Homer Dangler stain???

[barebackjack]

I am currently building my first rifle, a lyman great plains kit. And i would like a more red color to it.

I recently came across Homer Danglers line of wood stain and browning solutions, has anybody ever used em? What did you think of them?

Also, what would be the easiest method to brown the metal? Remember, first time builder here. Any good production products out there?

Thanks again guys.

Boone

 

[Mike Brooks]

I use the wood stain and think it's great. Don't know nothin bout no brownin solution.

 

[Zonie]

Before you start staining your stock, be sure to get a slightly wet towel and take your stock outside into the sunlight. Wet the wood and look at the color (which will be much darker when it's wet).

This is the way your stock will look if you don't stain it but just apply a linseed or tung oil finish.

If the color or darkness doesn't suit you, then go ahead and stain it.
Because walnut is a dark wood, be sure to thin the stain. Apply one coat and let it dry, then wet the wood in the sunlight as before to see how dark it will be. If it is not dark or red enough, then apply another coat of thinned stain.
Repeat this until your stock, when wet looks like you want it, then go to the oil finish.

 

I'm not saying that the wood that Lyman supplies hasn't changed in 24 years, but here's Lucifer, built from a 1982 GPR kit:

That's with 4 coats of handrubbed Tru-Oil, buffed with woolen rags and fed beewax and a bit of TC Bore Butter from time to time.

CP

 

[54JNoll]

I have used Both of Danglers products. I got good results with the stain and his browning solution worked very well. I only used his stain on one stock. I used his browning solution on three barrels.

 

[George F.]

I've been using Robert Ditchburn's York-Adams County stain, which is a redish brown alcohol srain. Like it alot. But I recently tried Hommer's red brown and I like that also. I can't see what it looks like stained and finished because I gave the rifle to Greg Dixon to engrave for me before I was able to finish the rifle, which I'll be picking up soon.... I'm like a 57 year old kid waiting for Christmas...can hardly wait. It's a nice color... brown with red tones, while Robert Ditchburns is more reddish with brown tones......George F.

 

[bwhoffman]

Bareback jack,
I recently finished one last week following Zonie's directions, same as what he posted here, results were outstanding. I used birchwood casey walnut stain, thinned out about2 parts water to i part stain, 1 application and followed up with 4 couats of tru oil,I was after a darker brown hue, and got it.
The water test works well, you can also test spot an area where mistakes are not an issue, that is the barrel channel!

Hope yours come out as good as I feel mine did!

Brett

 

[Herb]

Laurel Mountain Forge Barrel Brown and Degreaser works well and is easy to use. Just follow the directions.

 

[Zonie]

Herb: You don't mean we are supposed to use Barrel Brown and Degreaser to stain our stocks with, do you?

 

[crossstick1948]

Boonie
Both the stains and the browning solution work very well. Mrs. Homer told me to check the color of the stain in real sunlight and to stain the wood very darkly. I like a little red in my stocks so I stain the stock with red stain first them use dark brown until the stock is almost black. I then polish with fine steel wool and finish with tru-oil. This lightens up the curl in the maple and you get a wonderful stripe.

The browing solution also is a degreasser. You rub the solution on the barrel until it doesn't bead up then wait for a while (about 1/2 day). Then card off the rust. I use a small square of scotch brite pad. Then reapply the browing solution. Do this as often as you find necessary. It takes me about 3 days doing it twice a day. Use rubber gloves to protect the barrel from you hand oil (also protects your hands). I have found that a hightly polished barrel does't brown as well as a less polished barrel. Oil or grease the bore well. The oil will migrate from the muzzle part of the bore to the flats. A little won't be noticed. This produces a fine even brown. I use Dangler's browning on large parts and Plum Brown on screws and other small parts. Dangler's doesn't require moisture or heat and works very well.
Pete

 

[Dan Hamilton]

Boone,

A couple years ago at Friendship I talked with Jim Klein about Homer Dangler's alcohol based stains and how to achieve the old time reddish coloration that the old Winchesters had. I have a Model 1873 made in 1890 that is a perfect example. He said to do this: pour a little Dangler's Reddish Brown into about a half cup of isopropyl alcohol, I used 91%, and paint it on. Go over it a couple of times and get it red to where you think you've ruined it. (His words). Then mix some Dangler's Golden Brown the same way and paint it on. Then the finish of your choice. Old timey Winchester reddish brown. Beautiful.

Don't tell Jim, but nearly the same results can be achieved using Fiebing's Leather Dye in Ox Blood and Light or Dark Brown, mixed with isopropyl alcohol as above since they are also alcohol based stains, but the coloration so far has not been as rich as with the Dangler Stains. But I think with further experimentation it could be.