Wood stock repair? (Sks)

[u/smclassy]

Hey,

My all matching Sks came with a few dings and scratches. Was wondering what is the method and way to clean it up? Thinking maybe a sand down without messing with the Tula star and numbers.

So far, ive researched and come up with:

Slight damp Cloth and clothes iron for deep holes/cuts (?!?!)

Light sand to smoothen and make a smooth feel

Linseed and or other oil to give it that laminate feel and protection.

Thank you, happy easter

[u/The_red_rabbit_ii]

Before any removal of finish, I would test if that finish is shellac.

The test is real simple, a drop of alcohol. If it is sticky, it is shellac.

If it is indeed shellac, you don't need to strip anything. New shellac melt old shellac, and becomes one layer.

Nothing you can do about the gouges. Please don't sand the stock.

[u/That_Trip_5071]

You may have to strip, looks like a varnish like coat on there, I use a citrus based one, sand getting as fine grit as you can and then start applying boiled linseed or birch Casey tru oil if you want gloss. Really depends what aesthetic you like and use of your rifle.

[u/Wiggum13]

So. You’re still dealing with the clear coat. Any oil or or ironing techniques will be useless.

You have some options. Sand down the whole stock to raw wood. Repair wood. (Ironing and a damp cloth only works with slight dents. With no creases. ) Then you could finish it with a danish oil or something similar.

Option 2. Keep its character. Sand down the clear coat with 400-600 grit. Dry. Get it smooth. You’ll need to apply some layers of clear coat and do a full sand, wet sand. Polish wouldn’t be necessary.

Personally. I would do option 2. Keep its character but give it a fresh coat of armour.

Repairing the wood completely would look bad unless you know what you’re doing. Some of the deeper dings would need filled. And unless you have experience it will honestly look like ass with store bought filler.

[u/Dickastigmatism]

Rifle is fine

[u/HappyCan7250]

I sanded mine, and was careful to not ruin any stampings on the stock. It turned out great, but my SKS wasn't numbers matching so I wasn't concerned about collectibility. 

Not that hard to make it look great though. I sanded mine down and wood oiled it, then clear coated it, turned out fantastic.

[u/Xhenoz]

You also can leave it alone because its not harming the rifle in any way and anything you try will only make it worse.
A milsurp rifle is only original once, as soon as you start sanding down and refinishing anything youre just throwing value away. Which even tho its just a sks theyre still not making them anymore and there hasn't been a new Tula one in 70 years.
Youre better off accepting that a old rifle is going to have dings and scratches than trying to make something old look new

[u/South_Mycologist_471]

Those look to deep to sand off without taking too much material away.