Krag sporter

[kablair]

Just picked up this Krag - couldn't afford a real carbine. It is a cut down '98 with a '99 carbine stock (no inlet cut for saddle bar). Now I want to remove the shellac. Would also like a serial number check #479036. Are you there, BAR?

- thanks, Kab

Information

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[BVZ24]

Shellac and lacquer come off with denatured alcohol.
Urethane needs a chemical stripper.
Use a scraper instead of sandpaper.
They all require time and elbow grease to remove without sanding.

---------- Post added at 10:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 AM ----------

Are you sure that's not just the natural linseed shell?

[browningautorifle]

479036

Hey Kab! Long time no hear, of course I'm around. I don't find anything for that rifle in SRS #1, it's at the very end of the production it seems too. How long is the barrel? Looks like it was cut shorter than the carbines were and then the 1903 sight added. If it's a good bore, that would explain why. Bet it shoots just fine and carries nice for hunting... Liquid strip the shellac will be easy.

[kablair]

Jim, great to hear from you - have I said before that you are quick ?

Don't know how you do it - barrel is 21and 5/8 ''.

Gentleman om Krag site gave me some info - handguard and rear sight are from a '96. front sight not an '03 but maybe a Stokes-Kirk. Bore seems decent.

Hope to get to shoot it soon but knees and back are NOT cooperating.

Hope all is well with you and yours

- Kab (PS going through some old Britains LTD. led soldiers PPLI !)

[kablair]

Jim, great to hear from you - have I said before that you are quick ?

Don't know how you do it - barrel is 21and 5/8 ''.

Gentleman om Krag site gave me some info - handguard and rear sight are from a '96. front sight not an '03 but maybe a Stokes-Kirk. Bore seems decent.

Hope to get to shoot it soon but knees and back are NOT cooperating.

Hope all is well with you and yours

- Kab (PS going through some old Britains LTD. led soldiers PPLI !)

[browningautorifle]

barrel is 21and 5/8 ''.

That's pretty close, must be the angle makes it look stumpy.

Yes Kab, all is well here.

[butlersrangers]

IMHO - Your stock looks kind of neat and has been wearing its finish for a long time. In the photos, your Krag has a pleasant veteran look to it. There are worse outcomes than 'just letting it be'.
(Note - Some U.S. stocks are of Italian walnut and have a different color than the usual American black walnut stocks).

You might just start by wiping down your wood with mineral spirits or a 50/50 mix of turpentine & linseed oil. This will clean the wood surface and may soften old oil and wax that may have dried and glazed.
If you like how the wood reacts to this procedure, finish by 'hand buffing' with Howard's Feed & Wax or Pledge furniture polish.

If a more permanent finish was put on the wood, as others have stated, denatured alcohol dissolves shellac.

Varnish, urethane, and Lin-Speed types of finishes require 'finish stripper' and scraping to remove.

It helps to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Making the wood look 'new', would be a big mistake.

Your metal has a nice patina. The wood appearance should be in 'agreement' with the metal.

[kablair]

Again thanks for the continued help - didn't realize you were on this site also or I would have given you credit for the info.

What I don't like is the shiny finish. It also covers up most of the cartouches. My other milsurps are nicely finished, in MYHO with Linspeed and a lot of rubbing.

[butlersrangers]

FWIW - You can try rubbing the shiny wood finish with linseed oil and pumice to dull the sheen to a mat finish.

[kablair]

removed shellac - sorry about quality of pictures. Actually broke phone.