What is the best way to refurbish the wooden pieces of my AK? Here is a pic of it, and it doesn't look that bad in this picture, but it has a few surface scratches and stains that I would like to clean up.

Also, this is my first post, so be gentleht
http://i2.tinypic.com/ot0qhh.jpg

Welcome to the boards!  There is tons of really valuable advice here, and the guys are top notch.  I've asked some really stupid noob questions and haven't been flamed once.  Had I posted them in GD it would have gone 10 pages of insults, the inevitable lock, and possible a ban or two.  

Is that a laminate furniture kit or is it solid wlanut?

Here is an EXCELLENT source of a wealth of information on refinishing stock sets.  This is a member of the board here, and this site is tacked to the top of this forum.  

Just a bit of advice, bro, no flames at all, but you should always try to read the tacked threads before posting questions.  Often, I have had questions that I found the answer to in the tacked threads.  I know they often go over-looked, but they are tacked for a reason.  

Anyway, here is the link.  I think you'll find exactly what you are looking for.  Oh, and don't forget to post before, during, and after pics both there and here!  We love success pics, or can help walk you through it if you get stuck.  

All you need to know, step by step, to stock set refinishing.  Click me!

Thanks for the site, and advice, I'll check it out. I'll get some better pics and definately keep you posted.

Quoted: Is that a laminate furniture kit or is it solid wlanut? Huh? I feel dumb already You refering to the gun? Thanks for the site, and advice, I'll check it out. I'll get some better pics and definately keep you posted.

LOL, yes.  Bad habit, I suppose.  The stock and handguards on the AR15 are commonly called furniture.  But the correct terminology for the AK is stock set, which includes the stock, the handguards (upper and lower), and the pistol grip.  But if someone asks about your furniture, that's what they mean.

These sets come in laminate or solid wood, the most common solid wood for the Romy being Walnut (hey, even spelled it correctly this time!).  You can get solid Walnut wood sets, complete and unfinished from AIMsurpluss.com for around $40 including shipping.  All you have to do is a light sanding, stain and seal.  Be careful, though, because they come in two configurations:  one for stamped receivers and one for milled.  I learned that the hard way when I ordered one and it didn't fit.  Another member here brought it to my attention, and I had never known there was difference until then.

But definately check out that link, which has step by step instructions to refinish your current set and will give you an AWSOME and authentic looking finish.  

Good luck bro!

I just read thru that link at it is EXACTLY what I wanted to know. Thanks alot, man.

Another question, since I'm a noobie around here and I'm entitled to ask dumb questions for a bit, is there a place to buy a new set of already finished in solid wood, or should I take the time to do it myself? I have faith I could do it correctly, I just wonder if it's worth the time. I am a novice with AK's, this is my first.

Quoted: I just read thru that link at it is EXACTLY what I wanted to know. Thanks alot, man. Another question, since I'm a noobie around here and I'm entitled to ask dumb questions for a bit, is there a place to buy a new set of already finished in solid wood, or should I take the time to do it myself? I have faith I could do it correctly, I just wonder if it's worth the time. I am a novice with AK's, this is my first.

I'm a newbie with AK's too, bro, and I still ask a lot of questions that others must just laugh at.  But like I said before, the guys here are top notch and understand we ALL start out knowing NOTHING.  We learn by asking.  

I cannot remember ever seeing fully finished wood sets, but that's because any wood set you buy is going to need tweaking because receivers have slight differences.  There will be a little chisling and a little shaping and a little sanding on 99.9% of the sets, and that would make it VERY difficult not to damage the finish.  But I doubt you could find a set anyway, unless they were made specifically for a receiver/kit combination - and at that, they'd fetch a hefty price.

So, do it yourself bro.  It takes very little time to make a great fit and finish, and you have the satisfaction of saying you did it youself when someone comments on how tight the wood fits and looks.  If you strip your current set, you won't need to fit it to the receiver, of course, but if I was you I'd take my time and, once you get the current finish stripped, go ahead and correct anything like gaps at that time.  Shave and sand as you need to in order to get the upper and lower handguards in pefect alignment, and remove any gaps in the stock.

