OK now I’ve really screwed up. Options?

[Brokennock]

Hello everyone and hope everyone has a great new year. Now the trouble. I was in the home stretch on my Kibler colonial kit when I decided to try ti make things better.
This was a “fancy” grade maple stock but the stock end by the patch box was unremarkable and had bad color
Here’s what I did: wet the stock and after drying, sanded the whiskers three separate times to 320 grit. Applied two coats of Kibler’s iron nitrate, heated to the correct blush, and applied Permalyn sealer in successive coats as directed by Jim. Please look at the first photo. I don’t know why it looks this good in the photo Because it it totally washed out with no “curl” showing and the a weak honey gold brown whereas the rest of the gun looked pretty good. In attempting to create a light darker wash with Fiebings dye diluted with alcohol, I carefully applied this to the area to be darkened and with rag with Permalyn ready to blend in. Do not ever try this! I should have known better! The leather dye penetrated too fast and created a dark blotch that looked horrible and try as I might, could not salvage. I an sick about this development. I believe my only hope is to strip the stock. How is the best way to do this to get everything off including the aquafortis. Will this clean up or am I in deep doo doo. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.
Thank you!
Sincerely snooterpupView attachment 112084View attachment 112086

Okay. I'm not a builder, don't want to be, but I follow some of the building threads with interest. I do other craft, and used to be a semi-professional musician, so I know what it is like to seek one's best in a craft or creation.
That said, I've been digesting your o.p. since you posted it and I keep coming back to your pictures. To be honest, I really don't think it is that bad.
If you didn't tell me it was because of a mistake you made, I probably would not have noticed it, or at least wouldn't have given it a second thought. I'd have just figured it to be a unique spot in the wood. The last pic looks the worst because of the lighting angle, and I'm assuming it has less finish than the surrounding area.
If you were building the gun for me and sent me the pics and your original post, I would probably tell you to just leave it be.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Thanks for your ideas. I’ve see that Laurel Mountain forge has stains some folks really like. Any opinions? At thi point I’m not a huge fan of Permalyn. I’ve had better luck with TOW’s Original Oil Finish.

I too use TOW Original Oil Finish, tried all the others.

 

[Alan Ruuska]

I agree that the best practice is to strip off the entire finish. I'd do that because no matter how well you get the finish to match now it may age to a different color in the repaired area. Of course by then it may not matter as much to you.
Also, I found that Tung oil diluted 50% with solvent (I use turpentine. I like the smell better than mineral spirits.) helps to darken the stripes after the aqua fortis treatment. I follow this with multiple coats of tried and True varnish oil (enough to wet my forefinger and thumb) spread over the whole rifle. Then wait a few days (it is slow drying) and give it a good hand rubbing, repeat a few times and then a couple of coats of paste wax and more hand rubbing. Just my way. There are many ways to go, everybody has a favorite.

 

[Snooterpup]

I agree that the best practice is to strip off the entire finish. I'd do that because no matter how well you get the finish to match now it may age to a different color in the repaired area. Of course by then it may not matter as much to you.
Also, I found that Tung oil diluted 50% with solvent (I use turpentine. I like the smell better than mineral spirits.) helps to darken the stripes after the aqua fortis treatment. I follow this with multiple coats of tried and True varnish oil (enough to wet my forefinger and thumb) spread over the whole rifle. Then wait a few days (it is slow drying) and give it a good hand rubbing, repeat a few times and then a couple of coats of paste wax and more hand rubbing. Just my way. There are many ways to go, everybody has a favorite.

I agree that the best practice is to strip off the entire finish. I'd do that because no matter how well you get the finish to match now it may age to a different color in the repaired area. Of course by then it may not matter as much to you.
Also, I found that Tung oil diluted 50% with solvent (I use turpentine. I like the smell better than mineral spirits.) helps to darken the stripes after the aqua fortis treatment. I follow this with multiple coats of tried and True varnish oil (enough to wet my forefinger and thumb) spread over the whole rifle. Then wait a few days (it is slow drying) and give it a good hand rubbing, repeat a few times and then a couple of coats of paste wax and more hand rubbing. Just my way. There are many ways to go, everybody has a favorite.

