Maple or walnut stain on fowler?

[Micah Clark]

I am building a Chambers PA Fowler ... the stock is pretty plain with just a little curl on the forestock.

I am considering LMF maple or walnut stain ... can't decide if I want it dark or reddish ... I don't think I'll finish the barrel.

Any thoughts on a color fir this style ? It's My first smoothbore.

Pics welcome

 

[Capt. Jas.]

If it's maple, I would use nitric acid or ferric nitrate

 

[Micah Clark]

You would use that even if the stock is somewhat plain maple. ???
- I think it's red maple.

 

[Black Hand]

Aqua fortis reagent on maple.

 

[Micah Clark]

I've got AquaFortis, but was afraid to use it on my first build, as I had a specific color I wanted in mind . (used LMF Lancaster maple stain).

 

[Tennessee.45]

If you want the curl to pop I would use aqua fortis, I used minwax oak and cherry stains and while they look good they don't bring the curl out like the aqua fortis

 

[Black Hand]

I've got AquaFortis, but was afraid to use it on my first build, as I had a specific color I wanted in mind . (used LMF Lancaster maple stain).

Why ask if you'd already made up your mind...?

 

[Coot]

If you have a specific "look" that you want to achieve, the only way to be sure of results beforehand is to test various stains/acids/finishes on scraps of the stock wood.

 

[tenngun]

I have used aqua forte but never got good results. Others I have seen and many poste are just beautiful. I do like LMF walnut that's a very present color much like European walnut. Somewhat lighter and reder. Will bring out curl but not as well as a well done aqua forte.

 

[Micah Clark]

Sorry guys my head cold may have the best of my brain.

I had another rifle that I used LMF stain on because I wanted a certain color for it when I built it .. not so for this one which is my second build...but my first fowler and smoothbore ... I was thinking of either LNF Maple or Walnut - two very different colors ... but AF is what many here have recommended on maple.

 

[eggwelder]

sorry fully read post, my comment irrelevant