In other words, do it yourself but pay really close attention once you have bare wood to make it perfect.  You'll have a rifle you will be very proud of and want to show off, and done for cheap by your own hands.  That's my advice, anyway, which is worth exactly what you paid for it sir.

Nah, it was worth alot, your points are very valid, and make it very clear what I should do. I'll post some pics and keep you updated when I get it broken down.

There used to be a "Refinished Romanian Stock" thread on this forum with several pages of info.  It's probably in the archives now.  Maybe a paying member can find it and post the link for it.

Quoted: There used to be a "Refinished Romanian Stock" thread on this forum with several pages of info.  It's probably in the archives now.  Maybe a paying member can find it and post the link for it.

Ask and ye shall receive!  Glad to be of some help for all the help you all have given me!



Refinish your Romanian stock thread

Quoted: Quoted: There used to be a "Refinished Romanian Stock" thread on this forum with several pages of info.  It's probably in the archives now.  Maybe a paying member can find it and post the link for it. Ask and ye shall receive!  Glad to be of some help for all the help you all have given me! Refinish your Romanian stock thread

Thanks for doing that Richard!

Anytime.  Like I said, glad to be of some help.  I'm a noob in AK's, so I ask a LOT of silly questions.  I have been treated with nothing less than total respect by people who answered my questions to the best of their ability without a hint of superiority.

This is the LEAST I could do.  

Holy Crap, Tapeo! Those things looked awesome.

Can't wait 'til I get home so I can start!

I just refinished my WASR last weekend.I removed the original orange finish with BIX stripper, then sanded everything down & let it dry for a day. Very easy job.

I stained the stockset with Minwax oil-based Red Oak stain, then hit it with about four coats of Danish Oil finish that gave it a nice soft shine. I rubbed it down between coats with 0000 steel wool. I'm very happy with the final product below, complete with a newly polished charging handle.

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL796/3670896/7563284/131187744.jpg

Well folks, I finished my refinishing, took pictures, and forgot to post them before I came to work this morninghinking.gif

As soon as I get home, I'll put them up. It worked perfectly! Thanks for all the pushes in the right direction!

"DireWolf"  Where did you get the name?  

Quoted: "DireWolf"  Where did you get the name?

Grateful Dead song.

Here's my old pieces apart from the gun:
http://i2.tinypic.com/qxj41s.jpg

And here they are refinished and back where they belong:

http://i2.tinypic.com/qxj4ht.jpg
http://i2.tinypic.com/qxj4pj.jpg
http://i2.tinypic.com/qxj4zs.jpg

I thought I did a pretty good job for my first time, and knowing nothing about doing it. What do you guys think?

Looks great!!!

Quoted: Quoted: "DireWolf"  Where did you get the name?   Grateful Dead song. Here's my old pieces apart from the gun: i2.tinypic.com/qxj41s.jpg And here they are refinished and back where they belong: i2.tinypic.com/qxj4ht.jpg i2.tinypic.com/qxj4pj.jpg i2.tinypic.com/qxj4zs.jpg I thought I did a pretty good job for my first time, and knowing nothing about doing it. What do you guys think?

You done good DireWolf!  Did you do use the betadine method on them?

No, I stripped it with Bix, let them dry, used the fine steel wool and smoothed them out, applied three coats of Minwax Colonial Maple stain. I don't know why I used the Colonial Maple. It looked the closest color to what I was trying to achieve without having to use the betadine. I then sprayed on two coats of semi-gloss polyeurethane. I also didn't buff out the first coat of gloss. I didn't want them extremely shiny, just shiny enough to be like "Damn, that looks good."

I got the exact results I was hoping for, for about $20.00 at Lowe's.

Thanks again guys!