Removing Polyurethane Finish

[Johnm1]

A friend of mine just inherited a G&H 30-06 that has a poly finish on it that was very poorly done. To give you an idea of how bad, the poly was put on over the butt plate/pad. I haven’t seen it yet.
Assuming the observation is correct, is there a chemical that will remove the poly finish and not remove wood?

Hopefully @GunnyUSMC will chime in with his knowledge.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

You will need a paint stripper that will remove poly. Most often the strippers that have a 30 minute work time are not strong enough. You will need one with a 15 minute work time. There are a few brands on the market. Klean Strip is a good one.
Citrus strip doesn’t work well on poly finishes.
Just remember to apply the stripper on thick and in a cool area. This will keep the stripper from drying up before it can do it’s work. The key is, if it’s wet, it’s working.

 

[Johnm1]

[QUO'TE="GunnyUSMC, post: 12337268, member: 176032"]The key is, if it’s wet, it’s working.[/QUOTE]

That is very helpful. I'm sure this won't be the last question on the issue. But I'll wait until I can see exactly what we are up against.

 

[Seedy Character]

Stripper will also eat the butter plate and pad.

Sanding or steel wool will do the job.

More info on the "poorly done"?

Pics?

 

[Johnm1]

More info on the "poorly done"? Pics

It hasn’t made it to Arizona yet. So I haven’t seen it in person.

I figure the butt plate is toast.

 

[a5werkes]

I have done 6 or so Browning Auto-5 polyurethane stocks / forends using Citrus stripper. I place the stock in a paint roller reservoir covered in newspapers. It smells pleasant, if nothing else. I apply it with a paint brush, wait 30-60 minutes then use a plastic scraper to begin the removal of the finish. Repeat as necessary. Use a soft toothbrush / tooth picks to clean the pressed checkering areas. Any simple stock knicks / depressions corrected with moistening paper towel squares and steam iron to elevate them.
Important disclaimer: I don't get paid to refinish stocks. However, I am not ashamed to put them on the gun rack at the quail hunt after being refinished with either Tung Oil or polyurethane.

 

[a5werkes]

.....

 

[Johnm1]

I have done 6 or so Browning Auto-5 polyurethane stocks / forends

That is some very nice work.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I second using citristrip.

 

[BigBlue 94]

Most citrus strippers are junk. If you can find a stripper with Methylene Chloride still in it, that will do the job quick. It was outlawed a few years ago for non-industrial purposes because some dumb-ass used it in an enclosed bathroom and died. Personal Protective Equipment is required. A dust mask is not a respirator! If doing indoors, excessive ventilation is a must. I make a living selling coatings and coating removers. SKIM was the best. But it had MLC in it.

If no MLC based stripper is available, Crown brand solvents has a good one called Tuff-Strip. It works pretty quick. Ive used it on 50 year old engine enamel.

Any solvent based stripper will put off excess fumes when it contacts water. So be careful.

 

[Seedy Character]

Methylene Chloride is BAD stuff. Be very careful.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I have done 6 or so Browning Auto-5 polyurethane stocks / forends using Citrus stripper. I place the stock in a paint roller reservoir covered in newspapers. It smells pleasant, if nothing else. I apply it with a paint brush, wait 30-60 minutes then use a plastic scraper to begin the removal of the finish. Repeat as necessary. Use a soft toothbrush / tooth picks to clean the pressed checkering areas. Any simple stock knicks / depressions corrected with moistening paper towel squares and steam iron to elevate them.
Important disclaimer: I don't get paid to refinish stocks. However, I am not ashamed to put them on the gun rack at the quail hunt after being refinished with either Tung Oil or polyurethane.

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Browning didn’t start using polymer finishes until the early 80’s. The round knob pistol grip stock you have pictured is much older.
Most factory poly finishes, now days, are cured with UV light and are extremely hard.
I’ve stripped stocks that people have refinished with poly, some come off pretty easy some don’t, it all depends on what type of poly they use.

 

[shoobe01]

I also like Citristrip, brand name available at Home Depot (or was it Lowe's... regardless, cannot find online as far as I can tell) only. Spray is brilliant. Much easier to get many places. Get large shallow trays to work in, rags, stiff brushes (toothbrushes, scrubbers, etc but never metal bristles) to help break things free.

The only-works-wet thing is true, but if you get distracted and let it dry off, just re-apply some more of the same stripper. It'll "re-activate" the old stripper in a couple minutes so you can wipe it all off.

For hard finishes, In Some Cases (e.g. not checkering) you can combine with mechanical methods. I like scrapers a lot. Flat steel shapes (Woodcraft or other high end woodworking shops, not a Home Depot thing) are best. Very light application, but still works well and often helps but again you must be very very careful with details.

I often mix and match. If the stripper isn't working then stop, clean and switch to graffiti remover; it's full of compounds that dissolve all sorts of things, so will be slow to remove the finish but can remove top layer waxes, etc and can help break the outside free and make strippers work better after that's done. Especially good with very old guns with unknown finishes. Many have been recoated or just gooped up over time.

NEVER trust chemical compatibility to not have a reaction and get out of hand. Do not use two products of ANY SORT. Even two brands of similar stripper, etc. They can react in weird ways all the way to fires.

