Advice on refinishing wood?

Sporterized and unofficial modified Krags
MosbyRidge
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 am

Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by MosbyRidge »

I just bought a sporterized Krag which had previously been refinished. The markings had been sanded off by a previous owner, so I'm not concerned about damaging an original finish. Im not wanting to remove dings, scratches, and dents in the wood. Just wanting to have a smoother finish on top of the wear. I don't like that the current finish is sticky either.

I've only finished one gun stock before from bare wood and in general I'm not all to familiar with wood finishing. I was thinking that I could maybe burnish the old finish with acetone and scotch bright, then apply a layer of BLO. Is there another / a better way of going about this?

Also, I'm a little nervous to work with my handgaurd which is split down the middle. Any advice there?

Pictures are of finish blemishes and of cracked handgaurd.

Thanks!
20220602_124341.jpg
20220602_124341.jpg (939.94 KiB) Viewed 1523 times
20220602_124319.jpg
20220602_124319.jpg (971.26 KiB) Viewed 1523 times
20220602_124308.jpg
20220602_124308.jpg (994.2 KiB) Viewed 1523 times
20220531_145513.jpg
20220531_145513.jpg (910.88 KiB) Viewed 1523 times

Online
User avatar
butlersrangers
Posts: 9827
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by butlersrangers »

'MosbyRidge' - Let's set the bar high! This is how beautiful things use to look.
Attachments
Krag long wrist 92-96.jpg
Krag long wrist 92-96.jpg (482.64 KiB) Viewed 1512 times

MosbyRidge
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 am

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by MosbyRidge »

I'd love to and may someday!

Still waiting on that grant money :D

Online
User avatar
butlersrangers
Posts: 9827
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by butlersrangers »

Handguard, stock-bedding epoxy or wood glue, and 30 cents:
Attachments
ridge - 1892 handguard.jpeg
ridge - 1892 handguard.jpeg (159.48 KiB) Viewed 1508 times
krag-HG30cnts.jpg
krag-HG30cnts.jpg (75.7 KiB) Viewed 1508 times

MosbyRidge
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 am

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by MosbyRidge »

I like that and may try it out very soon!

Thank you!

Whig
Posts: 1992
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by Whig »

To repair hand guards, and I have done a few, it is necessary to remove some of the tightness and excess bend that has developed in the spring clips. You can't re-glue or epoxy the crack without doing this. I have a couple of larger nuts that are the right size, trial and error, to open the clips up and bend them out slightly which I leave in a few weeks while glue or epoxy dries in the cracks. You need to clean out the cracks carefully and wipe the wood good with denatured alcohol. This will remove old varnish and oils that might prevent the glue from sticking well. Those clips, if left tight, will often just re=open the crack after gluing. I have had this frustrating issue happen numerous times! Go slow. You don't want to break them or bend them open too much.

The wood on your Krag looks heavy with varnish. You can remove this totally with good wipe downs with denatured alcohol. When the wetted wood is no longer sticky after applying the alcohol, the varnish is all gone. After a thorough drying, then some repeated wiping with generous amounts of BLO will make the Krag stock look wonderful. It's not the exact finish used by Springfield Armory but you will be quite pleased!

Hope that helps a little. I love fixing stock finishes when they have been heavily soiled with oils or covered in varnish or other crap. I like the darker look that repeated wipe downs with BLO gives except on yellow Italian Walnut Krag stocks. Those don't darken as much but still look great with good BLO.

Keep us informed of your progress.

MosbyRidge
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 am

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by MosbyRidge »

I got excited and started before seeing your post. I will correct the mistake when it breaks

I already have BLO and will pick up some denatured alcohol this weekend. I can't wait to get a better finish on this.

Thank you for the knowledge!
20220602_194128.jpg
20220602_194128.jpg (809.37 KiB) Viewed 1499 times
20220602_194154.jpg
20220602_194154.jpg (718.86 KiB) Viewed 1499 times

Whig
Posts: 1992
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by Whig »

Let it dry well. See what happens. Don't get discouraged. Takes patience and some experience. Many of us learned through simple trial and error before researching and learning from others' advice.

MosbyRidge
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 am

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by MosbyRidge »

I'll give it a few days and see what happens. I know how to fix it!

Online
User avatar
butlersrangers
Posts: 9827
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Advice on refinishing wood?

Post by butlersrangers »

'MosbyRidge' - As Whig mentioned, the Krag handguard 'spring-clips' are rather strong.
(Some loose handguards have reportedly split, when left for a period of time 'off the barrel').

It is wise to store a handguard with a Quarter twisted into the rear spring and a Nickel or Penny twisted into the front spring. This counterbalances the inward spring pressure. It can easily give an idea of how wide the split is.
It can tension the wood 'closed', while wood glue or bedding epoxy dries and hardens.

It is better to avoid a problem, than repair it. Never 'snap' Krag handguards on or off the barrel.

Take off the rear-sight, take off the stock, slide the handguard toward the muzzle, until the barrel-taper allows easy removal. Do the opposite to install the handguard.
Replacement handguards have gotten very hard to find and expensive to buy.

Your model 1892 handguard is a good piece to learn on. The original sight-opening has been lengthened (not officially) so that it accommodates the present model 1902 sight.

Krag handguards are sight specific; your handguard originally would have fit closely around the model 1892 and 1896 sight bases.

To strip and clean old finishes, I start with cotton rags damp with mineral spirits or turpentine.
If it turns out to be something synthetic, 'varnish or paint-like', I will use 'scotch-brite' pads damp with Formby's furniture stripper. I go slow, following the grain and not rounding edges. I wipe off crud often with paper-toweling to monitor progress.

When ready to finish, I darken the wood with stain, if needed. Original black walnut Krag stocks were darkened a reddish-brown at Springfield Armory with Logwood stain.

I finish with linseed, tongue, or lemon oil, sometimes mixed with turpentine. Wood can be refreshed with Pledge, wood paneling polish or Howard's Wax and Feed.

Attached photos of a model 1892 sight and a 1902 sight and handguard. (The model 1902 is a much better sight).
Attachments
krag-model 1892 sight with screws.jpg
krag-model 1892 sight with screws.jpg (79.76 KiB) Viewed 1493 times
carbine sight 1902 b.jpg
carbine sight 1902 b.jpg (118.26 KiB) Viewed 1493 times
Last edited by butlersrangers on Fri Jun 03, 2022 3:11 am, edited 2 times in total.

Post Reply