Just get a good paint stripper from the hardware store

by JD, Western Washington, Saturday, April 06, 2013, 15:51 (4252 days ago) @ stonewalrus

I just get a good paint stripper from the hardware store. I think what I have now is called EZ Strip. Old varnish usually comes off pretty easy. Then steam out any dents... I use a wet cloth and a soldering iron (you can even use your wife's iron, just don't get caught). After that I give the stock a couple of coats of Daley's Sea-Fin Teak Oil, inside and out... It is very thin and soaks into the stock easily and deeply sealing it and waterproofing it. It is made to finish sailboat decks and is popular hear in Washington for that, and it does get wet here!!!

Next I wet sand the stock with 320 grit wet / dry sand paper and more Daley's Sea Fin. Wet sand, and once it's tacky, gently wipe the extra off with a paper towel. This will fill all the pores in the wood and give you a stock that is as smooth as a baby's behind. It usually takes 3 or 4 coats wet sanded in. In the end you have a very smooth mat finished stock.

At this point, you can add a couple more very thin coats of SeaFin hand rubbed in and leave it this way, or you can apply whatever top coat you want over the SeaFin. Birchwood Casey Tru-oil works well and is readily available and Brownells has Pro Custom Oil stock finish that I like... Heck, you can even just give it a couple of coats of spar varnish if that's what you want....

JD