, 2017, 04:12 AM

Regarding scrapers, over 40+ years ago, I started out in woodworking trades, served an apprenticeship (4 years), left the trade around 1990, and started my manufacturing plant (powder metal, metaltech-pm.com) where I remain today.

Anyhow, through the years, I've used a variety of scrapers, both carbon steel and glass. For an uninitiated novice, I would try my hand at a steel card scraper, (curved). Look for one as thin and flexible as possible. Glass definietly will work, but one must be careful to not have any uneven or otherwise jagged edge, lest you created a gouge in the stock. Plus, there is a high likelihood of unintentonally dyeing part of the stock a bright red.

For a novice, I would try working my way up through grits of sandpaper, making sure to absolutely stay with the grain and not missing a grit. When you think you're done, have another go at it with the finest paper you got, then wet the stock with mineral spirits to see if you have any scratches going cross-grain.

But for me, if the face of the stock is flat, I would carefully experimeny with a scraper, first making sure the stock is firmly held, with you standing at the butt end, pulling the scraper towards you (lighly, till you get the hang of it). You get it to cut by tilting the top towards you, while pulling towards you. Get a scraper with a prepared edge, otherwise you will need to do that chore. Someone mentioned Woodcraft, and you should be able to find one there for about $10.00. Any further wuestions, PM me and I'll try to help.

October 8, 2017, 02:42 PM	#1
PDXGraham Junior Member Join Date: July 23, 2017 Posts: 9	Wood Stock Help (refinish Work) Can anyone help me bring this wood stock back to life and look good again? When I was a kid for some reason I made some marks on it with a ball point pen or sharpie I can’t remember. Well I wanna make it look decent again and have no idea how to get these stains out of the wood, I’ve sanded on it and tried using deluted bleach but nothing I tried works. The rifle it self isn’t anything special, abliteral hardware store .22lr from coast to coast hardware, but it was my first rifle I got when I turned 13 and it has sentimental value

October 8, 2017, 04:58 PM	#3
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	^^^ Add a melamine foam eraser sponge to the list, too (like Mr. Clean). __________________ Remington 700/Savage Rebarreling /Action Blueprinting 07 FFL /Mosin-Nagant Custom Shop/Bent Bolts Genuine Cerakote Applicator www.biggorillagunworks.com

October 8, 2017, 05:28 PM	#5
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	The only way you're going to get that out is to keep removing wood until you get deep enough to be below the surface of those deep scratches. Start with coarse sandpaper until the marks disappear then work up to finer grades. I'd use files to start with, but I've done enough woodworking to know how to use them. Most people will be less likely to make a mistake with sandpaper. You will in effect re shape the stock. Be sure to remove the same amounts from both sides and from the entire length of the stock. You don't want to sand out a depression in the wood. If it were mine, I'd not put that much effort into THAT rifle. But it is yours. If there is enough sentimental attachment then go for it. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

October 8, 2017, 06:02 PM	#7
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	All these suggestions are just going to make it worse. You will need to strip off whatever finish is there, sand it smooth, stain it, then apply finish. You can buy sandpaper at the local hardware store (200, 320, 400, and 600 grit). Sand with a sanding block. When you have removed the marks, move to a finer grit. When you have worked through the various grades of paper, wet the wood, then sand to remove the whiskers. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Then stain. Then apply finish. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 9, 2017, 11:42 AM	#9
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...effort into THAT rifle..." It's an excellent stock for teaching yourself how to finish a stock though. And sandpaper is how it's done. Hand an old aunt who said toothpaste works on ink on a shirt. Dunno what it'd do on wood. Very much doubt it'd do much of anything, but it's worth a try. I do know that sand paper will work. You will have to sand the entire side to keep it mostly even using the various grades of paper, like Scorch says. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

October 8, 2017, 03:19 PM	#2
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	Try a paste of water and baking soda rubbed in with your finger and removed by rubbing with moistened cloths. Try tooth paste. Try alcohol. Try nail polish remover. Good luck.

October 8, 2017, 05:05 PM	#4
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	I would use acetone, the true wonder-solvent. Use plenty. Goes on wet; dries in a flash; ready for immediate finish coatings.

October 8, 2017, 05:29 PM	#6
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Try those hard white pen eraser's , dampen the wood first , the pore's will swell use the eraser , then fine sand paper an 0000 steel wool to shine the wood . Stain a few coats ,spray with clear lacquer gloss a few coats then use the 0000 steel wool to smooth the finish.

October 9, 2017, 02:33 PM	#10
Smoke & Recoil Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: East shore of Lake Michigan. Posts: 714	Scrap it down with a piece of broken (flat) glass...pull the glass with the grain. __________________ Sent from my Tandy 1000

October 9, 2017, 03:07 PM	#11
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,011	First things first! Too late for you, never start with sandpaper. A proper refinish begins by chemically removing the original finish. Ink on wood is a .....difficult. Other posters have some ideas that are worth a try. Use a sanding block. I like the hard rubber 1/3 sheet that 3M makes and mostly used by auto body guys. It has hard rubber flaps on each end that are lifted to expose tacks that hold the paper. Great little tool. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

October 9, 2017, 04:28 PM	#12
ShootistPRS Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2017 Posts: 1,583	Ball point ink takes centuries to dry. A permanent marker uses dye the re-wets easily. dish soap and hot water will bring ball point ink into an emulsion that can be cleaned with water. The permanent ink is best sanded until there is no trace left. Both will take a lot of work and time. Just be patient with it and don't give up.

