Maple color?

[jrmflintlock]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to get this color on a rifle stock? I see it on knives and tomahawk handles and other curly maple items but rarely on Rifles.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[jm190]

I remembered seeing a post about whiskey brown stocks...here's the link.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...2/post/268600/hl/whiskey/fromsearch/1/#268600

Hope this is what you're looking for!

John

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Based on how the color comes across on my screen, you can achieve that color easily with ferric nitrate crystals dissolved in water or alcohol. This creates the same chemical solution as nitric acid and iron rust (called aqua fortis by some). A ratio of 1 part ferric nitrate to 5 parts water should do the trick but experiment first. When the stain is dry, heat it with a heat gun until it turns reddish-brown just like you do with aqua fortis.

dave

 

[Col. Batguano]

You won't get the final "look" until you hit it with your finish however. It will look a little muddy or dull still. But if you have it covered with a varnish or oil, it doesn't work very well to go back at it with more stain or heat. So, to satisfy yourself hit it with something that will wet the stock but evaporate. Alcohol or some other volatile should work swell, without re-raising the grain the way water will. If you used an alcohol-based stain over the FN then you'll have to use something else that won't carry the stain away though. I don't know if mineral spirits is a carrier for stains, but it's worth exploring.

And don't forget to neutralize the FN treatment, just like you would with AF, or else it will keep darkening over the years.

 

[jrmflintlock]

Thanks John, what they showed in the topic you provided was still darker than I want.

I have a bottle of Aquafortis that I just used on my fowler and it came out very nice, exactly what I wanted for that particular piece but way darker than what I want for my next one. and I only used one application.

Can I dilute it? or do I sand it back?

I want the contrasting light and dark like in the knives in the picture I posted with little to no Redish undertones. I will look into Danglers stains.

I have also used Cider Vinegar and steel wool, but it's my understanding that it is an "ebonizer" and turns the wood very dark. Not really what I am looking for. When I used it before on a maple loading block it actually turned the wood dark grey.

And I have tried just applying oil and Wax and that is not the color I am looking for either.

There has to be a way to get the warm color I am after, because I see it on knives and tomahawk handles all the time.

Thanks guys! Any more info would be helpeful!

 

[Black Hand]

I have a bottle of Aquafortis that I just used on my fowler and it came out very nice, exactly what I wanted for that particular piece but way darker than what I want for my next one. and I only used one application.

Can I dilute it? or do I sand it back?

Yes. I don't recommend sanding.

I have also used Cider Vinegar and steel wool, but it's my understanding that it is an "ebonizer" and turns the wood very dark. When I used it before on a maple loading block it actually turned the wood dark grey.

Vinegaroon can be an ebonizer in conjunction with tannic acid treatment. On Maple, it will give a result similar to Aquafortis with the color varying by the amount of iron dissolved and application.

 

[jrmflintlock]

What do I dilute it with?

 

[Black Hand]

Water.

From what others have posted, you have a limited number of applications/blushing with heat before the Maple won't change color any more.

I just don't worry about it - the Maple will be whatever comes out after Aquafortis treatment. The shade can be adjusted by the use of a tinted finish (certain period finishes had a reddish color).

 

[jrmflintlock]

That's the problem, I don't want the redish tint.
I just want the dark areas of the grain dark and the light areas light.

I'll try to dilute it with water! Thanks!!

 

[Black Hand]

The reddish color comes from the interaction of the Maple with the iron in the Aquafortis. You may not be able to avoid the red without using another stain...

 

[jrmflintlock]

I'll look into some of the other stains mentioned also. I saw one called Golden Maple on MLBS website.

The red from the Iron Makes sense, my fowler does have a warm red undertone. Which while beautiful, is not what I am after in this rifle.

I think its called "amber" undertones which is more golden.

:shocked2: Lots of pretty words to describe something that is very relative to the eye!

Thanks!!

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Get ferric nitrate crystals and adjust the concentration to what you want.

dave

 

[Stophel]

The stain on the knife handles in an aniline dye. Something like a Dangler's stain, maybe.

Aqua fortis generally produces an orangy-brown on sugar maple, and more brown-brown on red maple or other softer maple (which is not suitable for gunstocks anyway, as far as I'm concerned), in my experience. If neutralized with lye (which is more historical) it will impart an even more red-orange hue. It is entirely different than alcohol dyes or pigment stains, and won't look anything like your knife handles.

 

[Vaino]

I agree that the knife scales look like they wee colored w/ an aniline dye. I use alcohol based stains and these can be rubbed back w/ either steel wool or an alcohol saturated rag to the point of looking too rubbed back.

I've tried ferric nitrate and found that it doesn't accentuate the curl on lesser grades of maple, but does yield a nice reddish brown color.

The LR shown below was first stained w/ three alcohol based stains, including an orange toner and came out lousy, so finish was applied and when dry was wet sanded back.

"Super Stain" was then used and rubbed back w/ alcohol and the result is shown below. The orange toner yields a nice yellow background and the Super Stain accentuated the curl.

Too bad the Super Stain is no longer produced because if everything else fails, it does an excellent touchup job........Fred

 

[Col. Batguano]

That's interesting. I've always used household ammonia before for neutralizing the AF / FN. Never noticed any color change from it. Where do you get this new-fangled lye stuff? Normal big box home improvement store?

 

[jrmflintlock]

While beautiful, That is way more red than I am after.

I will get some Danglers Golden Maple and see if it gets me the desired result on a test scrap.

That's the nice thing about building from a blank, lots of scraps to test on.

I have only seen a few rifles with the color I am after and I'm not sure why. I think it looks beautiful!

Thanks again for all the input!!

 

[Stophel]

That's interesting. I've always used household ammonia before for neutralizing the AF / FN. Never noticed any color change from it. Where do you get this new-fangled lye stuff? Normal big box home improvement store?

Most people today use baking soda as the base to neutralize the acid. It doesn't seem to change the color of the stock much, if at all. Baking soda was not around 250 years ago, though.

I have a 10+ year old plastic jar of Red Devil lye that I have been using. You could come up with your own lye simply enough from wood ashes. I just haven't done it.

And yes, it will melt your fingerprints off.

 

[Black Hand]

Where do you get this new-fangled lye stuff?

Hardware store - make certain it is pure. I believe it is marketed as a clog remover. Red Devil brand is pure lye which can also be used when making soap.

 

[Davemuzz]

Just curious, if baking soda works just as well as anything else.....and it's not toxic.....then why not just use baking soda?

 

[Stophel]

Because I want the historical color. :wink: