how to take old stain off stock?

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:13 am

I have a Winchester SRC that someone has put a heavy stain over the original finish. What is the best way, or is there, to remove this coating and leave as much of the original finish as possible?

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:55 am

In a not obvious place, experiment to find a substance that will cut the stain and leave the finish...Using a q-tip, try alcohol, water, or naptha. Sometimes deionized water will remove stuff with a lot of elbow grease.

cutter · Post by **cutter** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:46 am

It depends on the finish. Some finishes must be scraped off, or ate away with a paste style paint remover.
You may be able to save the original finish, but maybe not. Definately follow octogon's advice.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:16 pm

Stain soaks into the wood, and the only way to remove it is to sand off the top layer of wood. This is probably what the original finish is - stain only.

I have had good luck with the paste-style paint remover on guitars and such, it bleaches the wood a little but doesn't remove any wood, and the thick lacquer varnish scrapes right off.

Don't try this without testing, but I saw a hot gun paint remover at Wal Mart that heats up paint so it flakes off. That may work without changing the color of the original stain.

You can always re-stain it if you don't like the color you get after removing the varnish.

homefront · Post by **homefront** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 5:04 pm

1) Paint remover and steel wool, 2-3 times, follow directions (also be sure to wear gloves and eye protection)

2) 120, 220, 400 grit sandpaper