Repair small ding in stock prior to finishing.

I'd get the discolored grain out of the dent down to clean wood.

Then a few drops of Hot Stuff adhesive to build it up above level with the stock wood.

Then block sand it level again.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...hesives/hot-stuff-instant-glue-prod13081.aspx

Once the finish is applied you won't even be able to see it.

rc

Don't know what technique involving "steam" you use.
What's always worked for me, is to soak the dent w/water, to get water into the wood under the dent. Then get the localized spot hot enuff to generate steam under the dent and push it out. Use a red hot bar of steel held close to the spot, or a "turbo" hair drier, or whatever. Use distilled or purified water to avoid a mineral deposit spot.

Then let it dry completely over several days. Sometimes the dent will end up whiskered & proud & need to be scraped/block-sanded down flush w/the rest o' the landscape. Don't wanna do that 'til the spot is dry/stable w/it's surroundings.

Havn't done any o' that fer a long time...so mite be fergettin' sumpin?

rc's process sounds quicker! IIRC from my model aircraft days, "Hot Stuff" is cyanoacrylate, ie. "Krazy Glue".

The steaming will work only if wood fibers haven't been broken or cut.

.22-5-40 said:

The steaming will work only if wood fibers haven't been broken or cut.

Click to expand...

I Agree!
In the past I've "lifted" these kinds of dents by placing a wet rag over the spot and using Wife's steam iron (used for ironing clothes) to apply heat.

Some good thoughts. Sometime though it is what it is. I`d work the water/heat angle somemore. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

It looks like the wood is actually broken, if that's the case steam wont do much more. I would sand it out if it isnt too deep, and its an area that can be taken down far enough to level it without being obvious. I've sanded some pretty atrocious "artwork" off rifle stocks without it showing.

Sand the stock, save the dust, use that with glue to make a filler putty.

If steaming doesnt work, fill with a little epoxy. While the epoxy is still wet anchor the bottom of a small piece of masking tape below the dent then gently smooth it upwards so it covers the epoxy. Don't press it into the dent or anything, think of it more as the tape should be covering the hole, not in it. Kind of like a band aid over it. The tape should spread the epoxy out so its thin around the dent (so easily sanded off), and the tape should form the top of the epoxy thats in the dent so it follows the curve of the stock. After it dries, take the tape off and lightly sand off the surplus around the dent. The filled dent will be a bit darker than the surrounding wood until you finish it.

Combination sand and steam to remove the broken fibers. Steam until it stands proud, then sand flat. Repeat until smooth. You will have to distort an area about twice the size of the original dent.