Aqua Fortis

[Zutt-man]

Good morning gents. Looking through several flintlocks and photos on google, it got me thinking: Has anyone tried aqua fortis on cherry, or any other stocks other than maple? Obviously you’re not going to have figure like a curly maple, but maybe it would bring out the subtleties in a stock?

I figured I’d share the photo process of a stock I did last year with curly maple as an attention grabber.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Most people use drain cleaner with lye on cherry but your question peaked my interest, I am out to the shop and will have pictures of aqufortis on cherry in a matter of minutes.

My guess is it will turn it black, we will see....

I am back; AQ gives a deep burgundy color on cherry. This is one coat of aqufortis, blushed and covered with a thick coat of Tru-oil. Looks to me that this would be a good stain to leave dark in some areas and scrub back to lighten others.

 

[LME]

Most people use drain cleaner with lye on cherry but your question peaked my interest, I am out to the shop and will have pictures of aqufortis on cherry in a matter of minutes.

My guess is it will turn it black, we will see....

I would like to see how drain cleaner work? This is the first time I have heard of using drain cleaner.

 

[SOLANCO]

I don't even use drain cleaner in drains!

 

[Eric Krewson]

Drain cleaner on cherry, from the Kibler website.

 

[andy52]

I used it on an Osage Orange tomahawk handle and it just basically turn it brown.

 

[nhmoose]

Wear protective gloves and rubber apron and face shield if I were to use it

 

[Zutt-man]

Most people use drain cleaner with lye on cherry but your question peaked my interest, I am out to the shop and will have pictures of aqufortis on cherry in a matter of minutes.

My guess is it will turn it black, we will see....

I am back; AQ gives a deep burgundy color on cherry. This is one coat of aqufortis, blushed and covered with a thick coat of Tru-oil. Looks to me that this would be a good stain to leave dark in some areas and scrub back to lighten others.

View attachment 120993

Wow. Thanks for that. My next gun I want to be a fowler of sorts, but I’ve always wanted a dark cherry look to it. This may be the ticket.

 

[BillKilgore]

In for the info and pics.

Please post photos of Aquafortis on any wood types.

 

[LME]

I used it on an Osage Orange tomahawk handle and it just basically turn it brown.

It may not have been the drain cleaner as Osage Orange turns brown anyway?

 

[Robby]

Chlorine bleach on Osage turns it a nice aged bronze/brown.
Robby

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Potassium dichromate will darken cherry. I found some on ebay. Cherry and Osage orange are photo sensitive leaving them in sunlight will darken them. Over a long time Osage orange will turn almost black. I've seen it on an NDN bow iI got to handle in a museum.

 

[andy52]

Here's how the tomahawk turned out.

 

[Robby]

Love the color of old osage, like bronze.
Robby

 

[Eric Krewson]

Here is aqufortis on hickory after blushing and without any finish, the finish will bring out a few more red tones. I use aqufortis on my ramrods and like the color as it come close to matching the stock wood.

 

[Fly Navy]

I've always been a walnut guy and have never done a curly maple stock or used aqua fortis before, and I have a couple of questions. The rifle I'm building has a sliding wood patch box lid/cover. I was wondering how one should finish this. Do you use aqua fortis on the interior of the patch box? Should I use aqua fortis on the whole sliding wood cover including the bottom? What about the dove tails? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Zutt-man]

For giggles, I did one layer of aqua fortis on the bottom side of a spalted silver maple coffee table. I have pictures of both the bottom (wet and dried) and top (last picture) for reference. The top was treated with tried and true. From the photos it’s hard to tell, but there was actually a good amount of curl, albeit small and tight, towards the center of the slab. You can notice some larger bands towards the edge in spots

 

[Billy Boy]

I don't even use drain cleaner in drains!

We use it on pancakes, in the winter.