How Can I repair these scratches without refinishing the stock?

[WarPig1976]

I haven't personally restored one of these before, anything to watch out for with these when restoring guys?

We are talking about a Mauser so more then likely it's an RC. The commies slathered Shellac on their stuff and Denatured Alcohol will strip it with some work, but paint stripper will take it off with much less fuss.
I've used heavy duty stripper on laminates with no problem but haven't let it sit long, no need to. I wouldn't wet it with stripper and wrap it in cellophane for a good soak like you can with solid wood.
Watch using steam as well to raise dents on laminates. That will, without a doubt start to separate the plies!!!

[bigduke6]

Using steam is the way to go after stripping the old varnish etc, time and patience is all thats required, even without the steam as Brian mentions a bit of oil in the old wounds can reap good results.

If it is laminated then just steam on the sides....... avoid anything between the laminations to be on the safe side.

[WarPig1976]

If heat or heat and moisture are the key to undoing any glue or epoxy joint I can't see it being a good idea, but to each his own I suppose.

[painter777]

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....350#post422350

[CINDERS]

maybe its stuck in a record track Charlie!

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Just be a little careful with "Scotchbrite" pads.

If they will take the Teflon off a new saucepan and cut though blued surfaces like a grinder, they may be a little TOO much for a varnished, but hopefully un-sanded stock.

Depending whether the offending "gloss" is "Two-Pack", Marine or "domestic" varnish, the technique will vary.

Any of the more interesting solvents that break down "varnishes" should be OK for a slow, but thorough removal, without taking crisp edges (if any survive) on the wood in question.

Enthusiastic application of the hot-air paint stripper gun may appear attractive, but it also may cause some very unattractive distortions at the same time. "Warp Factor Nine" belongs on Star Trek, not your prized woodwork.

The "Two Pack" epoxy type finishes are pretty tough. Long exposure to Acetone will probably break it down, but it will still take a lot of careful scraping with a wooden or plastic spatula to get to the timber. About ten hours contact with liquid acetone will cause the outer gel-coat (coloured resin) on fibreglass mouldings to deteriorate badly. (Think: About a litre of acetone spilled in the transom well of a speed boat and left overnight on a cool evening; NOT pretty!)

Then, because the "solvent" will have penetrated into the timber and started to leached the good stuff out of the wood, systematic re-oiling is vital.

But, done properly, to GOOD furniture, the results easily justify the effort.

[Patrick Chadwick]

I haven't personally restored one of these before, anything to watch out for with these when restoring guys?

Do NOT use acetone or any other powerful solvent. It might affect the resin used for laminating the wood.

Try simple turpentine first, which will first soften and then dissolve any fossilized linseed oil (if that is what it is).
If it is a varnish, then a modern gel-type paint stripper (will remove varnish without damaging the wood. At least, I have not had any problems up to now.
Do NOT use caustic soda, whatever the trade name - oven cleaner or whatever)

I believe the adhesive was an early kind of phenolic resin, which tends to turn reddish. After decrudding, as described above, re-oiling with a slghtly red-tinted stock oil (Sherrels) will probably produce the most satisfying result. Sherrels is basically refined linseed oil plus toner. It seems expensive when you buy a bottle, but a few drops go a long way.

And never forget - the barrel channel must also be treated to equalize stresses in the wood and avoid warping.

[mrclark303]

Excellent advice Patrick

[CINDERS]

They also made a glue called Tigophilm (Tee-go-film) which the Germans used to make the laminate wooden sections for their wooden wonder a direct copy of the de-haviland mosquito of which they had a flying example in fact the Germans named the aircraft the same anyway bomber command did themselves a favor by unknowingly destroying the factory and all data where the glue was made so that put paid to a plane that would have been the equal to the Mossie and perhaps decimated the night bomber streams. Just thought I would share that bit of info

[mrclark303]

They also made a glue called Tigophilm (Tee-go-film) which the Germans used to make the laminate wooden sections for their wooden wonder a direct copy of the de-haviland mosquito of which they had a flying example in fact the Germans named the aircraft the same anyway bomber command did themselves a favor by unknowingly destroying the factory and all data where the glue was made so that put paid to a plane that would have been the equal to the Mossie and perhaps decimated the night bomber streams. Just thought I would share that bit of info

Interesting Ron, just read up on it, its a new one to me, but with two Focke Wulf engines, that thing must have seriously shifted! Looks like we put paid to their dirty low down Nazi tricks on that occasion!