Never sand. Ever.

 

[Johnm1]

I'm hoping this is an older Griffin & Howe but as described to me, the poly was some dunce slathering on a poly finish with drips and proably done with the rifle in the stock. We know the butt pad/cap was on when the poly was put on. Hopefully they used a consumer grade poly and it will be easy to get off.

We'll probably get a look at it this coming weekend. It's all speculation until I see it and can test it. The rifles have been in storage for decades. So the poly may well have protected the rifle in storage. What im hoping for is a diamond under the crud. What we'll probably find is a consumer grade rifle that has been mistreated.

In the end I'll use the stripper that is most effective and I understand the precautions for use. I don't take chances with chemicals but use them at work safely. The key is to understand what your working with and take the appropriate precautions.

 

[Catpop]

I used to use spray Permatex gasket remover back in the 1980s. Worked well on those hard finishes.

 

[Johnm1]

It turns out that the rifle is a Parker Hale Safari Deluxe in 30-06. The wood is described as plain but with a 'finger cut out'. Not sure what that is. Safety bent for use with a scope. I still haven't seen it and no pictures yet. Maybe this weekend.

EDIT: the finger cut may have been a reference to the charging cut in the receiver.

 

[BigBlue 94]

Methylene Chloride is BAD stuff. Be very careful.

Hence my multiple safety comments. If properly protected, it causes no harm. Same goes with ANY chemical stripper. PPE is often neglected because of laziness or macho-ness. Ive seen a guy pass out just from tinting a gallon of aliphatic epoxy. And he has been doing it for 45 years. A 4ft diameter fan was not sufficient at clearing fumes. He had neglected to use a respirator.

 

[Seedy Character]

Most people have no idea of the chemicals in their households.

 

[Scooter22]

All good advice. What I didn,t see mentioned is you can cover the stock with plastic after you apply the stripper to stop it from evaporating. I use a clear garbage bag so I can check progress without removing it. I think many of us were careless years ago with some of the caustic/toxic stuff that was available. Not worth it especially when you middle age or older. Our guts have a lot of mileage on them. I don,t want to be looking for any replacement organs.

 

[Seedy Character]

Yes, you can cover with a plastic bag.

 

[mrcabinet]

My go-to stripper is Jasco Premium. I have yet to find a coating that it will not remove. I started using it decades ago when I was in to restoring wood boats. Yes, it is nasty stuff that will remove everything - including skin. You must wear industrial grade gloves while working with it, and work in a well ventilated area. There's been times when I've had to soak parts in it for days (like CZ frames) but it will take finishes off that others won't even touch.

 

[Spug]

Browning didn’t start using polymer finishes until the early 80’s.

I've got a Browning auto .22 that seems to be from the early 70s. The serial number key on Browning's website doesn't quite agree with my serial (10007RPxxx) but I figure it must be an early Miroku from '74-'76 or thereabouts. It's got a hard, glossy finish and while it's still it pretty good shape with nice checkering and the wood looks great underneath, the few scrapes and chips in the finish really stand out. Plus, it just doesn't have that warm wood feel I like with something like linseed oil.

So if it isn't poly what is it, varnish? Are the recommendations for Citristrip also good for removing it? Hardware-store linseed oil and turpentine like I use on my furniture, or are pricier finishes really worth it?

Not intending to hijack the thread but I haven't found the answers to these questions, so this is as good a point to ask as any. I also have a Browning lever action .22 from around the same era which also might see more use if I could replace that 70s-era finish with something warmer and more forgiving.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I've got a Browning auto .22 that seems to be from the early 70s. The serial number key on Browning's website doesn't quite agree with my serial (10007RPxxx) but I figure it must be an early Miroku from '74-'76 or thereabouts. It's got a hard, glossy finish and while it's still it pretty good shape with nice checkering and the wood looks great underneath, the few scrapes and chips in the finish really stand out. Plus, it just doesn't have that warm wood feel I like with something like linseed oil.

So if it isn't poly what is it, varnish? Are the recommendations for Citristrip also good for removing it? Hardware-store linseed oil and turpentine like I use on my furniture, or are pricier finishes really worth it?

Not intending to hijack the thread but I haven't found the answers to these questions, so this is as good a point to ask as any. I also have a Browning lever action .22 from around the same era which also might see more use if I could replace that 70s-era finish with something warmer and more forgiving.

Varnish is old school clear, made with mainly petroleum distillates. Poly urethane is made from plastics. Urethane is much more resilient. Varnish and shellac will both soften with moisture and are not generally used for exterior type finishes. Remember your mom yelling at you for leaving your damp towel on the wooden bed frame? Thats why.

Any stripper that will remove paint, will remove varnish.

Best bet for refinishing is an oil, wether tung, linseed, Danish, or teak. I prefer Watco Danish oil myself.

 

[Blue68f100]

The gun is worth more as is.

I have a 61 vintage with the blond wood. It has as few chips in the finish too. I'm thinking it's a Laquer by the way it has yellowed over the years.

 

[Rule3]

Jasco or Kleen Strip. Even those today are not as good as they used to be when they had MEK. But they will work, just takes more and longer,