My Mosin will be reassembled after being torn down for a week. I applied the last coat of polyurethane today at 5:00 P.M. and the directions say to allow 24 hours to cure before normal handling.
I can't wait to have her back in one piece and squeeze off a few rounds with the lighter trigger pull she now has.
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How did you remove the old finish? Did you use DPD or Easy Off? Or a conventional stripper? I have my 32 Tula hex torn apart and ready to be stripped but am debating how to strip it.
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Dedicated to the memory of Ronald "Dad" Knutson Sr. 1936-2013
How did you remove the old finish? Did you use DPD or Easy Off? Or a conventional stripper? I have my 32 Tula hex torn apart and ready to be stripped but am debating how to strip it.
I used Easy Off because I had some on hand. The DPD looks like it does a better job judging from the pics I've seen on here. Mine didn't come out as nice as I'd hoped.
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I bought some DPD so I guess that is what I will use. I keep telling myself that even if it spontaneously combusts I can always replace the stock and not ruin the value. $109.00
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Dedicated to the memory of Ronald "Dad" Knutson Sr. 1936-2013
I bought some DPD so I guess that is what I will use. I keep telling myself that even if it spontaneously combusts I can always replace the stock and not ruin the value. $109.00
Good point, I thought about sanding off the new finish and trying again but then I'd lose the stamps I tried so hard to preserve. My only hope is to shoot this rifle so well that I no longer notice the finish.
BTW where would I find a replacement stock?
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DPD is a caustic degreaser, non flamable/non fuming that removes virtually any finish and oil based crud (like cosmolene). It will leave all cartouches/markings intact.
Proceedure (wear gloves!):
Spray a liberal amount of DPD on the stock, even in the channels. Then rub it in and let set for about 15 minutes.
Use a small/medium scrub brush and warm water (about 8 inches in a bucket) to rinse the stock thoroughly. Try not to leave the stock immersed for more than a couple of minutes. I usually use a large empty can to use as a riser in the bucket.
Most rifles will require 2-3 applications/rinses to get all of the cosmolene and 99% of the varnish. There will still be a little varnish in the nooks and crannys, but after thorough drying (2 days) it will sand off easily with 150 or 220.
Let the stock dry for 48 hours. Detail sand the nooks and crannies and lightly sand the stock until smooth (220).
I've posted pics of my stocks, so you can see the results. It takes some time, but its simple and the end result is worth the effort.... and it won't burn your house down or require breathing equipment.
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PSL I redid my stock with Polyurethane and the bottle didn't tell me not to handle if for 24 hours. I put 6 coats on it and it looks good. I need at least 6 more to coats to get that nice deep looking finish. Guess I will do that this summer.
PSL I redid my stock with Polyurethane and the bottle didn't tell me not to handle if for 24 hours. I put 6 coats on it and it looks good. I need at least 6 more to coats to get that nice deep looking finish. Guess I will do that this summer.
I mistakenly said it was polyurethane, it's actually a spar urethane. This is Helmsman's spray on spar urethane although I'm not sure what the difference is. The directions recommend 24 hours after application before regular use. I applied three coats of it yesterday.
I must admit though I couldn't wait till 5:00 o'clock to reassemble it. I started at 10:30 this morning and have been fondling it the rest of the day. The finish seems none the worse for it and now I can't wait to shoot it.
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I used minwax wipe on polyurethane. It only recommended 2-3 hours between coats although it took longer than that for it to dry after I had gotten 3 coats on it.
What style of polyurethane did you use? I mean was it a satin or a gloss type polyurethane. Mine was satin.
I used minwax wipe on polyurethane. It only recommended 2-3 hours between coats although it took longer than that for it to dry after I had gotten 3 coats on it.
What style of polyurethane did you use? I mean was it a satin or a gloss type polyurethane. Mine was satin.
Mine was satin also.
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