I would use glue instead of putty. You want to strengthen and stabilize the crack, so it will not end up splitting someday. Putty provides no adhesion. I would suggest a clear Gorilla Glue or gel Super Glue. Work it into and fill the cracks to provide exceptional strength. Easy to smooth out. Let's face it, the crack will not go away unless you actually bend the stock back to flat, but that could split it. These stocks originally had a high gloss finish, so a few applications of Tru-Oil will provide the same appearance. No harm, no foul and I think it will increase the appeal and appearance of the gun.
Gary,
Spot on that that crack needs to be flushed and cleaned. As tight at the crack may be, can't use any serious abrasives. Sort of limited to different stiffness and thickness brushes.
I wouldn't be afraid to submerge the both of the stock (because they will have to match when the job is done) overnight with one of the suggested finish removers / stripper and it should just roll off with the whisk of an old toothbrush. Key here is they need to flushed / neutralized even better than they were soaked in the remover.
Weren't the original vintage factory finish, after proper preparation, sanding and perhaps rubbing ... a shellac type base. Organic and natural, of course. No synthetics back then. I have seen some very skillfully redone using a modern synthetic shellac that doesn't yellow over time, nor peel ... if the preparation was done correctly.
I once ventured to do a vintage pair in automotive (remember I had a auto restoration shop) urethane clear with a little extra reducer to dry slower and flatter, done in 2-3 light coats instead of going for the gusto in one thicker coat.
That urethane clear method works "aces" on more modern smooth S&W Stocks, (e.g. the combat grips) to rave reviews where it would not be proper for checkered stocks. But the hard part of removing the medallions to do a proper job, it seems the backyard / basement gunsmith enthusiast usually does not do.
If the medallions on the newer grips need to be changed there are several types out there available. You would prefer the originals, of course, but there are so many available that are not (I feel) original S&W parts.
The key is to look into the S&W emblem for sharp detail compared to an original. Most of the replacement medallions I've seen offered for sale eare "soft" as if they could have been casted from an original then remake from the copy cast. I "lucked" into a small bag of about 20 with washers many years ago. These are the modern type, e.g. 1950s to 1980s appx.
Spraying the urethane on too thick makes it appear trashy, I think. But when done properly are nearly equivalent to show pieces.
If a vintage smooth set of stocks were nice enough I would just hand rub them (after the original finish has been stripped off carefully and any tiny nicks lightly sanded out) with a Roper method / tip he wrote in one of is books ... suggested to revive a set of dulling Roper stocks. Not exactly sure (without reference in hand) but was a few drops of something (shellac ? ) mixed in with lemon oil * ?? emphasizing on the RUBBING (laborious) part of the process. * was it lemon oil ? Please correct me on this if you recall something similar.
On the checkered stocks I'd use nitro-cellulose lacquer clear mixed extremely light / thin but that is now nearly impossible to find unless you get it imported from Europe.
If you see a set of dry 1970s (or there about) checkered stocks turning whitish, they were finished with acrylic lacquer clear. This comes right off when you need to redo a set of this type stock with a light brushing and no chemicals. while you may still see hints of the whitish acrylic lacquer a new light coat will melt that back in or over that it would be undetectable. You can likely get away with just making an adhesive perfectly round masking dot to cover the medallion on these.
A few German car manufactures still used nitrocellulose Lacquer clear on certain small applications, but not for full auto finishes any more. The Urethanes win out, hands down, over the older finishes where as Poly-Urethane and Epoxy paints are just too much for this application, I feel.
Nitro-cellulose lacquer soon became antiquated after the advent of Acrylic-Lacquer (for auto applications) sometime in the 1940s IIRC. Main reason is that it dries so much faster. What some refinishers overlook is that while it dries to the touch, quickly, you cannot pile it on coat after coat in rapid succession. It needs to harden "through" to cure and base properly.
In olden days the biggest time consumed by Ford in finishing his cars was the use of Enamel paint which takes forever to cure even when force-cured with lamps and or heat (baked). But, when dry .. (if sprayed correctly) lays flat and requires no buffing. Enamel is a nightmare to buff because it usually becomes gummy (no matter how old or how cured) with the heat of buffing. This frustrating and laborious buffing process on enamel is exceeded only with buffing out Poly Urethane because it becomes ROCK hard when cured. It is almost as laborious as buffing out marble or granite.
