Stripping factory finish from wood grips

[TEXVET]

I recently purchased a Model 66-0. Apparently the previous owner may have been a mechanic. The gun had black sandy grease in all of the major cervices. The grips are grimy and rather dark from greasy hands (?), anyway I would like to refinish them.
A used gun dealer I know recommends soaking the stocks in acetone for a couple of days and then using a toothbrush to remove the finish. I have refinished a couple of rifles, but never revolver stocks. What is the most recommended method to remove old grimy stains without damaging the S&W medallions and wood?
Thanks.

 

[arjay]

Acetone soak for several hours and a toothbrush followed by careful sanding w/350 grit paper if needed has worked for me.

 

[hardcase60]

TEXVET,

Let me state that I am NOT an authority on stock/grip refinishing, but I have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. However, the accepted practice for removing the old finish is just as you described. I recently acquired a Model 66 and wanted to "clean-up" the stocks. Did my research and decided the first step should be to wash them in solution of Murphy's Oil Soap, using my wife's tooth brush to clean out the checkering. Never use your own tooth brush. The bottom line was when they dried there was about 2% of the original finish left in some obscure spots. EVERYTHING I thought was finish was not, it was dirt and oil. You might get lucky and have a nice finish under all the grime but don't be shocked like I was. Either way it will make the acetone bath a breeze.
hardcase60

 

[Cardboard_killer]

I would avoid an acetone bath if possible. I use a citrus strip spray from Lowes/walmart. It is relatively benign, but will get rid of the finish and crud. I have used acetone baths in the past, but only to get rid of oil soaked in the wood, not the surface finish. The oil destroys the wood eventually, which is one reason you want to seal the grips after stripping them.

An alternative to acetone bath is a mineral spirits bath. Takes longer but is easier on the wood. I use denatured alcohol to wipe everything down.

 

[dfariswheel]

In the past I've used lacquer thinner (Acetone) or Formby's Furniture Stripper.

I'd soak the grips in lacquer thinner for 20 minutes or so then start brushing with a solvent-proof toothbrush. Usually I could have the old finish stripped in less than 45 minutes, unless it was an epoxy type finish.

As above, I'd first try a wood cleaner, not a stripper to see if all you have are dirty grips that don't need a refinish.

 

[Ranger98]

Hardcase,I like that idea of using the wife's tooth brush..have to remember that in the future

 

[jepp2]

In the past I've used lacquer thinner (Acetone) or Formby's Furniture Stripper.

Lacquer thinner and acetone are different solvents.

Feel free to use whatever you like. However acetone is the normal way folks strip the factory finish from grips and stocks. I just put them in a loaf pan, use enough acetone to cover the grips and cover it with aluminum foil. If your wood has oil, let them soak overnight. If not, a couple of hours and most of the finish will already be gone. Light brushing with a toothbrush and you will have bare wood. I do wear gloves and do this task outside. Here is how they will look after stripping with acetone.

[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/Gripsafterstripping.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[hardcase60]

Hardcase,I like that idea of using the wife's tooth brush..have to remember that in the future

Be sure to rinse it good!! Otherwise they can get really obnoxious, don't ask me how I know.....

hardcase60

 

[Ranger98]

I can't imagine why ..

 

[jimmyj]

Oily fingerprints from a mechanic ?
An old timer once told me that an easy way to determine if your wife/girlfriend is "Fooling Around" with a mechanic is she will have oily fingerprints all over her.

 

[Cardboard_killer]

I'm not sure what the "regular" way to do it, but here's the link to citrus strip.
Citristrip 1/2-gal. Safer Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel-HCG73803T at The Home Depot

 

[hardcase60]

Oily fingerprints from a mechanic ?
An old timer once told me that an easy way to determine if your wife/girlfriend is "Fooling Around" with a mechanic is she will have oily fingerprints all over her.

That explains a lot. Found them on my wife, a bottle of Jack Daniels and one of my guns. Thanks for the tip.

hardcase60

 

[gaowlpoop]

Easy-Off oven cleaner for greasy tuff.

 

[dfariswheel]

I strongly DIS-recommend oven cleaner.
It seriously damages wood fibers.

A couple of years ago a US Forestry wood expert posted some pictures on a site showing microscope pictures of just how badly oven cleaner damages wood.

This was after it became popular to clean M1 rifle stocks with it.

 

[329]

No oven cleaner, no acetone. Get some liquid laundry soap and mix a strong concentrate in a bucket and scrub with a heavy duty scrub brush then see what you have to work with. Remember if you strip them you have to get all the finish out of the checkering otherwise the new coat will not stay on. I have good luck with the citrus strippers but I would not want to have to clean all the groves of the checkering.

 

[Hill_Country]

OK, don't use oven cleaner on stocks. Gotit.

I guess it is OK for taking greasy fingerprints off the wife, though. The acetone will ruin her nail job so don't use that on her.

 

[arjay]

just a little though, it will really dry out her skin :-D

 

[southernpride]

I refinished this set of Targets grips and I soaked mine in acetone for a couple of hours. Then cleaned the checkering with a toothpaste. Then I sanded them down with 0000 steel wool. Try to avoid the checkering and the medallion. You can put masking tape over them if you like. I then applied four or five thin coats of Boiled linseed oil. Letting dry good between each coat, also sanding lightly between each coat. You can also use tru oil if you like.

 

[TEXVET]

Thanks guys for the reassurance.
I guess I have a project for this weekend.

