Original finish??
 

This is the gun I put photos up of last week - a little polish cleaned it up so nicely, and after a couple of y'alls comments, it started getting me thinking about the finish.

Does this appear to be remaining original finish or is it the remains of a coat of varnish that was applied later?

I've only had a couple of stocks refinished - one was a smith and another was a parker stock that was beyond terrible to begin with. Does this stock need finish to protect it?

Regardless of the answer to that question - say I did chose to have it done. What's it going to take other than a checkering recut?

http://www.waterdogguideservice.com/...rkerstock1.jpg

http://www.waterdogguideservice.com/...rkerstock2.jpg

http://www.waterdogguideservice.com/...rkerstock3.jpg

1. original finish

2. yes

3. steam out dents and gouges

I concur with Bruce, but would only add french polish to the buttstock, while the forend might benefit from a steam job, light sanding, and recutting the checkering. The beauty of french polish is that you can add it only to the bald areas until they match the remaining finish, then a couple of overall coats to blend them all in, and it will look like new. There are a couple of very good threads in the archives here on how to do french polish, and they all work well. I would cover the wrist checkering with masking tape prior to doing the buttstock.