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Simply from a collector's standpoint gentlemen, any refinishing you do to a stock ruins it. It may ruin it to your particular taste, and that's fine (either way you choose to refinish it). As long as you don't refinish a stock and try to pass it on as original, do what you like...
 
Hey guys, thought I would ask, what is your favorite way to strip varnish off a rifle stock, the rifle in question is CMP M1 Garand that has had the stock varnished by the previous owner, it looks nice but I want to return it to the BLO look, any hints greatly appreciated, by the way the stock is a Boyds replacement so no worries on damaging a original issue stock. thanks.Scott:s0131:

If you plan on sanding this stock then scraping is one choice. I've always gotten better results using a chemical stripper to remove varnish. My product of choice is Citristrip as it does not effect the wood. On mil-surp stocks that have a BLO finish after the varnish is removed I well steam all traces of cosmoline and then the dents as much as possible. Then I clean them with a 50/50 mix of BLO and turpentine using a stiff toothbrush. This cleans the old dried up BLO out of the dings. Normal BLO application after that.

These stocks are between 50 and 70 years old, several were almost black before I refinished them.
collection01.jpg
 
If you plan on sanding this stock then scraping is one choice. I've always gotten better results using a chemical stripper to remove varnish. My product of choice is Citristrip as it does not effect the wood. On mil-surp stocks that have a BLO finish after the varnish is removed I well steam all traces of cosmoline and then the dents as much as possible. Then I clean them with a 50/50 mix of BLO and turpentine using a stiff toothbrush. This cleans the old dried up BLO out of the dings. Normal BLO application after that.

These stocks are between 50 and 70 years old, several were almost black before I refinished them.
collection01.jpg

Those are nice! :s0155:
 
Thank you sir, it's a passion to bring these old gals back. I need to sell a few, I'm running out of room.

Several countries SOP was to grease the wood. These can be challenging to get clean again. I'm amazed at the cartouches take come up with a good cleaning and steaming.

Yugos01.jpg

The Swiss used a lot of grease on their K-31's.
View attachment 206351

This rifle didn't show the tiger strip when I first got it. I wish I found this under every one of them.
k3102.jpg
 
Gunner3456, I can see and agree with what you and Mountain Bear are saying about chemical removers. I have a Remington Sportsmaster Model 341-P with a pretty beat up stock that I would like to make my first refinish. My question is what are the chances that I, as a first time re-finisher, would be able to scrape my stock clean without further damaging it. Also if you think I could manage it are there any video tutorials that you know of that would help me through the process. Thanks.
 

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