mystery finish.....

Rave · 04-19-2004, 08:56 AM

When stripping AK's and SKS's there seems to be a bit of difficulty removing the "varnish",the problem that the finish,at least on Chinese weapons,is that it is not varnish,it is shellac,and can be easily removed with denatured alcohol,really easily!
Enjoy!

Rufus Rhastus J · 04-19-2004, 09:04 AM

Speaking of a certain SKS......

NRAJOE · 04-19-2004, 09:21 AM

I use Acetone....pffft! Gone!

Rave · 04-19-2004, 12:02 PM

Acetone does it all,careful with it.:nod:

Rave · 04-19-2004, 12:05 PM

UUUUUMMMMMM,about that certain SKS.....OH YEAH!

whirlwind · 04-20-2004, 12:30 AM

my method of stock stripping is way less technical...i spray easy off oven cleaner on it ,wait 10 minutes then hose off...POOF! even the dirtiest mosin finish goes away leaving only the bare wood behind!

Rave · 04-20-2004, 08:09 AM

Very good,lots of ideas,now we're cookin"!

Dale · 04-20-2004, 09:22 AM

Yeah, whirlwind, but Easy Off don't cut shellac does it?

I know it works well on oily finishes but does it stand up to shellac?

whirlwind · 04-20-2004, 11:09 AM

good question...i cant say i know if any of the rifles i have refinished had shelac or not...but if they did it worked great!

what milsurp rifles have shelac? i dont think i would even know how to tell a shelac finish from any other. if mosins,swedish mausers,chilean mausers,garands,sks's are shelac'd then i know it works on it.

jerry · 04-20-2004, 03:48 PM

I'm still working on that SKS stock. I'll have to try a couple of the suggestions. The thing is driving me nuts. I've finished stocks before, but this stuff is from the bowels of H3!!

The pic shows how splotchy it's been so far. I'm about embarrased to show this. It's ticking me off!

7mmag6 · 04-20-2004, 04:48 PM

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=115102

Oxford · 04-20-2004, 06:09 PM

As you most likely already know, be really careful when working with acetone and/or lacquer thinner. It's highly flammable.

As far as the stock looking splotchy, Jerry, it looks like the stain has soaked in deeper in some spots.

If you decide to re-do the finish again, after the bulk of the finish is off, try rubbing a fine bristled wire brush over those dark spots, but strictly with the grain. That might take out some of the old stain which could be still in the open grain of the wood.

:nod:

jerry · 04-20-2004, 06:10 PM

:right:
I'll get her there.

Snakebite · 04-20-2004, 06:47 PM

Yup. Acetone is good stuff. I've used it to LIGHTLY clean stocks followed by some super fine steel wool and then some wax. Never know the stock was ever worked on. Makes em look original, just clean.
I'm sure it would dissolve the shellac. It dissolves everything else!

04-19-2004, 08:56 AM	#1
Rave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,859	mystery finish..... When stripping AK's and SKS's there seems to be a bit of difficulty removing the "varnish",the problem that the finish,at least on Chinese weapons,is that it is not varnish,it is shellac,and can be easily removed with denatured alcohol,really easily! Enjoy!

04-19-2004, 09:04 AM	#2
Rufus Rhastus J Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West, Central Florida, Third World America Posts: 6,339 Images: 1	Hummmmmmm! Speaking of a certain SKS...... __________________ "They cannot be trusted.....The Romulans (our politicos) are without honor." Worf

04-19-2004, 09:21 AM	#3
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,043 Images: 3	I use Acetone....pffft! Gone! __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

04-20-2004, 12:30 AM	#6
whirlwind Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: oklahoma Posts: 3,737 Images: 1	my method of stock stripping is way less technical...i spray easy off oven cleaner on it ,wait 10 minutes then hose off...POOF! even the dirtiest mosin finish goes away leaving only the bare wood behind! __________________ De oppresso liber !

04-20-2004, 09:22 AM	#8
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	Yeah, whirlwind, but Easy Off don't cut shellac does it? I know it works well on oily finishes but does it stand up to shellac? __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

04-19-2004, 12:02 PM	#4
Rave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,859	Acetone does it all,careful with it.:nod:

04-19-2004, 12:05 PM	#5
Rave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,859	UUUUUMMMMMM,about that certain SKS.....OH YEAH!

04-20-2004, 08:09 AM	#7
Rave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,859	Very good,lots of ideas,now we're cookin"!

04-20-2004, 11:09 AM	#9
whirlwind Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: oklahoma Posts: 3,737 Images: 1	good question...i cant say i know if any of the rifles i have refinished had shelac or not...but if they did it worked great! what milsurp rifles have shelac? i dont think i would even know how to tell a shelac finish from any other. if mosins,swedish mausers,chilean mausers,garands,sks's are shelac'd then i know it works on it. __________________ De oppresso liber !

04-20-2004, 03:48 PM	#10
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,870 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	Thanks! I'm still working on that SKS stock. I'll have to try a couple of the suggestions. The thing is driving me nuts. I've finished stocks before, but this stuff is from the bowels of H3!! The pic shows how splotchy it's been so far. I'm about embarrased to show this. It's ticking me off! __________________ I'm a down home back woods redneck Last edited by jerry; 07-14-2007 at 02:22 PM.

04-20-2004, 04:48 PM	#11
7mmag6 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 337 Images: 1	http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=115102 __________________ This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine

04-20-2004, 06:09 PM	#12
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,021 Blog Entries: 4	As you most likely already know, be really careful when working with acetone and/or lacquer thinner. It's highly flammable. As far as the stock looking splotchy, Jerry, it looks like the stain has soaked in deeper in some spots. If you decide to re-do the finish again, after the bulk of the finish is off, try rubbing a fine bristled wire brush over those dark spots, but strictly with the grain. That might take out some of the old stain which could be still in the open grain of the wood. :nod: __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

04-20-2004, 06:10 PM	#13
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,870 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	:right: I'll get her there. __________________ I'm a down home back woods redneck

04-20-2004, 06:47 PM	#14
Snakebite Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tucson, Mexico Posts: 1,839	Yup. Acetone is good stuff. I've used it to LIGHTLY clean stocks followed by some super fine steel wool and then some wax. Never know the stock was ever worked on. Makes em look original, just clean. I'm sure it would dissolve the shellac. It dissolves everything else!