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How I Finish Walnut

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tallbear

40 Cal.
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I was asked to go over the steps I use to finish walnut.This would work for American or European.The rifles pictured below followed the steps in this post.
1:Most of my stocks are scraped rather than sanded.When I get to the finish stage I am scraping very lightly with a carpet/sheetrock knife blade.Once the rifle is finished and before any carving I whisker the stock several times.This is merly wetting the stock and drying it by running a propane torch lightly over it to dry.Then I carve and then whisker again.
2:Both of these stocks were then stained with aqua fortis.I make my own using 4parts water to 1 part acid with wrought iron dissolved until the reaction stops.My process is stain ,blush,stain again and blush.
3:Once the stock is blushed for the second time the grain is pretty raised(walnut almost never stops raising)I go over the stock with a scotch brite pad(Scotchbrite#7448)Then I use ammonia on a rag to neutralize the aqua fortis and pic up any dust from the scothbrite.
4:I then seal the stock with seed lac that I mix up in small batches as is has a short shelf life.This hardens any little whiskers so I again go over the stock with a scotchbrite.
5:I then put on my first finish coats.On these stocks I used good Spar Varnish.Once the first coat dryed completly I filled the grain with Constantines paste filler.I sand that back until just the pores are filled and proceed with the rest of my finish coats sanding between each coat with scotchbrite.I use high gloss Spar Varnish as the matting agents in the semi gloss and matte varnish cloud the final finish.Once I'm done with the varnish it's too glossy for my liking so I rub it back with rottenstone and oil.

I would be glad to answer any other questions!!

Mitch Yates
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Have you tried the new imitation steel wool from Lee Valley? It's made, I guess from nylon, and had different grades of abrasive, no rusting or leaving fragments, and is non-reactant to solvents and finishes, usable wet or dry.
I just got their new catalogue and am getting ready to order some stuff. I'll let you know how it works.
 
Mike
I've never used it but let me know how it works for you.I buy the scotchbright in quanity and am pleased with the results so far.

Mitch
 
Great work!!
Whats your opinion on a Vinegar-iron stain?
What kind of spar varnish do you use: Linseed based?
 
54
I messed around with the vinegar based stain a little but didn't care for it much.It never gave me the depth of color or the range of colors that aqua fortis gives.Also the vinegar stains were couldy which I think muddies the color some whereas the aqua fortis is translucent.

I use Mccloskey Man of war Spar varnish in Gloss.It's what all the high end marinas around here use.I belive it usees tung oil among other resins.One word of caution it builds up very quickly which is fine for walnut.I would avoid it though if you have a gun with a lot of carving.For maple or guns with a lot of carving I use Jim Chambers or BLO that been reboiled with lead.

Mitch
 
Can't argue with the beauty of your results.
But, walnut is already dark. Further staining, IMHO, is not required. I like to just sand and hand rub in pure Tung oil. Durable as tank armor and moisture resistant. It does also darken somewhat.
 
...and that's probably why Mitch chooses to use AF. It is not actually a "stain" as it imparts a chemical reaction in the wood as opposed to color in the form of pigment and dyes....it enhances rather than obscures. Something akin to using wood ash or Red Devil lye on cherry...you aren't imparting color to an already colored wood, you are just bringing out the tone and quality that is alreay there throuh a chemical reaction. Cherry exposed to sunlight changes it also.

Mitch?

Enjoy, J.D.
 
Not being a master stainer or finisher I can't debate that. But, somewhere in the back of my slightly foggy brain, I recall the af has that effect only on maple, not other woods. :idunno: Dunno.
I do love af for maple.
 
Rifleman1776 said:
Not being a master stainer or finisher I can't debate that. But, somewhere in the back of my slightly foggy brain, I recall the af has that effect only on maple, not other woods. :idunno: Dunno.
I do love af for maple.
It works by reaction with tannins so it will work with any wood containing them. Oak, which is naturally high in tannins, can/will go pitch black. I've used it successfully on several woods including Osage and walnut. It does not just darken but will add chatoyance.
 
JDK is correct.I use the aqua fortis more to highlight the grain than as a stain.The walnut stock on the copy of RCA #28 is a piece of Freddie Harrisons stump cut walnut.It cost my customer $300.00 so any thing I can do to enhance it I do_On walnut aqua fortis does change the color of the wood but in my opinion changes it for the better.While some concider it sacreledge to stain walnut to my eye unstained walnut is kinda boring.

Mitch
 
Mitch, Have you ever tried it on Ash? I have a really nice piece that I got from Fred Miller...very curly. I bought it to punish myself with by making a little Schimmel for my son. Just had to try it.

Enjoy, J.D.
 
First let me say you can certainly skip the aqua fortis.I was asked what my process was so i included it.

JD
I haven't tried it on ash but if I get a chance I will.Ash is pretty tight grained though.

Mitch
 
Thanks Mitch. Would have to be tested on cut off from the blank first...no telling the result.

Worst comes to worst I can use pine tar. It's worked for ash in the big leagues for years and I wouldn't have to worry about him dropping it. :grin:

Enjoy, J.D.
 

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