What do you guys use to strip varnish / polyurethane finishes on your guns? I want to refinish yet another one.


-DallanC

My local gunsmith swears by oven cleaner to remove varnish. I don't know if it works on poly.

All of the name brand manufacturers of wood finishes also have varnish removers. Homer Formbys has a spray on remover that works on all types of finishes. I just spry it on and let it set for 20-30 minutes, then scrape it off with a razor blade. An old hard bristle toothbrush works for removing finish from checkering and it doesn't damage the checkering in the process. I then swell out any dents and start sanding.


Grumpy

The local hardware store had water soluble paint and varnish remover. I apply a few coats to a stock and rub it with fine steel wool. Any dents are steamed out and then I start with boiled linseed oil followed by Tru-Oil. I never sand a finished stock. All the best...
Gil

Howdy. zip strip is a good paint varnish remover.

Problem I usually have, especially on old firearms, is around the tang and sometime the receiver where oil builds up over the years. It tends to saturate the wood and takes a lot of sanding to remove. In the process it's easy to sand too much and end up with lopsided areas. At least that's been my experience. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal