[DRYHUMOR]

I've got a 15 to 20 year old stock I'm thinking about re doing. It has factory semi gloss varnish on it. I'm thinking about removing that and going to an oil rubbed finish.

I'm thinking 4 OOOO steel wool to remove the existing finish. I've used chemicals on furniture before, and it seems to remove a lot of the depth/patina that accumulates in the wood. It never looks quite as good the next time around.

Am I thinking right about the steel wool, or would there be a better way?

Thanks.

[dfariswheel]

You'd probably have to use sand paper to get the finish off.
0000 steel wool will take a LOT of rubbing to cut off a varnish finish.

The trick is, to sand the finish off without removing too much wood. You want to get the finish off, and sand with finer and finer paper until all scratches left by the coarser papers are removed.

Use a sanding block, and sand only WITH the grain.
Be careful around sharp edges not to round them off, leave ripples or waves in flat surfaces, and sand with the butt plate on the gun to prevent over cutting the fit.

[hoghunting]

For a varnish finish, you can use laquer thinner and a cloth to take the finish off. Using gloves, wet the cloth and rub the stock. The varnish will come off. Then you can lightly sand, restain, and apply your finish.

[DRYHUMOR]

How about de natured alcohol?

[nitetrane98]

Generally speaking, whatever you can use to thin a finish will also remove it. Alcohol is used to thin shellac and will likely not be very effective on varnish. I'd use lacquer thinner or MEK. If you use a stripper, this is the time to stay away from anything with methyl chloride. One of those bio friendly ones like the citrus stuff that don't work very well might be a better choice.
Patina is natural aging of a finish and wood with the tannic acids and light acting on the surface. To be really honest, I doubt that you have much true patina going on with a 15-20 year old gun.
If you've got some figure in your grain you're on the right track removing the finish with 0000 steel wool but you'll need a solvent to help it work. Once you get through the finish, stop. If it's smooth don't sand it just for the hell of it.

[PCGS65]

I use this Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher
Removes oil finishes, including shellac, lacquer and some early forms of varnish. Does not remove paint or polyurethane.
and it works. It's about $17/quart but you don't need much. They recomend puring some in a pan and brushing it on. I just use a heavy duty paper towel with gloves and rub gently on the wood. It removes the finish vary well without wasting anything.

Most if not all varnish strippers will remove part/most of the stain also. So there's not much you can do there.

Denatured alcohol is basically for removing oil based finishes. (BLO) Boiled linseed oil,toung oil ect.
Denatured alcohol is good for cleaning the residue off stripped surfaces.

[DRYHUMOR]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to get with it.