This technique will raise small dings on the face of wood strips (raw unfinished areas):
dampen a small rag, like a terry wash cloth, and place it over the ding. Apply a steam iron (a regular iron will do to) over the dinged area and steam for a few seconds. The dinged area will often raise. Sand the area lightly.
Note that on some material, steaming will tend to darken the crushed ding area. This may be preferable to applying an epoxy filler.
Ed...
Healing strip dings
Just water...
Great tip but you don't really need the steam from the iron... If the dent is horizontal, just put a drop or two of clean water in the recess and walk away. In a few hours, the dent will raise back to normal IF the grain or fibres in the wood have NOT been cracked or split. It this the case, neither steam or water will do any good long term...
Joe "Woodchuck" Gledhill
Garden City, MI
Garden City, MI