Henrys Model 12

[targa911S]

The metal work has all been done and off o the bluing tank. The wood needed some attention though so........



a couple of deep dents in the wood ned some work, along with minor handling marks..



A hot iron and a wet rag to steam out the dents..






Magic!

[targa911S]

A bit of steel wool and some fine grade sand paper and it's ready for some Winchester red stain...




some boiled linseed oil so it sucks into the wood real good.




I'll set it aside and left it dry for a few days then start with the hand rubbing of the TRUOIL..

[Henry Schmidt]

Thanks Dave
Always fun to watch you work your magic.

[Nostril Cheese]

How long do you apply the heat to lift the dent out? Does it depend on the wood?

[Baz]

SWEET!

Neat little trick there with the iron, David!

I love the vintage iron, also.

Thanks for sharing!

[targa911S]

Baz you are so observant. Yes vintage iron part of the Art Deco stuff around here...works like a charm. The iron does not have a steam feature, just heat. You keep applying heat and steam until he fibers swell up and lay flat. Some dents are too deep and it won't work for scrapes that have wood fibers missing...

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by targa911S

Just heat, no steam.. You keep applying heat and steam until he fibers swell up and lay flat.

- Gotta admit

I'm a little bit confuuuused -

So, no heat, just a damp rag to generate the steam? Or just bone dry and no moisture?

I want to try this on a wood floor that I recently dented with a dutch oven....

(Wish I had a groovy little iron like yours.)

[targa911S]

you must have mis-read the iron only makes heat. No steam feature ..yes I use heat from the iron that makes steam from the wet shop rag. It pushes the steam into the wood and swells the fibers, popping them back in place. Too bad I had another indentical iron that I just gave to my niece. You can use any steam iron really but use the rag to prevent burning the wood.

[Craig T]

Fantastic Dave! Thanks for sharing.

Are you interested in working your magic on a first year model 21? if so, please send me a PM with your contact info.

[targa911S]

I just finished an early 21. The bluing process for the receiver is VERY tricky and pricey. But as I said to my customer he just invested $600 in a $5K gun. Money well spent. If not done properly the receiver will turn plum color because of the high nickel content in the steel. I had to have mine done twice to get it right by different guys. I found a guy in MO that worked for Browning for 40 years. He got it right but it was twice what I normally pay for hot bluing. The barrels will be rust blued and I will do them along with the wood. PM me some pics if you can. Simple answer...yes I can do it. Just that some of it has to be subbed.

[MBAtarga]

Another option to remove dents is a soldering iron with a broad tip- and again using a damp rag between the tip and the wood. The water and steam are absorbed into the wood fibers which will cause them to swell - and if the dent is not too deep - total reversal of the damage.

[targa911S]

yeah you could do that. I just have always used this trusty old iron because I can dial the heat to where I want..

[porsche4life]

Amazing work as always Dave! Someday I might have to send you my grandfathers A5

[GWN7]

Do you cut the boiled linseed oil with solvent to help it being absorbed into the wood?

[Rick V]

I love these threads

[DonDavis]

I'd really dig visiting your shop, sipping some bourbon, listening to some great music and watching you work, Dave. But I doubt you'd want anybody around during those times. Such a cool thing to watch it unfold here, tho.

And yeah, that iron is too cool. Is it from the 50's?

[Scuba Steve]

I've heard of the iron trick but never actually seen anybody do it. Thanks for the pics!

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

I'd really dig visiting your shop, sipping some bourbon, listening to some great music and watching you work, Dave. But I doubt you'd want anybody around during those times. Such a cool thing to watch it unfold here, tho.

And yeah, that iron is too cool. Is it from the 50's?

Thanks.....I charge more if you watch.....I can be plied with cigars though. For all of you that love my cool 50's iron here is a link to eBay where there are about 100 of them pretty cheap.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1311.R7.TR12.TRC2.A0.H1.Xge neral+mills+.TRS0&_nkw=general+mills+iron&_sacat=0

yes I thin the linseed with mineral spirits. about 50%..

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by targa911S

Thanks.....I charge more if you watch.....

I just had the weirdest movie thought when I read that. Something about the 50's iron, the patient process of your work, quietly sipping bourbon, the smell of various oils and cigar smoke...

It made me think of David Lynch, Twin Peaks.

It's 4am here and I can't sleep. Woke up at 2, been pacing around.

Weird night, fo sho.

[targa911S]

I been sick..flu/upper resp myself up at 3 am and again at 6. All sounds good in yer movie except the bourbon. I quit the sauce 30 years ago. Musicians and booze is a bad mix..