Fixing Dents

When refinishing, often you may run across a few dents.  The following procedure works well in most cases.  Please note that this process should be used on the raw piece of wood only.  Do not attempt this on a finished piece as you will most certainly cause damage to the finish.

1. Apply a few drops of distilled water to each dent.
2. Let the water soak in until it dries.
3. In most cases, this will cause the dent to swell back out to normal.

If this process doesn't work, repeat it again.  If the dent is still there, try applying the distilled water and using an iron.  Use a few drops and while the dent is still wet cover it with a damp cloth(old tshirt works good)  Iron for a few seconds and this should get the dent to rise out.  Sometimes, I use a soldering iron with a damp cloth.  The size of the soldering iron allows for more focalized heat application. 

If both procedures fail you and the piece is solid wood, you may have to do alot of sanding to remove the dent.  However, this process normally works when done correctly.