Cleaned the Shellac off dot44

[Missourigunguy]

Multiple posts on cleaning stocks I know. My question is, how far does one go? I bought this all matching minus the safety. Bought it on a gamble that the stocked matched. Noticed it was a dot stock so I went ahead and bought it without taking it apart.
I ended up removing most of the shellac or lacquer with Citristrip and wiped down with mineral spirits. Left to dry over night. You'll notice in the before pictures I received from the seller of the finish and then to my pictures after stripping. You can still see some of the cracking lines in the shellac finish, I didnt want to keep applying the Citristrip. Will the Citristrip destroy the laminate if used to much? Should I wiped down the stock with some ballistol or raw linsead oil? Do you think I ruined this gun by cleaning?

Just looking for everyone's opinion.

 

[luftpirate]

Are those cracks in the wood or is there still something on it? I wouldnt put anything else on it. Does look like it was sanded so never going to look original. Removing the gloss was an improvement though.

 

[Missourigunguy]

Cracks are from the shellac. And yes, it has been sanded. Still overall thought it was a good purchase.

 

[biggymu]

By the looks of the stock disc, you still have a bit of spooge still on there. You will have to decide how far.

 

[jsz]

Should have used alcohol, in lieu of the Citris strip, which in my opinion is too harsh. Alcohol would have most probably left the underlying finish as is. Always start out with the least invasive product and move up the ladder if it does not work.

 

[Missourigunguy]

By the looks of the stock disc, you still have a bit of spooge still on there. You will have to decide how far.

Yes I do have more work in those areas

Should have used alcohol, in lieu of the Citris strip, which in my opinion is too harsh. Alcohol would have most probably left the underlying finish as is. Always start out with the least invasive product and move up the ladder if it does not work.

I did try a few other chemicals to remove it. Maybe not alcohol but I believe a member on a previous post mentioned the Citristrip

 

[6THMARDIV]

I has citristrip turn one of my stocks orange. Nasty stuff.

 

[Muncher 1953]

I has citristrip turn one of my stocks orange. Nasty stuff.

Interesting! wonder what caused that?
I’ve used it on 3-4 stocks, all came out better than before. (whew!) 2 had an orange finish to start (Israeli replacement stocks) on light -colored solid beech, a ‘c’ marked Menzel with the front cut off, and a byf (I think) that was sanded & not long before I got it, stained babysit brown. (all stocks were ebay rescues, nothing nice)
All were cold-weather projects & I didn’t want to use the old stuff (methylene chloride) indoors, so I tried the citri-strip, using a combination of plastic body filler spreaders as a scraper, coarse steel wool & rags to remove the stripper & finish, followed up w/ mineral spirits on cotton 12 ga patches to remove the stripper. Seemed to work OK & not roughen the wood or attack the glue holding the laminate ones together.

 

[WallyG.]

Since completing the finish removal is most likely in the cards... If the finish is actually shellac then a spot of alcohol placed somewhere inconspicuous will soften the coating and it will becone tacky (as a test). Alcohol will disolve shellac. If the alcohol does not make the finish soft and tacky then it is some other coating that may well require something stronger like a stripper. Like previously stated... start with a least aggressive chemical and work your way up to the more aggressive chemical compounds... naturally, the stronger the chemical the more the possibility that the laminated layers might sepparate. Do stay away from sandpaper, scothbrite pads and steel wool...

 

[Muncher 1953]

For the specific job of removing a “non-historic coating” I’ll argue that using steel (or bronze) wool on the wood can be done carefully, without ruining the stock. Whether using alcohol on lacquer, or citristrip or similar, those solvents cause the coating to soften & become ‘gummy’, & just past that point is when I use the metal wool, WIPING, not scrubbing back &forth with it, being mindful of corners. I can see that the coating, not the wood, is filling the fibers of the wool.

Mind you, I’d NEVER try any of this on any piece that hadn’t already been messed up by at least 3 guys before me.