AquaFortis ?????

[rocullen]

I plan on finishing my curly maple stock with AquaFortis. I did a test run on the butt and it turned the stock almost black.
I watched Mr. Kiblers video(Kibler video) and in this video he introduced Tannic Acid and it turned that stock almost black also.

He showed rubbing it down with the Maroon scotchbrite and some Varnish Oil and it lightened the wood....some. Then he used some Amber stain; for enrichment.

Question: is there something else you can rub down with? Just use the maroon sB? I really don't want to "seal" the wood with the stock almost black, in case the "lightening' does not occur.
Or am I worrying about nothing?

 

[Eric Krewson]

You can dilute your aqufortis to get a lighter shade. I was making some bow tools out of very curly maple but didn't have enough aqufortis to stain all of them so I diluted what I had in the bottle about 50% with distilled water. My mixture stained my wooden tools about half as dark as the full strength mix did.

I would start with 25% dilution and see if you like it.

Full strength, direct sunlight makes it appear much lighter than it actually is.

Half strength;

 

[oldwood]

Faced the acid /Base blackening disaster 50 yrs. ago. Then in a year , some wood turned greenish black. Yuk. Get Feibings black alcohol dye. All your trying to do is blacken the curl to make it contrast to the actual color you want the stock to be. If it's too black , cut the black w/ 50/50 % 90 % rubbing alcohol. Use 0000 steel wool between drying each coat with a heat gun/hair dryer. Dewhisker automatically between coats...................oldwood

 

[Buckskinn]

Side note: Eric, I need to make one of those tillering gizmo's! I am shifting towards bow building and see your name on Primitive Archer a lot. I've tried joining a couple times, but for some reason I'm not getting hooked up. Might have to pick your brain on my first tillering attempt on a board bow. Cut 2 stave trees (hickory and a ?) yesterday... Fun stuff.

Back to topic. I recommend using the barrel channel as you test run next time instead of the stock... Also, ferric nitrate crystals are the way to go instead of aquafortis. You can make whatever concentration you want. Do a search on here for ferric nitrate for more info.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Properly blushed Aqua fortis/ferric nitrate will NOT turn a stock green. There used to be a product called magic maple stain that would turn green in time.
Once blushed, you get the color that the chemistry in the wood predicts. Colors can be modified with alcohol based stains at that point.
It has worked for 500 years with great results.
NOTHING brings out the figure in maple like AF, or FN.
BTW, there is no need to neutralize FN.

 

[deerstalkert]

Properly blushed Aqua fortis/ferric nitrate will NOT turn a stock green. There used to be a product called magic maple stain that would turn green in time.
Once blushed, you get the color that the chemistry in the wood predicts. Colors can be modified with alcohol based stains at that point.
It has worked for 500 years with great results.
NOTHING brings out the figure in maple like AF, or FN.
BTW, there is no need to neutralize FN.View attachment 118272View attachment 118273View attachment 118274View attachment 118275View attachment 118276

 

[rocullen]

You can dilute your aqufortis to get a lighter shade. I was making some bow tools out of very curly maple but didn't have enough aqufortis to stain all of them so I diluted what I had in the bottle about 50% with distilled water. My mixture stained my wooden tools about half as dark as the full strength mix did.

I would start with 25% dilution and see if you like it.

Full strength, direct sunlight makes it appear much lighter than it actually is.
View attachment 118259

Half strength;

View attachment 118260

Thanks Eric

Faced the acid /Base blackening disaster 50 yrs. ago. Then in a year , some wood turned greenish black. Yuk. Get Feibings black alcohol dye. All your trying to do is blacken the curl to make it contrast to the actual color you want the stock to be. If it's too black , cut the black w/ 50/50 % 90 % rubbing alcohol. Use 0000 steel wool between drying each coat with a heat gun/hair dryer. Dewhisker automatically between coats...................oldwood

It turned the whole stock black, not just the curl.
When you say cut the black with 50/50; do you mean the aquafortis 50/50 with alcohol?
Or just rub with alcohol and what? 50/50

Back to topic. I recommend using the barrel channel as you test run next time instead of the stock... Also, ferric nitrate crystals are the way to go instead of aquafortis. You can make whatever concentration you want. Do a search on here for ferric nitrate for more info.

View attachment 118268

I had plenty of wood to remove when I tested.

Properly blushed Aqua fortis/ferric nitrate will NOT turn a stock green. There used to be a product called magic maple stain that would turn green in time.
Once blushed, you get the color that the chemistry in the wood predicts. Colors can be modified with alcohol based stains at that point.
It has worked for 500 years with great results.
NOTHING brings out the figure in maple like AF, or FN.
BTW, there is no need to neutralize FN.View attachment 118272View attachment 118273View attachment 118274View attachment 118275View attachment 118276

I think that was Chromium Trioxide.

Thanks all!

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

The butt of the stock is end grain, and will give very different results than the side grain of the stock! Try your test in the barrel channel to see what to expect.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I have also had excellent results with AF on several stocks.

 

[user 34300]

"Question: is there something else you can rub down with? "

Sure, use 320 sand paper. Cut it back until you have some black and some white. Stain over with diluted dye stains until you have the back ground color you want. Only when you like it wet, reach for any finish. Do not splash on finish hoping for magic.

 

[1BadDart]

I hope this isn't a hijack. If you test in the barrel channel won't the AF cause the barrel to rust? Is there a sure way to neutralize it?

I have a rifle kit with a curly maple stock ordered and am trying to decide on how to stain it. I don't want to screw it up or have problems down the road.

Thanks

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I neutralize with baking soda and water.

 

[rocullen]

The butt of the stock is end grain, and will give very different results than the side grain of the stock! Try your test in the barrel channel to see what to expect.

wasn't "under the butt plate" but part of butt stock where patchbox would be.

"Question: is there something else you can rub down with? "

Sure, use 320 sand paper. Cut it back until you have some black and some white. Stain over with diluted dye stains until you have the back ground color you want. Only when you like it wet, reach for any finish. Do not splash on finish hoping for magic.

yeah, I guess that's always an option.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

I’ve done three Kiblers and only used the Aqua Fortis ( iron nitrate) and been very pleased with the results. Did you try using the Aqua Fortis by itself and not adding the tannic acid?

 

[rocullen]

I’ve done three Kiblers and only used the Aqua Fortis ( iron nitrate) and been very pleased with the results. Did you try using the Aqua Fortis by itself and not adding the tannic acid?

yes. I don't have any Tannic Acid.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

I’m confused, the second paragraph of your original post mentions the use of tannic acid.
Have you watched this?

 

[rocullen]

I’m confused, the second paragraph of your original post mentions the use of tannic acid.
Have you watched this?

I watched a video. He used tannic acid, I didn't.
His stock, with the tannic acid turned the same color as mine did without!

 

[Flintandsteel]

Use a scotch rite pad and some water to cut it back and bring the curl out. Then either put finish on it, or a toner stain, then finish.

 

[olkev]

Not to threadjack but, many people offer up different brands or formulations of Aquafortis. Is there one band or source that is considered to give the best results?

 

[BillKilgore]

Don’t forget to whisker the wood before applying Aquafortis. This consists of dampening the wood with water, warming it, then sanding with 300-400 grit sandpaper. You will need to do this at least 3-4 times.

Good luck.