I like Hardcase. I used to work with a fellow who had the same kind of sense of humor. You never knew what he was going to come up with next.

 

[TEXVET]

Update on progress.
I bought the Acetone and a small paint can. I placed the stocks in the bottom of the can and then poured the Acetone in the can. The Acetone completely covered the stocks. The stocks have been soaking for two days. I checked this morning and nothing has happened. The finish is still as it was when I first put them in the Acetone, except they now get a white haze as the Acetone dries.
A close look has revealed the stocks may have been refinished before. There is a shiny glaze on the wood that would not have come from S&W.
Acetone appears to have no affect on this finish. I am thinking that some kind of paint stripper may be the only course of action at this point. I have used paint strippers on wood furniture before. You always sand and prep the wood prior to applying another finish after using paint strippers.
Will paint stripper damage the wood grain or checkering on these stock?
Anyone have any other ideas prior to me trying this?

 

[tjtoolbox]

Update on progress.
I bought the Acetone and a small paint can. I placed the stocks in the bottom of the can and then poured the Acetone in the can. The Acetone completely covered the stocks. The stocks have been soaking for two days. I checked this morning and nothing has happened. The finish is still as it was when I first put them in the Acetone, except they now get a white haze as the Acetone dries.
A close look has revealed the stocks may have been refinished before. There is a shiny glaze on the wood that would not have come from S&W.
Acetone appears to have no affect on this finish. I am thinking that some kind of paint stripper may be the only course of action at this point. I have used paint strippers on wood furniture before. You always sand and prep the wood prior to applying another finish after using paint strippers.
Will paint stripper damage the wood grain or checkering on these stock?
Anyone have any other ideas prior to me trying this?

Epoxy will leave a white haze on wood when acetone evaporates. If it was an epoxy sealer than you will have to soak the grips in acetone for a longer time to break down the epoxy. Acetone will not hurt the wood, may bleach some of the natural color out, but will not change the size of the grips like soap + water. I work with acetone and woods every day, solvents are what I use in my work environment, Boat Carpenter, Fiberglass Repair.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Epoxy will leave a white haze on wood when it evaporates. If it was an epoxy sealer than you will have to soak the grips in acetone for a longer time to break down the epoxy. Acetone will not hurt the wood, may bleach some of the natural color out, but will not change the size of the grips like soap + water. I work with acetone and woods every day, solvents are what I use in my work environment, Boat Carpenter, Fiberglass Repair.

Also have some grips to refinish, was also was trying to avoid acetone.
Does acetone remove all kinds of finishes? How long can you leave the grips in the acetone before you start losing wood color? Thanks for the help on this.

 

[arjay]

I leave the stocks in acetone for a few hours and use a toothbrush to scrub them and resoak as needed.That length of time won't bleach the wood.Acetone seems to be the best solvent on S&W grips that Ive tried.Mineral spirits work on an oil finish and lacquer thinner for a lacquer finish.

 

[chuck8388]

Acetone work smart not harder!

 

[tjtoolbox]

Also have some grips to refinish, was also was trying to avoid acetone.
Does acetone remove all kinds of finishes? How long can you leave the grips in the acetone before you start losing wood color? Thanks for the help on this.

Acetone will remove a lot of oil based finishes, Lacquer thinner will take off the rest, very nasty solvent. I would leave the grips in a Acetone bath for about 2 hrs. check for finish that is gone, give another soaking for another 2 if finish is not gone. Repeat process until all the finish is gone. Acetone will bleach out the wood if left for too long unless you want to bleach them a little. The longer that they soak the better that the acetone has to break down the oils in wood.

 

[gaowlpoop]

Try RUST-OLEUM Aircraft Remover. It takes most things off.

 

[TEXVET]

I looked at the stocks again this morning. Today makes three days the stocks have been submerged in the acetone. No change.
The wood appears to be darker than all of my other S&W stocks. It appears to be almost like pecan or walnut. If I remember my high school woodshop, those are darker brown woods.
The stocks still have a slight gloss to the finish. I see no apparent bleaching of the wood.
I believe the previous owner stained the wood and then put lacquer or some other sealer/finish on the wood.
As far as the Rust-Oleum. I guess if it will remove an airplane, it must be some pretty tough stuff. (LOL).

 

[glowe]

I looked at the stocks again this morning. Today makes three days the stocks have been submerged in the acetone. No change.
The wood appears to be darker than all of my other S&W stocks. It appears to be almost like pecan or walnut. If I remember my high school woodshop, those are darker brown woods. The stocks still have a slight gloss to the finish. I see no apparent bleaching of the wood.
I believe the previous owner stained the wood and then put lacquer or some other sealer/finish on the wood.
As far as the Rust-Oleum. I guess if it will remove an airplane, it must be some pretty tough stuff. (LOL).

About the only finish that Acetone will not tackle is an epoxy finish. If someone actually used an epoxy finish on those stocks, I doubt that anything will touch it. If a high quality polyurethane, I would try using a standard paint remover. MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone) in most paint removers does a better job of softening tough finishes than acetone.

Secondly, if the wood is soaked through with oils, it will take several "baths" to remove most of the oil. As you remove the stocks from Acetone, let it totally dry each time. Acetone will pull the oils from the interior as it evaporates, but simply soaking once will probably not migrate all the oils to the surface with just one drying.

Dark stained woods will lighten with a brief soaking in Chlorox. Let is soak for 5 minutes and rinse and let dry.

Good luck.