Krag Collectors Association Forum

if you want to strip a stock, try citristrip. i take the stock and slather it with citristrip and i put the stock down an the heel and fore-end(upside down for those of us who have to look it up!!!! ) on a sheet of aluminium foil. then places grocery bags(3 or 4) on top of stock. i wait 24+/- hours, then i wipe it off using paper towels and two or three squirts of mean green. repeat if necessary. i never have to do it a 3rd time.

http://www.citristrip.com/

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catal ... ti-purpose

to finish the stock:
1. steam out the scratches
2. 400 grit sand paper over the entire stock
3. 4 ought steel wool over the entire stock
4. wipe it down with tack cloth
5. min-wax antique oil(3 - 7 coats, depends on your taste) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdAhnS_ ... osJoeWRhea
6. (optional) pumice stone over the entire stock
7. (optional) rotten stone over the entire stock
sorry about the picture
this is a 93 spanish mauser stock(1924 i think). its now on step 5 and i'm waiting for it to dry(the 4th coat). i'm on the fence to do step 6 and 7. i did a dark walnut oil paste coat to fill up some of the scratches (2 coats). (to use in between step 2 and step 3)

Here is a photo of the Krag stock stripped of finish. About 10 minutes work using Krud Kutter. Spray it on, let sit 5 minutes and wipe off with wet rag. A crack is visible starting at the corner of the dove tail joint and the joint itself has a gap I can slide a .002 feeler gage into.

Any suggestions as to the degree of repair I should be planning? That dove tail joint might present a problem if I decide to pursue removing and re gluing that piece.

Nice job of stripping old finish.

I took the liberty of editing your picture. The green arrow indicates the seam of the added 'pistol-grip'. The red arrow indicates a split in the original wood, probably caused by the tight fit of the added-on grip.

I would not worry too much about that split and just work some 'epoxy-bedding' or wood-glue & walnut 'sawdust' into any open seams or cracks. A bronze brush and appropriate small files could clean-up any damaged 'checkering-diamonds.'

This restoration project has been going smoothly for the most part. I sharpened up the checkering with a tool set I bought online, steamed out as many dents as I could and have begun the coats of Minwax Tung Oil finish. It's starting to look much better.

I disassembled some of the major parts of the action and have begun blueing operations with the goal of maintaining a well used look instead of a new look, and I've run into a problem.

The magazine cover is not taking blueing like it should, despite multiple cleaning steps and a soak in Blue/rust removal solution. Upon close inspection it appears to have been electroplated, possibly with Nickel and has rust through spots and worn edges that are visible under 10X.

My questions are:

1) is there an electrochemical stripping process I can use to strip the nickel without paying a fortune for chemicals?

2) Is there a source for a NOS or serviceable magazine cover?

Thanks for any help!

This restoration project has been going smoothly for the most part. I sharpened up the checkering with a tool set I bought online, steamed out as many dents as I could and have begun the coats of Minwax Tung Oil finish. It's starting to look much better.

I disassembled some of the major parts of the action and have begun blueing operations with the goal of maintaining a well used look instead of a new look, and I've run into a problem.

The magazine cover is not taking blueing like it should, despite multiple cleaning steps and a soak in Blue/rust removal solution. Upon close inspection it appears to have been electroplated, possibly with Nickel and has rust through spots and worn edges that are visible under 10X.

My questions are:

1) is there an electrochemical stripping process I can use to strip the nickel without paying a fortune for chemicals?

2) Is there a source for a NOS or serviceable magazine cover?

Thanks for any help!

For the loading gate you could try the vendors in our classifieds and ebay and gunbroker and Gunparts corp.

'Texas10' - The U.S. Krag Receiver, Magazine-Gate and Side-Plate were originally case-hardened and not 'blued' at Springfield Armory.

The surface hardness is likely why those parts are not evenly responding to your 'bluing' efforts.

With wear and exposure to sunlight, the original Krag case-hardening takes on a faded and silvery appearance. I doubt that your parts are "plated".

IMHO - The Magazine- Gate in your photo is typical of the worn finish of an 'experienced' Krag. (I've come to like it)!

The attached pictures show:
1. A presentation Krag with an original 'rust blued' butt-plate and case-hardened butt-trap.
2. A nicely done 'sporter' with faded case-colors on receiver and side-plate.