Does steaming work??

[Tominco]

You be the Judge...
This unfortunate incident happened today. If you can get on something like this quickly, you'll get better results. 

After steaming and roughing up with 000 synthetic wool...

Re-applying the finish. It'll buff down but, I wanted to get a pic with the gloss. 

Yes, it's still there. It will always be there. The gloss does a nice job of highlighting it. 
Now, compare this to the top picture. 

Remember, I'm making this look as bad as it possibly could. You wouldn't really notice it unless the light hit it just right. 

If I really wanted it totally gone, I'd end up steaming it more, filling it in, and then sanding it back before applying the finish. It's a more involved process that I will probably do after I get back from AZ. 

To Steam: Clothes iron set to "Cotton". Very damp cloth (almost dripping). Apply cloth to stock. Apply pressure directly above the damaged area with the iron. Check and reapply as necessary. 
You are allowing the water to enter the wood. Then, you are turning it to steam. Water expands 1700 times its liquid volume when turned into a gas. So, you are essentially pushing the wood back out, from the inside. You're also softening up the wood fibers which helps them to return to their original position. That's why it's best to try to get on something like this quickly. It doesn't have to be immediately, just as soon as you can. This can also help with old pressure marks. 

This is also why I like Minwax Antique Oil finish. I was actually typing this during the finishing process. Steam, dry, rough up the area, apply finish, buff to desired gloss, and allow to dry. Done.

++hanks!
Tom

 

[Paulcat]

I think you have proven it does Tom.Always like seeing your craftsman ship on those beautiful stocks.

 

[Brian10956]

When you want to steam out a dent it’s important to soak the dent and minimize soaking the surrounding area. The way I’ve done it in the past is I take a piece of contact paper about 2” wider than the dent and cut a hole or slit in it roughly the size of the dent I’ll then use some steel wool to remove finish over the dent. I’ll then take some modeling clay and make a shallow dam around dent. Using a eye dropper cover dent with hot water, wait 15 minutes adding more water if needed you want a little puddle over dent as it soaked in. Then remove clay dam put a wet old t shirt on top and hit with hot iron. You may need to repeat 1 or 2 more times. After the dent steams out use wet sandpaper in progress steps from 1000 to 4000 but don’t make it smoother than original stock . After it is throughly dry refinish it will better than New. Wood absorbed water at different rates based on hardness the hot iron turns the water that was absorbed in the wood to steam which swells the wood cells back to to original shape if you over do it you can just sand it down Very important wood must be bone dry before refinishing or it will shrink leaving a slight depression. The wet t shirt keeps the iron from burning the wood all of the expansion is done by the steam the iron creates in the soaked wood.

Tom hopefully your fully satisfied with the job you already did if not try it my way. There are many successful ways of doing this type of repair I only gave you the one I’ve used successfully in refinishing furniture. 

 

[Tominco]

Brian,
Thanks a bunch for adding you insight and experience. I think I'll give that a try once I get back.
+ to you!

 

[Brian10956]

"Tominco"Brian,
Thanks a bunch for adding you insight and experience. I think I'll give that a try once I get back.
+ to you!

Tom 
your welcome
wish I could make it to Arizona also maybe next year, Good Luck

 

[kk4iz]

Steaming does work we have done it a few times also but it does piss you off when you get a scratch or a dent.

 

[Rosco860]

Tom, 
Thanks so much for posting this thread! I was blown away at how affective your method was and applied it to my hard wood floors in my house. I recently noticed a few pucks in the floor and was upset because I thought that there was nothing more could do about it. Seeing your thread helped me make the connection and a Google search later, I'm watching videos of guys doing the same things to their floors! Well thank you once again, love your videos, your enthusiasm and your generosity in sharing your knowledge. Have a great weekend, Rosco.

 

[Tominco]

I think it's really cool that this post was able to help you, even though it wasn't shooting related. Thank you for letting me know. 

 

[kk4iz]

Was told by an old wood worker to wet the wood after sanding each time to raise the grain, do this as many times as you like to get the wood as smooth as you would like before putting on the finish. It worked real good on a T/C muzzler kit we built.