Cracked Stock

[psteinmayer]

Ok, I've found a crack. Yesterday while working on a lighter load and finding a new POI, I discovered a crack in the wrist area of my Krag. This morning, while cleaning, I confirmed that the crack goes from under the magazine well area back on both sides. I can actually flex the stock to slightly open the crack, making it very easy to see. I need to fix this as this Krag is my CMP Match favorite!!! Most of you who know me know how important this particular Krag is to me. I've attached a couple pictures to show the cracked area.

Here are a few questions:
1. This Krag has history, having been used in WW1 in 1917/1918, and I am reluctant to refinish the stock... but if it needs to be refinish to fix it, then I am not completely opposed. Should I be refinishing it? Money is a real problem for me right now...
2. Having regularly oiled the rifle when cleaning, I know that there is oil in the cracked area, and when squeezing the stock, can actually see oil seep from the crack. Will this affect the fix?
3. Money is a real problem for me... but am I looking at putting this stock away permanently and replacing it???

I need to have this resolved in time for the Nationals in July... Please help, as I am quite bewildered at this point.

Thanks all

Crack 01 (800x600).jpg
Crack 02 (800x600).jpg

[gnoahhh]

Fret not, it can be fixed. If it is a recent development oil may not have infiltrated the whole depth and length of the crack. Pry it open as far as you dare and blow it out with compressed air. Use a syringe and inject acetone and blow it out again. Do whatever you need to do to keep the acetone off of the surrounding finish- mask right up to the crack and use plastic wrap on the rest of the wood to absolutely keep the acetone off. After the acetone evaporates out (a few minutes) use the same syringe to inject clear un-thickened epoxy down in as far as you can get it. Another trick is to warm the wood first as that promotes the epoxy to wick into the depths. Un-pry the wood (let it spring shut), carefully wipe away any squeeze out, clamp the crack tightly shut with whatever means is at your disposal. (Heavy duty rubber bands such as one can fashion from bicycle inner tubes work great.) Clean away the squeeze out that clamping will induce. Let cure overnight. Remove clamp. If any squeeze out of hardened epoxy has manifested itself (and it probably will), carefully knock it back with a razor sharp tool of your choosing, and lightly, lightly dodge it with 320-600x paper (re-masking the repair area at this point is a good idea). Remove masking tape, slather it up with linseed oil, and I'll bet your friends will never know it's there. It'll stay shut longer than you will be around to care about it.

[psteinmayer]

There is definitely oil in the crack, so I'll need to clean it out... but this advice is exactly what I was hoping for. The crack may have been there for a little while, but this is the first I have noticed it! Either way, I'll get it fixed. As I said on another forum, I intend on continuing to shoot this Krag for a long time to come.

[jon_norstog]

Good luck there, P. No way should you get a new stock if this one was treating you right at the range. I can't add anything to Gnoahh's advice, except maybe Gorilla Glue as an option as opposed to epoxy.

jn

[gnoahhh]

I frown on Gorilla Glue, especially in an instance like this. Too difficult to get it worked down into the depths of the crack, plus it depends on water moisture for curing and I wouldn't infuse water down in there either.

[madsenshooter]

No Gorrilla Glue! It expands as it dries. Best to drill down from inside the receiver and pump epoxy out. One of my 92/96 rifles has similar cracks that I've been keeping an eye on. I'll have to stabilize them eventually.

[StockDoc]

Acra Glas and Dental picks to work it down into the crack. I suggest using Brake cleaner (aerosol) to clean out the crack, Or solvent in a airbrush to clean out the crack. Let it dry overnight, then apply epoxy.

[dave]

I doubt any of the methods mentioned to clean oil out of crack will be enough if it is soaked into the wood. And if it is the epoxy will not stick. Acra Glass is an epoxy

[gnoahhh]

Maybe, maybe not. Nothing beats a try but a failure. Actually I've been kind of amazed at how well epoxy will bond to some rather spurious wood. I glued a bunch of cracks in an oil soaked Mauser stock 15 years ago and they're still holding tight. Ditto the tang cracks in a couple of hundred year old oil soaked Savage M1899 stocks. My experience with epoxy came mainly in the marine industry- I can't tell you how many 50 gallon drums of the stuff I went through- and some pretty shady looking old teak bonded quite well on numerous occasions. The oil probably hasn't soaked so far down into the depths of this gentleman's crack (geez, that didn't sound right!) so as to obviate a decent bond.

[psteinmayer]

The oil is most likely just near the edge. I'd imagine that its from my wiping the stock down when I clean it. Hopefully, it's not too deep. I picked up some acetone today, as well as a couple cans of compressed air to help dry it out. I have some auto-mix epoxy with a 20 minute set/24 hour cure. If there is a better epoxy to use.... please let me know. I'll work on it this weekend!