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Would the recommendation be to repair or not repair a cracked stock where it meets the receiver (one crack on either side)? The rifle is tight (no looseness) and my guess is that it has never been disassembled.
David, I would have it repaired. Any gunsmith who is good with wood can do a blind repair and not affect the finish. You’ll likely still be able to pick out the cracks if you look for them, but they’ll be solid and won’t want to continue to travel. Mark
Mark, thank you for your input – greatly appreciated. My concern was the originality of the firearm, but even vintage pieces need help for continued longevity. There is a master gunsmith in my area who I will be visiting to discuss a blind repair as you suggest. I’ll post the results of the process.
All that needs to be done is to force some wood glue into the crack and then clamp the area tight. Use wood glue because it will not harm the finish. As it starts to get rubbery wipe off any excess with a damp rag. Use a soft object between the clamp and the wood so you don’t mar the wood from the clamp pressure. The crack will, hopefully, close up some but at least it won’t get worse. Make sure you use gunsmith type screw drivers to remove the screws and the stock. When the screws are out wiggle the stock up and down to get it loose enough to slide out. Don’t use excess force and don’t wiggle sideways.
If this is more than you want to tackle do as Mark said.
Chuck said
All that needs to be done is to force some wood glue into the crack and then clamp the area tight. Use wood glue because it will not harm the finish. As it starts to get rubbery wipe off any excess with a damp rag. Use a soft object between the clamp and the wood so you don’t mar the wood from the clamp pressure. The crack will, hopefully, close up some but at least it won’t get worse.
On a fresh break, that would work just fine, but I’d be concerned that the old oil & grime that’s probably seeped into the cracks might prevent the glue from holding permanently. If it lets go after some time, then the glue residue will complicate re-gluing it a second time.
clarence said
Chuck said
All that needs to be done is to force some wood glue into the crack and then clamp the area tight. Use wood glue because it will not harm the finish. As it starts to get rubbery wipe off any excess with a damp rag. Use a soft object between the clamp and the wood so you don’t mar the wood from the clamp pressure. The crack will, hopefully, close up some but at least it won’t get worse.On a fresh break, that would work just fine, but I’d be concerned that the old oil & grime that’s probably seeped into the cracks might prevent the glue from holding permanently. If it lets go after some time, then the glue residue will complicate re-gluing it a second time.
clarence said
Chuck said
All that needs to be done is to force some wood glue into the crack and then clamp the area tight. Use wood glue because it will not harm the finish. As it starts to get rubbery wipe off any excess with a damp rag. Use a soft object between the clamp and the wood so you don’t mar the wood from the clamp pressure. The crack will, hopefully, close up some but at least it won’t get worse.On a fresh break, that would work just fine, but I’d be concerned that the old oil & grime that’s probably seeped into the cracks might prevent the glue from holding permanently. If it lets go after some time, then the glue residue will complicate re-gluing it a second time.
Clarence, I’ve done this a handful of times and have never had a problem. What I didn’t tell him is that I also find a spot, hidden from view, where I can use a shim to lightly force the crack open wider so I can get more glue in the crack. I sometimes make a filler from walnut saw dust and glue. If you try to clean the crack you may harm the finish. So be real careful where you place a cleaner.
I personally would remove the stock and check to see if the cracks are the entire way through to the inside. They likely are and as Chuck said wood glue and clamps. I’ve used the cut off ends of a guitar string(high E) to fill in the crack with the glue from the inside. Its thinner than a needle and works great. You won’t get a shine from the glue on the inside like you can on the outside. You just have to be make sure you clean out the tang screw head from gunk or grime so you don’t mangled or damaged it & have the correct screw drivers for gun smithing. If the tang screw is seized that’s another fix. Good luck & Mark is correct that you want the crack to stop possibly running.
RickC
Thank you, gentlemen. I really appreciate your thoughts and input. I’ll update the outcome. Cheers.
Online
I’ve always used super glue, it’s thin enough to get in the crack and sets up quick. If it’s a big crack inside I might use a epoxy on the parts that don’t show. T’R
TR said
I’ve always used super glue, it’s thin enough to get in the crack and sets up quick. If it’s a big crack inside I might use a epoxy on the parts that don’t show. T’R
I know you have experience with this but a beginner may get in trouble with super glue or epoxy. One mistake and he could be in trouble. This stuff is hard to get off the finish without leaving a blemish. I assumed he had no experience and that is why I also left out the part about opening the crack a little in fear he could cause more damage.
I have used super glue and epoxy.
Chuck is right,quick and easy can get messy. I use masking tape on the crack edges to cover the finish and the thin glue just sucks in the crack. After glue has harden I pull the masking tape and rub with 00 steel wool. If a line is visible I color with a black Sharpe and rub with my thumb to remove color on the top of the grain. Colored wax can help but usually not needed.
This only works on small cracks not not requiring pins or screws. You have to get it right the first time and not mess with the finish. A bad stock repair leads to a re-finish and that you don’t want. I have seen some very ugly repairs done by people that know better. All you need to do is make the crack stable and less visible. T/R
Super glue is my choice as well. The main thing is to not use too much to where it squeezes out through the crack onto the wood finish. It will definitely blemish stock finish. What I like best about it is it doesnt take a lot, its thin, fast, and permanent. No margin for error once it sets.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
I use non expanding 2 part epoxy and mix it on a piece of card board. I pre tape the wood finish areas with green painters tape which doesn’t leave any residue of the finish. The rest is the same as I commented previously. It works great. Never had one creep any further.
RickC
All are good recommendations, but if it were mine and I was worried about seperation problems down the road, I would definately be looking for a gun stock repair guy. Many gunsmiths are good at repairing wood, but not many understand how important it is to repair the stock on an antique firearm. I would highly recommend someone who is familiar with this type of repair and probably not just a general gunsmith. Just my opinion.
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