doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Bleaching a stock

I was given a very nice sidelock non-ejector a while back. Wanting to refinish the very dark stock i removed any finish with solvent and scotchpad. I assumed the darkness of the stockwood was due to the original linseed oil based finish oxidising and darkening.

But the wood itself, while well figured is dark, and if i apply any finish it becomes very dark again. I have seen hardwoods bleached to lighten the colour before, but is this an option on a gunstock ?

Does the process weaken wood at all, or interfere with refinishing with oil ?

Thanks

Bonny unless you are reasonably experienced in wood finishing making a wood lighter by bleaching is possibly one of the hardest things to get right enough for good end results, so best left to an experienced person.
That said I have used two methods the first is the application of strong household bleach. This is good for removing many types of applied wood stains but not that effective at removing the original colour of the wood, you leave on the wood for about fifteen minutes wash off with clean water allow to dry and then check the colour.
The other method is to use two chemicals that are on the not so good for the human body, though this method does remove the timbers basic colour and is the best I have found for lightening timber.
First you apply a lye mixture as you are close to the UK this is made from Sodium Hydroxide also known as caustic soda, this makes the wood look dark.
While the wood is still wet with the caustic solution you brush on a 30% solution of Hydrogen Peroxide and this takes the colour out of the wood.
Start by leaving the mixture on the wood for five to fifteen minutes then wash the mixture off with a good helping of clean water and allow to dry. Just repeat the process until you reach the desired colour you require, though I do normally go a couple of shades lighter then apply a wood stain to even out the whole effect.
Wood bleaches can be obtained this side of the pond from a company that goes by the name of �Liberon� who are one of the largest suppliers of wood finishing products, you can order via the net also their web pages are extremely helpful.
I have found that both methods do not cause any finishing problems if they are initially removed from the wood with a good amount of clean water.
Bleaching wood is not for the feint hearted and there is a lot that can go wrong and put you in a worse position than when you first started.
You know there is nothing intrinsically wrong with a rich dark and beautiful Walnut gun stock.

Thanks damascus

The stock is dark, so dark in fact that with oil on it, it appears to be nearly black, you can see very little figure at all. I have used the two-part bleach many years ago. I will try and see what happens.

If you go with the second method, you can either buy the concentrated Hydrogen Peroxide through a wood finishing supply house, or concentrate your own by reducing the commonly available 3% HP by 90%. (Gentle Simmer) If only doing a stock or two, it's probably the easiest.

Another specific wood bleach is Oxalic Acid. Not as drastic as the Lye/HP route, and is available in "Deck Wash" type products. If you buy the concentrated product you can manipulate the concentration to suit your needs.

Be sure you have a plan to stain the stock afterwards.

Regards
Ken

Bonny It now appears that Liberon do not now supply the two pack wood bleach. But it is still available from "Rustins".

My few experiences with trying wood bleeching products did not turn out so well. They cleaned, stripped and lightened the wood. But it took finish like crap.
I was not happy and did not mess with it any more.

Thanks for the responses all. Damascus, luckily there is a good cabinet makers supply shop not too far away. They stock all sorts of stains, varnishes, chemicals etc, i am sure they will stock bleach.

It can be difficult. Modern types of finish seem to be problematic. I always re-oil the stock somewhat after staining. (Alkanet red oil) Once that's dry (several weeks) French Polish works well. Works well for Parkers, especially ones with European Walnut.

Staining is certainly required since the wood is lightened significantly from the bleeching process.
I personally like to stay away from staining unless absolutely needed. I like to work with the wood as it is naturally. But in the event of repair work especially, it is needed to get the job done.

I use oxalic acid to bleach wood and it works well.
I won't use laundry bleach though it will lighten wood to some extent. The sodium hypochlorite in laundry bleach is a very strong oxidizer and any hint of residue left in the wood combining with moisture will coarsely rust the steel.
I know,,some will say they have used it for years with no bad effect,,,some also say salt wood is OK too. Same idea
Wash your gun cases with a little bleach and store your fav SxS in it for a while then see how well it looks.

Anyway,,,Heat the soln of oxalic acid crystals and water (I use a couple tbsp in a qt of water) in the microwave for 45seconds or so then apply w/a brush. Or if the container is wide mouth enough or the part is small enough just stick it right in the stuff.
Used cold or room temp won't get too much results.
'
Use a clean brush to agitate the stuff and brush it around the surface of the wood.
It'll sting your hands if you have any cuts on them and surely not feel good in your eye(s) at this concentration so be careful.

Let it set on the wood till you get the result you want, then rinse with clean warm water, again simple brushing to clear the stuff from the wood.

Careful with the wood as it will bruise easily when wet. Comes back to full strength when dry which doesn't take all that long. I let them dry naturally, but you can speed dry the surface with a propane torch quickly, just don't scorch the edges.

The wood will be clean, grain raised, especially if you give it a once over with the propane and ready for a light sanding. Many small dents will be lifted from the warm water.
The wood will now take stain evenly. I like to start with alcohol stain first and use oil based stain later in the finishing process but every one has their own way about it.

Bleaching is useless w/o first removing any oil embedded in the wood. That has to go.

All sorts of discussions of how to do that are around.
The oven cleaner method will clear oil & grease from the surface and just below it very well.
I recommend wood bleach after that to even up the sometimes odd coloring left behind by that method.
Deep embedded oil needs more work to remove. I do use lacquer thinner soak sometimes, but always follow up with whiting powder to draw out the last and deepest of the oil in the wood.
It's a slow process but it does work the best. Wear a mask when brushing off the dried whiting powder.