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Brass tack removal on stock. (Read 250 times)

jimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Now available in Oklahoma. Posts: 487 Location: Skiatook Joined: May 12^th, 2009	Brass tack removal on stock. Jul 24^th, 2026 at 8:02pm	Print Post
	Traded for this Pedersoli frontier flintlock a few years ago. 14? Thought removing the brass tacks would be easy to remove and steam the stock to repair. A quick search back then, and now, says it is not to be. So it has sat unfired. Anyone think of a way to remove these? I'll post a picture of one removed. Edit to add, how to fix the hole? Any plug will be end grain.


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cellargun Full Member Offline Posts: 177 Joined: Feb 28^th, 2022	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #1 - Jul 24^th, 2026 at 9:07pm	Print Post
	Any repair will stand out, possibly/probably more than the tacks. I have a HighWall with easily 3 or 4 dozen small tacks, 1/16-3/32” or so, that create concentric circles, outline the buttplate, and are all definitely old. In the case of my rifle, I left them primarily due to age, but also because removing them would cause so much harm. Tacks have been used as ornamentation for a long time. I’d find a match to the others to fill the hole, then leave them alone.


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jimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Now available in Oklahoma. Posts: 487 Location: Skiatook Joined: May 12^th, 2009	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #2 - yesterday at 6:13am	Print Post
	cellargun wrote on Jul 24^th, 2026 at 9:07pm: Any repair will stand out, possibly/probably more than the tacks. I have a HighWall with easily 3 or 4 dozen small tacks, 1/16-3/32” or so, that create concentric circles, outline the buttplate, and are all definitely old. In the case of my rifle, I left them primarily due to age, but also because removing them would cause so much harm. Tacks have been used as ornamentation for a long time. I’d find a match to the others to fill the hole, then leave them alone. I have the tack that was there, just removed it. Thinking anything would look better than the brass tacks. May just replace the tack and sell it.


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Jonathan Full Member Offline Posts: 127 Location: THE GOOD PART OF NY Joined: Sep 5^th, 2025	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #3 - yesterday at 11:00am	Print Post
	It looks like the tacks are on a flat surface with a different finish than the surrounding area, if so there's hope. The thing is that the entire surrounding area is going to have to be taken down to bare wood and the grain is going to have to be raised many times and scraped with a razor blade. I've repaired hundreds of tack holes over the years in antique furniture and it's no fun. I can tell you more but I would suggest that you let it go rather than spend a lot of time and frustration in repairing it.


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2152hq Junior Member Offline Posts: 51 Joined: Oct 18^th, 2024	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #4 - yesterday at 11:17am	Print Post
	You can remove them and then take the wood down, etc as Jonathan has stated. But with the number of them and being a flat surface, I would remove all of the tacks. Then face off the surface to get it absolutely flat. Never mind if the tack outlines still show. You can even scrape the center section of the side plate down a small amt for an easier and better fit of an overlay at the edges. Same thing done when fitting a flat butt plate to a stock. Then overlay a thin piece of straight grain walnut (or what ever wood it is or will match) and glue it to the flat surface. Trim that all around the contour of the side plate and take the piece itself down to bare minimum thickness so that the side plate is back to about it's orig height. Done carefully so as not to leave gaps around the edges especially which will show a wide glue line, it will disguise the damage. A bit of staining and coloring on the concave contours around the side plate will hide any hint of a glue line. Stain and match the flat portion to the rest of the stock. A lot easier than trying to make umpteen tack outlines and tiny holes disappear. You have to know that at least some of the old damage will still be visible after all that.


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jimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Now available in Oklahoma. Posts: 487 Location: Skiatook Joined: May 12^th, 2009	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #5 - yesterday at 11:47am	Print Post
	2152hq wrote yesterday at 11:17am: You can remove them and then take the wood down, etc as Jonathan has stated. But with the number of them and being a flat surface, I would remove all of the tacks. Then face off the surface to get it absolutely flat. Never mind if the tack outlines still show. You can even scrape the center section of the side plate down a small amt for an easier and better fit of an overlay at the edges. Same thing done when fitting a flat butt plate to a stock. Then overlay a thin piece of straight grain walnut (or what ever wood it is or will match) and glue it to the flat surface. Trim that all around the contour of the side plate and take the piece itself down to bare minimum thickness so that the side plate is back to about it's orig height. Done carefully so as not to leave gaps around the edges especially which will show a wide glue line, it will disguise the damage. A bit of staining and coloring on the concave contours around the side plate will hide any hint of a glue line. Stain and match the flat portion to the rest of the stock. A lot easier than trying to make umpteen tack outlines and tiny holes disappear. You have to know that at least some of the old damage will still be visible after all that. Tacks on the other, curved side as well. Guess I should sell it. Really wanting one of those Kibler southern mountain rifles in 40 caliber.


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Schuetzendave Frequent Elocutionist Offline Retired Ex-Shooter Posts: 4245 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Joined: Jan 28^th, 2005	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #6 - yesterday at 1:00pm	Print Post
	This rear stock of this Martini Henry Cavalry Carbine converted to an Artilary Carbine's butt was surrounded by brass tacks which were removed, filled with walnut sawdust and tung oil and then sanded down before refinishing with tung oil. Stock repair and new barrel put on at the Armory and then sold to some Aboriginal after it was converted to an Artilary Carbine. It had little use except the addition of brass tacks by the previous owner. You can still see the holes that were filled on the butt end.
	« Last Edit: yesterday* at 1:09pm by Schuetzendave* »

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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12406 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #7 - yesterday at 5:28pm	Print Post
	You don't like brass tacks? Love those tacks!

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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jimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Now available in Oklahoma. Posts: 487 Location: Skiatook Joined: May 12^th, 2009	Re: Brass tack removal on stock. Reply #8 - yesterday at 8:59pm	Print Post
	Schuetzendave wrote yesterday at 1:00pm: This rear stock of this Martini Henry Cavalry Carbine converted to an Artilary Carbine's butt was surrounded by brass tacks which were removed, filled with walnut sawdust and tung oil and then sanded down before refinishing with tung oil. Stock repair and new barrel put on at the Armory and then sold to some Aboriginal after it was converted to an Artilary Carbine. It had little use except the addition of brass tacks by the previous owner. You can still see the holes that were filled on the butt end. That looks great. Thanks.


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