Cherry Stocks: Traditional Long Rifle Finishes

[kingjobean]

The first test piece I used was one teaspoon of lye to 15 ounces of water which did color but not as much as I had hoped. I upped the ante by an extra teaspoon to the previous mixture and started getting darker results. The key to getting a deeper red color is to blush the wood with a heat gun like Rich Pierce suggested.

Do you blush it with the heat gun after the lye solution dries?

 

[Trapper Scott]

Do you blush it with the heat gun after the lye solution dries?

How I did it. I applied the lye mixture, immediately blushed it with heat, and then neutralized it with vinegar. I've read that some folks let it dry overnight and then blushed it with heat, so I may try that next to see if it will offer any differences.

 

[Humpy]

I love this site, I keep learning so much!

 

[Mrdix]

How do you account for the natural darkening of the cherry ? I have some natural Cherry furniture and it definitely ages or “tans “ when exposed to the sun .
Most of the finishes used on rifles are not UV shielding so I suspect if your stock is in the sun it would darken naturally ?