October 9, 2017, 08:52 PM	#13
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	A note about sanding...( 3M Professional thumbs up) Never use a coarse grit unless substantial stock removal is required- and that doesn't look like the case here. If you're not experienced enough to know when to switch to medium and then fine grit, you'll likely keep sanding with coarse until- in this case the black ink- is gone, and then you've gone too far. You'll need to remove much more stock than was needed, just to remove the deep scratches from the coarse grit- and a heavy hand with 80 grit will leave a mess of them. __________________ Remington 700/Savage Rebarreling /Action Blueprinting 07 FFL /Mosin-Nagant Custom Shop/Bent Bolts Genuine Cerakote Applicator www.biggorillagunworks.com

October 10, 2017, 01:45 PM	#14
Tony Z Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2013 Location: North Central Pennsyltucky Posts: 749	Use a card scraper.

October 10, 2017, 02:58 PM	#15
Smoke & Recoil Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: East shore of Lake Michigan. Posts: 714	Hey, no other old-timers on here that remembers using broken glass as a "card" ? Nice thing is, you can use the various shapes of broken glass for curves too. __________________ Sent from my Tandy 1000

October 10, 2017, 03:06 PM	#16
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Or you could send it to me and make it easy on yourself... No sweat. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 10, 2017, 07:58 PM	#17
bandanabandit1 Member Join Date: April 13, 2013 Posts: 25	Get a damp rag and put a hot iron on it for a second to create steam. That should raise the grain enough that youll be able to sand the marks out.

October 13, 2017, 03:37 PM	#19
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	If you use sandpaper, use a block. You might try literally flooding it with methyl ethyl ketone but that will still probably not work. These things are permanent. They are meant to withstand anything, even years in the sun. If it's sharpie it's penetrated a bit, it will be a heavy pigment or aniline dye, neither will wash out or bleach. __________________ None.

October 15, 2017, 07:46 PM	#20
WIN71 Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Posts: 729	I would suggest Scorch's plan A couple of things. The O.P's stock looks like a low grade piece of wood that was stained and then finished with something semi clear. Obviously it could have been finished with a one step stain/finish. Stain to make it dark like higher grade walnut. Refinishing, that will at least look good, can only be done after the stock has been taken down to bare wood and the marks eliminated during the overall sanding. If you simply sand, scrape, or try to wash out the ink with some sort of concoction and put some finish over everything, nothing will match. The ink ugliness will turn into something bigger and more noticeable. Short of very dark staining that part of the stock will never look like the rest of the stock. There are exceptions for damage repair. If you know what the original finish was. I.e., Oil, spar varnish, wax, etc. It's possible to do a small repair to be un noticeable. As far as glass scrapers, that's a new one on me and I'm 73. I have all of my grandfathers high carbon steel scrapers. Some have various radius curves, some look like they were made from worn out hand plane blades with the edge turned to scrape. Made and used prior to sand paper and electric powered hand tools. All of the finish carpenters that had their apples together to skillfully use them are long dead. I use them only to get the old finish off of something. Then I cheat with sandpaper. Usually with sandpaper attached something that plugs into power. __________________ Air goes in and out. Blood goes 'round and 'round. Any variation on this is a very bad thing. 개인 정보를 보호하십시요

October 15, 2017, 08:10 PM	#21
NateKirk Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2013 Location: Detroit Posts: 435	Sanding, alcohol, then soak in linseed oil __________________ “Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".” ― --Thomas Jefferson

October 15, 2017, 08:23 PM	#22
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Acetone. Use it outdoors away from any possible ignition source, (No smoking!)! Use a cotton terry-cloth rag, sopping wet with the acetone, rub briskly and repeat. Keep wetting the rag with more acetone as it evaporates quickly. It shouldn't take more than ten minutes, max, maybe only five. Give it another five to ten minutes to evaporate from the stock before staining with a nice medium to dark Walnut stain and let that dry for several hours, maybe overnight. Then hand rub it with Teakwood oil, let dry overnight and repeat with another rubbing of Teakwood oil. But remember: Acetone; its other name is dimethyl ketone, hence the other advice to use Methyl Ethyl Ketone is your second best choice. I think Acetone is environmentally and biologically the safest effective product to use, but very flammable. It's drying time is near zero as it evaporates in seconds before your eyes. Want to know more? Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone

October 17, 2017, 12:15 PM	#23
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Are you close to a woodcraft? They have wood bleach. That is your best bet to remove it. If acceptable I recommend you try thw general finishes gel stain in the shade java. That will darken the stock so those marks blend while retaining the grain.

October 20, 2017, 04:12 AM	#24
Tony Z Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2013 Location: North Central Pennsyltucky Posts: 749	Regarding scrapers, over 40+ years ago, I started out in woodworking trades, served an apprenticeship (4 years), left the trade around 1990, and started my manufacturing plant (powder metal, metaltech-pm.com) where I remain today. Anyhow, through the years, I've used a variety of scrapers, both carbon steel and glass. For an uninitiated novice, I would try my hand at a steel card scraper, (curved). Look for one as thin and flexible as possible. Glass definietly will work, but one must be careful to not have any uneven or otherwise jagged edge, lest you created a gouge in the stock. Plus, there is a high likelihood of unintentonally dyeing part of the stock a bright red. For a novice, I would try working my way up through grits of sandpaper, making sure to absolutely stay with the grain and not missing a grit. When you think you're done, have another go at it with the finest paper you got, then wet the stock with mineral spirits to see if you have any scratches going cross-grain. But for me, if the face of the stock is flat, I would carefully experimeny with a scraper, first making sure the stock is firmly held, with you standing at the butt end, pulling the scraper towards you (lighly, till you get the hang of it). You get it to cut by tilting the top towards you, while pulling towards you. Get a scraper with a prepared edge, otherwise you will need to do that chore. Someone mentioned Woodcraft, and you should be able to find one there for about $10.00. Any further wuestions, PM me and I'll try to help.