Question for the woodworkers...

[Highpower]

Is there an off the shelf wood filler that will blend without showing, or will take an oil stain? I would normally fill this with a walnut sawdust & glue mixture but my sawdust supplier is no longer in business.

1/8" wide, 1/2" long

   

[TomG]

Willie,

I don't know of any filler that wouldn't show, including sawdust and glue. The best way to repair it would be to remove the chip with a careful saw cut and fill it with a piece of walnut. Filler doesn't have grain and a spot that big will show like crazy. I can send you a piece if you need it.

Tom

[f350ca]

I have to agree with Tom, I've never seen a filler that would take stain well enough to blend in. But then I hate repairing furniture, its easier to build a new piece,

[EdK]

[Highpower]

That's what I thought, but I don't know if there have been any new advancements in fillers these days. Greg, building a new piece is out of the question because:

A) I'm not a woodworker. I wouldn't even make a good wood butcher.
B) This is an original part on a highly collectable piece, so....

Tom - might you have just a sliver of walnut?
Maybe do a dovetail cut on the gouged area and glue in a filler "key", then shape to blend in?

I know I should just leave it as is to preserve it's collector value, but I don't keep any safe queens. I put them all to work.

Just another project I've put off for too long.

   

[TomG]

Willie,

The stocks on military guns were commonly repaired at the arsenal and they would do just that, cut the area out and fit in a new piece. I have an attic full of walnut, just send me your address.

Tom

[Highpower]

Tom, yes you are right. And I have the Enfields to prove it.
Understandably, the military doesn't care about looks though. None of the wood used for the "dutchman" repairs is of the same type or color as the wood of the stocks. Looks like fido's behind to me, but they work.

And even though this is a military rifle, I still want to hide the repair as best I can. A small piece of walnut would be greatly appreciated.
PM sent.

[Highpower]

OK, I've got the chunk of walnut that Tom was kind enough to send me. The grain of the wood will be a close match.

Today I've been working on cleaning all the grime off of the stock, and steaming out several dents and dings. That is done and I have cut a dovetail into gouged area to hold the "patch".


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I still need to cut and fit the patch, but while I'm doing that I thought I would ask for opinions on what the best type of adhesive to use would be?
I'm trying to hide this repair as best I can and want to avoid seeing any "glue" lines if it's possible. Again - I'm no woodworker...

[TomG]

I would use ordinary white glue. There is so much glue area that spit alone would probably be strong enough and white glue residue is easy to remove with water. I assume you'll be re-oiling the stock when it's repaired? Boiled linseed oil was likely the original finish, but tung oil would be my choice.

Tom

[Highpower]

Well, I have the regular white - and I have some brown carpenters glue also.
Aren't they about the same thing? I thought the brown might blend in (hide) better?

Yes, I will be using Behr 600 tung oil. (After the stock dries out for several days.) I've used boiled linseed oil in the past, and even hand rubbed some stocks with raw linseed oil. The raw didn't dry for months! And raw or boiled - neither seem to protect as well as the tung oil. Good point Tom.