Thanks Alan,
Years ago I built musical instruments and also used your Tung oil blend. Successive coats with a powered dye mixed in to make color adjustments. I never considered this for a rifle stock for some reason. After stripping the stock the general recommendation is to re-do the aqua fortis and apply stain, then Track’s original oil finish. Might consider the tung oil blend on a pistol stock though.
I appreciate your input!
Thanks again, snooterpup

 

[Scota@4570]

Finishing nice wood for maximum pop is a cut and try process. You have not made a serious mistake. It is OK. Do not strip the stock.

Cut back the surface back with #320 lubed lube with mineral spirits, or charcoal lighter. You can use maroon scotchbrite or steel wool n the crannies. As you take the surface off you will see the contrast increase. At this point you are limited to dye stains because you applied finish. That is OK. Dilute the stains and try stains and that until you get what you want.

I have never been totally happy with just ferric nitrate (AF). AF is only the background stain to lay down a background color. I always put dye stains on top. It is better to get it the way you want before applying finish though.

If you are going to build rifles in maple you need a few different stains. Get at least maple, ebony, cherry , and walnut. I never had much use for honey maple. Mix and match diluted stains to achieve what you want.

https://laurelmountainforge.com/stain_colors v4.htm

 

[Snooterpup]

Finishing nice wood for maximum pop is a cut and try process. You have not made a serious mistake. It is OK. Do not strip the stock.

Cut back the surface back with #320 lubed lube with mineral spirits, or charcoal lighter. You can use maroon scotchbrite or steel wool n the crannies. As you take the surface off you will see the contrast increase. At this point you are limited to dye stains because you applied finish. That is OK. Dilute the stains and try stains and that until you get what you want.

I have never been totally happy with just ferric nitrate (AF). AF is only the background stain to lay down a background color. I always put dye stains on top. It is better to get it the way you want before applying finish though.

If you are going to build rifles in maple you need a few different stains. Get at least maple, ebony, cherry , and walnut. I never had much use for honey maple. Mix and match diluted stains to achieve what you want.

https://laurelmountainforge.com/stain_colors v4.htm

 

[Snooterpup]

Hello Scota@4579
Thank you for your reply and input! I guess it is through mistakes that we learn. Unfortunately, like the bone-head I am, I have already scraped the “offending” area down so I feel I have created a larger problem than your suggestion may work for. If I do have to strip, what product might be your best your recommendation ?
Thanks again for your time and your expertise.
Best regards, snooterpup

 

[Scota@4570]

That is unfortunate. Stop scraping and stripping. You have a base to work from. Recreate the previous finish process on the scraped area. IF you do not the stock will have two different looking finish areas.

After you do that, do what I wrote above.

There is no finish with special powers to do great things. I use mostly hardware store spar varnish, cut with real turpentine and a dollop of japan dryer. IT does not matter much. That said, do not use BLO. The prep and staining do matter a lot. Permalin is well liked. Stick with it. Order some of the dye stains I suggested.

 

[Snooterpup]

Opps, I really screwed up!
After initial finish trouble, I finally finished the .54 Kibler Colonial kit in fancy maple.
Thanks to all for the great tips and advice. In the end, I did use a commercial stripper (the nasty stuff) and followed that with multiple acetone washes. Applied aquafortis, blushed, re-applied aquafortis, blushed, followed by diluted LMF Nut Brown then LMF Walnut. Over a long time Track’s Original Oil Finish, at least six coats. Barrel is finished with Jim Kibler’s recommended Jax Black. I’m grateful for all advice and that I stripped the gun and refinished it. Track’s finish takes time but is very forgiving and easy to use. Just don’t rush it. My first attempt with Premalyn did not go well. Had I known it s a urethane finish, I’d have never used it.
Here are some photos of the completed rifle. Thanks again to all!
snooterpup

 

[appalichian hunter]

Looks good to me, I think the more you use the gun it will take on a very good character.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Looks good!!

 

[docmel]

Why wet the stock to sand? (Not being a SA)

 

[docmel]

Sorry
Misread the OP post I get it.................