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Aqua Fortis and BLO

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Short version…have a rifle stock, very curly maple, that was finished recently with a few coats of BLO. Rubbed in.

Can I use Agua Fortis to darken the grain?

Stock is a light blond color now. Want to darken it and really make it pop. Can I do this with the BLO in the wood?
 
I’d like to see the before and after pictures if you do it. My WAG is you’d have to remove as much of the oil as possible, but I’ve never tried it.
 
that was finished recently with a few coats of BLO. Rubbed in.

Can I use Agua Fortis to darken the grain?

Can I do this with the BLO in the wood?
Nope.
AF won't do what it's supposed to do in this case. Not saying that you can't darken it with another method, but AF ain't the gig.
I'd try an alcohol based stain. LMF(?).
The alcohol base will help push the pigment into the grain,, I'd wipe with a clean alcohol damp rag, (ISO or Denatured) then dry, and repeat until I got what I want. Then top coat,,
 
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Here is a of pics of some knife handles in the making, the redder colored one is Fiebings medium brown alcohol base stain AF on the bottom wood. I have used it on a stock yet but I like the color and I think it would penetrate the finish you have on the stock.
IMGP1190.JPG
 
Here is a of pics of some knife handles in the making, the redder colored one is Fiebings medium brown alcohol base stain AF on the bottom wood. I have used it on a stock yet but I like the color and I think it would penetrate the finish you have on the stock.
View attachment 156284

Andy, where can I buy that Fiebings stain?
 
The stain is actually made for leather, I normally just buy it on eBay by the quart. For a gunstock, you won't need that much. I really like the color and may do a stock in the future with it.
 
Here are a few pics. The camera/Sun makes the gun look much darker than it is.

I bought it used and it had A LOT of problems. An older very accomplished rifle builder took it on for me. He did an amazing job of correcting the carving, adding a side plate, a nose cap, full bedding of the barrel (the inletting was a disaster) correcting the patch box, and more. The touch hole had been drilled clean thru the other side of the Rice barrel and welded back up. All the initial pin holes were too high. And the trigger guard install was a disaster of gaps you could read the paper through.

But this piece of wood was worth saving. He did strip the finish on this amazing stock. It was much darker and the strips absolutely popped. So I know what it can be again…

He told me he put two coats of BLO on and then paste wax. I know I can get the paste wax off with some acetone.

Just not sure where to go next…
 
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Heat will help to get oil out of the stock, as will an acetone bath.
^^This^^

I'd wipe it with acetone until I wasn't getting anymore oil on my rag, then use a heat gun. Work in small areas, the oil will boil to the top, as soon as it does wipe it off with a clean rag. Move and do another small area. Be careful with the heat, if you leave it in one spot too long it will char the wood.

I've done several Winchester 52 and Remington 40X stocks with the above method.
 
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