Aqua fortis

wayne1967 · Wednesday at 2:10 PM

Morning. After posting that pic of my old build I noticed the stock seems darker now then back then. Is aqua fortis known to darken over time? Thanks

rich pierce · Wednesday at 2:36 PM

If you mean iron-saturated nitric acid solution, yes, especially if not washed after blushing with heat. Ferric nitrate solution - I dunno.

RobertIN · Wednesday at 2:38 PM

Not sure about aqua fortis but depending on how you finished it that may be what's darkening. Linseed oil and similar go dark over time.

James Kibler · Wednesday at 2:49 PM

With a proper solution, I've not noticed much darkening over time.

wiscoaster · Wednesday at 3:16 PM

I haven't noticed any darkening of my aqua fortis finished Colonial (yet):

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...l-58-caliber-smoothbore-maximum-bling.181896/

.... but it's just a baby ....

waksupi · Wednesday at 3:21 PM

When exposed to light, all woods darken with time, regardless if they have been stained or not.

Polecat_Tom · Wednesday at 4:20 PM

waksupi said:
When exposed to light, all woods darken with time, regardless if they have been stained or not.

You may find that walnut will bleach out if exposed to sunlight if the finish doesn't have any UV prohibitors.

Eric Krewson · Thursday at 10:37 AM

All of the stocks I stained with aqufortis darkened over time, I did extensive washing with dilute ammonia and water after blushing as well. I like dark guns so I am fine with this.

yellowhammer · Thursday at 2:43 PM

I, also, have experienced significant darkening. So bad that this last SMR I went lighter than I normally would to see if it will settle into a medium dark instead of going overly dark on me.

ronaldrothb49 · Thursday at 4:50 PM

Aqua fortis will darken over time unless you kill it after Blushing it. I was taught to use a solution of baking soda and water, put all the baking soda in the water that it will absorb and then liberally apply to the stock.

James Kibler · Friday at 8:46 AM

ronaldrothb49 said:
Aqua fortis will darken over time unless you kill it after Blushing it. I was taught to use a solution of baking soda and water, put all the baking soda in the water that it will absorb and then liberally apply to the stock.

I have not found this to be true to any significant amount.

HighUintas · 2024-12-21T02:17:42-0500

James Kibler said:
I have not found this to be true to any significant amount.

Can you then explain why many people observe their stain/finish darkening over time with aqua fortis?

wiscoaster · 2024-12-21T08:30:05-0500

HighUintas said:
Can you then explain why many people observe their stain/finish darkening over time with aqua fortis?

Maybe they're using BLO as the final top coat? It darkens over time.

yellowhammer · 2024-12-21T10:12:24-0500

waksupi said:
When exposed to light, all woods darken with time, regardless if they have been stained or not.

I will say that the one with the most darkening saw significantly more exposure to direct summer sunlight this year than normal for me. It also was more T&T Varnish based since I ran out of Permalyn.

[FWIW I use Iron Nitrate, not AF proper, and have never neutralized after the heat gun]

yellowhammer · 2024-12-21T10:15:48-0500

wiscoaster said:
Maybe they're using BLO as the final top coat? It darkens over time.

Is Tried & True BLO? (Probably a subject flogged like a dead horse in the past, but I dont feel like going back and searching threads

).

I'm getting sick of T&T anyway ....

Capt. Jas. · 2024-12-21T10:38:31-0500

Aqua fortis (strong water) is straight nitric acid. Adding iron to aqua fortis makes iron nitrate. This is a maple stock that was done with aqua fortis diluted with water ( no iron added). Going on three decades since blushed out.

Aqua fortis

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