Removing the Weatherby Deluxe Finish

I've posted this technique several times but can never find it when I need to reference it!! A Weatherby Forum member recently reached out to me regarding this topic and I was lucky enough to find this old thread so it wouldn't have to be re-written.



I've done this many times for my guns and for the guns of friends; rifles and shotguns. This is not the only method to do this, but it's the one I use.

Yes, the stripping gel does work. Yes, it is safe to use indoors because there are no toxic fumes. You need to get the orange gel. I keep forgetting the name.

Personally, I would not use heat because that can also cause the polyurethane to seep deeper into the pores of the wood. The pores will expand a bit and allow the gel to penetrate deeper. You'll find that the pores of the stock are not completely filled after the polyurethane is stripped off.

The key is patience. The key patience.

Tape off the barrel channel and seal off the action area inside the stock.

Remove the recoil pad.

Use a large plastic storage bin in the neighborhood of 48" L x 18" W x 8" D. They sell them in the Home Organizing areas at places like Home Depot, etc....

Work on one section at a time and allow the gel to work before stripping off with a blunt scraper. A putty knife is perfect. Several applications may be necessary in each section.

DO NOT USE A RAZOR EDGED TOOL!!!! You WILL leave cut marks that will be extremely difficult to sand off when it comes time to apply the oil finish.

Keep working and be careful around the checkering. the most difficult areas will be in and around the pistol grip and the section above the forend checkering along the edge of the forend.

After the polyurethane is completely removed, begin the sanding process.

After the stock is completely sanded, assess whether the checkering needs to be recut. In most cases it will. A Lasermark stock is much easier to work with because there are no points in the checkering to try and preserve.

Attach a recoil pad and sand it completely smooth with the stock. You can't simply attach the old one because the polyurethane finish takes up surface space and the pad will now sit slighty proud of the stock. Besides, you'll more than likely have to cut the old pad off.

An oil finish is the best way to go and that is a completely different topic area of which there is no room to describe here. I was taught a technique used by Griffin & Howe. An oil finish is very durable, waterproof, is easily repaired, and is the only way to bring forth the true color and nature of the grain to the surface. It does this because an oil finish is part of the stock and doesn't sit on its surface. An oil finish develops over the years and results in a look that is unparalled.

I hope this helps to get you started.