Steaming Dents in Stock

[HarryAlonzo]

I just had the steam iron out to remove a fresh dent in the .22 that's going to my nephew next month. The process worked pretty well for old (probable) American Black Walnut on a Winchester Model 74, but it worked spectacularly well for the (probable) Ipe on my Rossi. I remember doing it when I first bought it (NIB, but had a dent from handling/storage), but I forgot how well it worked. It had picked up a few more dents since then, as a much beloved field rifle. Get a steam iron good and hot, and hold it horizontally about an inch above the stock for about 30 seconds. I have an additional steam jet that I pulse about three times. Let the stock cool for a few minutes, wipe the condensation with a clean rag, and repeat once or twice for deeper dents. If the wood fibers are broken, it won't do magic, but for a run-of-the mill dent, this process can make it disappear. My stock was stripped, sanded, wipe on oil finished and waxed. Steam doesn't faze it, or the old oil finish on the Winchester, either.

Has anybody ever tried this on an original Rossi finish?

[Ranch Dog]

Thanks for the report.

I suspect for the original, water based finish, it will leech it off.

[GasGuzzler]

Never had much luck. I'm likely doing it wrong. I don't have anything with water based finish. My Rossi is too old. I refinished my 10/22. All my Marlins and Rugers are too old. I'm in the middle of a Stevens 87D (1955) restoration (real wood) but I had to sand it all the way down (in process) because of nicks and cuts.

[akuser47]

I've used a soaking wet wash cloth then pressed hot clothes iron on cloth covering the dent it worked very well. We used to do this to old tables n such to.

[Archer]

I've used a soaking wet wash cloth then pressed hot clothes iron on cloth covering the dent it worked very well. We used to do this to old tables n such to.

THIS^^^
To an old Garand stock that I had stripped and afterward I finished it with Minwax oil stain with many coats hand rubbed. As noted it won't do wonders for rips but for simple pressure dings it works pretty well.
I wouldn't try it on a finished stock however.

[HarryAlonzo]

It is worth doing on a finished stock that you intend to refinish. It can make the sanding job much less painful.

[akuser47]

Just be cautious of where you are as moisture and leached finish will drip and stain carpet and even certain porous tiles n such. Don't want the misses to through a tissy . LoL no matter which way you do it. More so if doing it over a finished surface.