Stripping paint off walnut stock - acetone vs nitromors?

[truser00]

I've got 3 walnut stocks which were crudely painted over by their previous owners. I know the wood underneath it is walnut and usually decent stuff.

I have already tried using acetone on the paint and it wiped off fairly easily. I've no interest in doing the oil refinishing myself as I've already contacted Gun Stock Refinishing, but I think I want to be in control of stripping the paint.

Generally acetone doesn't seem to be the first thing that's recommended for this stuff, but modern production nitromors also doesn't seem to have a particularly good rep.

Acetone seems to attack the paint great as well as the original varnish beneath it, which I don't mind, but it does also seem to stain the wood.

I would appreciate any thoughts on this!

Thanks in advance.

 

[truser00]

Well, just had a look at the current Nitromors COSHH sheet and looks like it already has acetone in it...

 

[Bigstep]

I tried nitromors but it doesn't seem like the original stuff and wasn't very effective so used paint panther that was better for removing paint/laquer

 

[old keeper]

I tried nitromors but it doesn't seem like the original stuff and wasn't very effective so used paint panther that was better for removing paint/laquer

I totally agree with this! Nitromors is nowhere as good as it used to be. Paint Panther usually will do the job.
Alternatively, get a decent set of scrapers and, together with a set of graded glasspapers, you will get an excellent finish.

 

[enfieldspares]

Well, just had a look at the current Nitromors COSHH sheet and looks like it already has acetone in it...

Might as well have "halitosis Hatty" breathe over them. It is useless. I now use Bartoline. If that fails see if a commercial door stripper can do a dip for you for cash?

 

[Norfolk Horn]

Can't you take the majority off with a cabinet scrapper or a piece of glass.

 

[Tim.243]

I've got 3 walnut stocks which were crudely painted over by their previous owners. I know the wood underneath it is walnut and usually decent stuff.

I have already tried using acetone on the paint and it wiped off fairly easily. I've no interest in doing the oil refinishing myself as I've already contacted Gun Stock Refinishing, but I think I want to be in control of stripping the paint.

Generally acetone doesn't seem to be the first thing that's recommended for this stuff, but modern production nitromors also doesn't seem to have a particularly good rep.

Acetone seems to attack the paint great as well as the original varnish beneath it, which I don't mind, but it does also seem to stain the wood.

I would appreciate any thoughts on this!

Thanks in advance.

They are not very big so I would get a block various grades of paper and do it that way, we used to hand block a whole car in primer with at least 2/3 grades of paper. Have paint stripped cars before not nice and forever cleaning it away.
Elbow grease is free lol

 

[truser00]

Thanks all.

Paint panther seems to be the way to go. COSHH says it has butanone which doesn’t evaporate as fast as acetone. I found you had to be pretty quick with acetone, before the paint rehardened.

Unfortunately methods that physically remove material isn’t something I want to do.

 

[Greenmist]

Nitromors ain't what it used to be, recently I took the varnish of a beretta stock before oiling it, I used the stuff from screwfix and a spatula, took a few coats to clear it all off,but did the job. Another option would be to used a sand blaster with fine sand, or as I've just looked into it soda blasting might be the way forward

 

[Heym SR20]

use a sharp cabinet scraper and a hot air gun to soften the paint. A scraper will only take the paint off.

Chances are the paint will have penetrated into the wood somewhat so you may have to scrape off a further thou or two to get clean wood. With a bit of luck thou the paint was applied over an existing oil or varnish.

A cabinet scraper is tool of beauty that will leave a surface pretty much ready for refinishing.

 

[Demetrius]

What Heym SR20 just said.....if the wood is walnut or anything else half decent, the last thing you want to do is soak it in chemical solvents/caustic strippers of any kind.
Hot air and scraper (with care...), or elbow grease and sandpaper are your friends for a stain-free finish at the end of the day, plus a dollop of patience...

D.

 

[Tim.243]

Thanks all.

Paint panther seems to be the way to go. COSHH says it has butanone which doesn’t evaporate as fast as acetone. I found you had to be pretty quick with acetone, before the paint rehardened.

Unfortunately methods that physically remove material isn’t something I want to do.

This is fine, as a nipper watched my Dad with a blow lamp and triangled scraper taking window frames back to the timber, then filling any parts, prime glaze putty and paint then that is where I was coming from

 

[Demetrius]

This Anschutz walnut stock was taken back to the wood, and then had multiple coats of Sainsburys' walnut oil applied and rubbed in.
The result is a satin finish that doesn't show the odd dings. IMHO a bit more practical than the glass like finish seen on some high end guns.

D

 

[Bo Diddley]

I used a cheap stripper from Screwfix also on my Annie stock. The trick is to liberally coat it up, then wrap in a bag to keep it from drying out, leave it 24 hours to work, then set about scraping the gunk off with a cabinet scraper and a stiff brush in the checkering.
Nath on Airgunforumsuk has some YouTube videos on the process.
I finished with Slippery Dicks stock finishing oil.

 

[HonestJohn]

Cheap stripper from screwfix

 

[Bo Diddley]

Cheap stripper from screwfix

You know what I mean ya rascal.

 

[dropmdead]

There are companies in the UK which still manufacture the original recipe of Nitromors. It has to be a business which buys it, and is not available to the public given how potent it is

 

[truser00]

Had some success with the various suggested methods. Thanks all for the ideas.

A bit of heat and a Stanley blade managed to sort out one of the stocks with drier and flakier paint.

The one I started last week with acetone and a rag will be a weekend job outside.

The third one is a bit tougher. Looks to be quite a thick gel paint. It’s got a hard gloss coating over a sparkly paint, but there might also be primer underneath. If acetone doesn’t break it, will have to go with Paint Panther.

 

[Littlekilmory]

Look for “Langlow Strip Away Pro” (has to be the Pro variant) - it still contains the methylene chloride that gave Nitromors its bite (and fumes…) it’s manufactured by Palace Chemicals in Merseyside.
Last time I bought it from a car paint supplier.

 

[Demetrius]

Nitromors used to contain methylene chloride, CH2Cl2, which was it's magic ingredient......now no longer for "civvy" use as it's a health hazard......

D.