Removing a dent from wood...

[4t5]

Well I made a big blunder today,reaching into my gun safe,I knocked my flattop off its peg on the door,and it landed a glancing blow to a pristine Marlin cowboy 44 putting a 1/4" dent in the buttstock,I've heard of steaming a dent out but never tried it,have any of you tried this? or should I just start a story of how I clubbed a bear with it and leave it alone?

[cshold]

Is the dent 1/4" deep or 1/4" long?

[4t5]

1/4" long and about an 1/8" deep

[4t5]

1/4" wide

[cshold]

Yep, steam will bring that right up.

A damp 100% cotton towel.
A steam iron with steam turned on.
light strokes of the iron across the towel laying over the dent.
It will take a little while, check progress often.
This will will work, don't let the wood get to hot.
The steam does the work.

[Pete44ru]

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Steaming works best if the wood fibers at the edges of the dent haven't been broken.

If they are, some filling will needs be done - I mix epoxy with some stockwood sawdust taken from a hole drilled under the buttplate.

Stock refinishing will usually be necessary, also........................................




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[AJMD429]

When you burn your hand on the steam iron, just say it was when the bear knocked you over into the campfire...

[cshold]

4t5 do let us know how you make out with it.

[Mescalero]

I have posted a repy to this twice, only to someelses post in the box.
Not going to do it a 3rd time

[Pete44ru]

I have posted a repy to this twice, only to someelses post in the box.
Not going to do it a 3rd time

Some things just aren't meant to be .......................... . . .






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[Ji in Hawaii]

A moron TSA gal insisted on inspecting my rifle after her supervisor just did, and in the process she put a sizable ding in the butt stock. I was pretty PO'd but I just poked a bunch of tiny holes in the ding using a fine sewing pin then held that ding over the steam coming from the spout of a boiling kettle of water. It swelled up in no time, and after drying out overnight I sanded the area and apply a couple coats of BLO, can't even see the ding now to remember where it was.

[Mescalero]

Story of my life Pete!

[BenT]

I use my wife's little counter top espresso machine. It has the little steam spout on the side that works well at forcing steam into the wood. But once I get it out to use it I usually have to make her a Latte' . So there is a down side.

[Pete44ru]

I use my wife's little counter top espresso machine. It has the little steam spout on the side that works well at forcing steam into the wood. But once I get it out to use it I usually have to make her a Latte' . So there is a down side.

Oh, I dunno - a little ExLax in the next batch could relieve you from ever making Latte' again.



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[Ben_Rumson]

I get best results with a tea pot... I've actually turned dents into bumps with the steam from its spout..
Thing I didn't like about the steam iron and cotton cloth method was that a weave pattern would sometimes be left in the wood... YMMV

[4t5]

Thanks for the replies,will try steam pot first,didn't think about cloth leaving a pattern!

[Mescalero]

Ok, new day will try again.
Position the gun so the dent will hold water.
Fill the dent with HOT water, let stand overnight.
Try the steam method of needed.

[hfcable]

I use my wife's little counter top espresso machine. It has the little steam spout on the side that works well at forcing steam into the wood. But once I get it out to use it I usually have to make her a Latte' . So there is a down side.

Oh, I dunno - a little ExLax in the next batch could relieve you from ever making Latte' again.



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and maybe relieve you of even having to breathe, move, etc.

[Mescalero]

hf,
that is how my girlfriend would react

[hfcable]

hf,
that is how my girlfriend would react

Yep