I'll tell you what worked for me...
I had a Sharps that had a fingernail shaped dent in the stock it was about 1/8 inch deep on the the one side and flush with the other.
This was oiled finished walnut stock ( can't comment on other finishes )
I dampen the area around the dent and the dent itself , placed a wet wash cloth over it and used a steam iron on hot cotton setting.
Iron only the area of the dent, it will swell and rise. Go slowly and lift and watch you work.
The dent was removed, a little light sanding & touch up with steel wool and some oil finish and all you could see was the faint line where the wood was brused in the first place.