Maple finish

[Mike in FL]

I don't know what to use as a finish on a Killer Colonial after applying aquafortis. I don't want a really dark finish which seems to be what most people prefer. I've done nothing g yet other than sanding down to 400 grit, whiskered twice.The wood is the first step up from plain maple not the fancy maple. My woodwork before has been limited to cedar and Sitka spruce arrows which were Minwax stain and then sealed with polyurethane. Any suggestions?

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

I don't know what to use as a finish on a Killer Colonial after applying aquafortis. I don't want a really dark finish which seems to be what most people prefer. I've done nothing g yet other than sanding down to 400 grit, whiskered twice.The wood is the first step up from plain maple not the fancy maple. My woodwork before has been limited to cedar and Sitka spruce arrows which were Minwax stain and then sealed with polyurethane. Any suggestions?

Do some test pieces. The aquafortis will look darker when the finish coat is applied. If you didn't request any test pieces with your kit do some patches in the barrel channel. On some pieces of wood the aquafortis can be dark, maybe darker than you want.

 

[oldwood]

My humble experience with strong acids and chemical bases caused me to use alcohol dyes. The test colors are predictable , unlike nitric acid that can turn green w/in a year. They look good immeditely , but the two or three rifles I used acids , and bases turned green. That was 50 + yrs. ago , and the alcohol leather dyes haven't failed me. Don't be discouraged , try what ever you choose on sample pieces , before doing the staining.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I like Laurel mountain forge wood stains.

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

 

[Flintandsteel]

Ferric nitrate will NEVER turn wood green! It must be blushed with heat, buffed back, and finished.
Magic maple is the old stain that turns green over time.(chromium trioxide)
NOT AF,

 

[wiscoaster]

... Any suggestions?

Did you get some scrap pieces from Kibler to test your finishes on? They're happy to send them. I got half a dozen pieces of walnut about 3x5 when I asked after I bought a SMR kit. The best part is they're from the same wood they source for their blanks, so your test results are reliable indicators of final results.

 

[CuNosecap]

Test spots in your barrel channel.

I agree with HatchetJack on LMF stains. I just finished an experiment on my almost completed Chambers VA, where I started with a few coats of Honey Maple diluted with alcohol. Sanded it back then added aqua fortis. Over that I used the LMF Nut Brown stain.
The result was a nice brown with both gold and red tones. This is probably darker than you’d like but I said all that to show that there are a number of colors and tones that can be had if you experiment.
Go to LMF website and look at their options.
I rarely use one stain alone and frequently use two plus AF.

 

[CuNosecap]

In my experience, AF does not make wood green with time. It makes it green when it dries. What can happen, is if you don’t apply sufficient heat to turn the AF green to brown, you can get areas of green show through. That is remedied by applying enough heat evenly to the stock.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

We might have all have over complicated this. I think all he wanted an opinion on was which final coat product to use. Any of the linseed oil-based hand rubbed finish products for example. Many of them are so similar it boils down to personal preference or what's on the store shelf. This last time the store shelves were still pretty bare, so I bought MINWAX antique furniture something or another. Applies, dries, and looks the exact same as several others I've used before.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

This is AF with 3 coats of that linseed based MINWAX product. My stock was too red after first application so did 2 of the AF to darken.

 

[tenngun]

I love AF… on other peoples guns. I never had good results with it.
I do like Laurel Mountain Forge. And he has a variety of colors.
Most guns back in the day tended to be a brown, from very dark almost black, to a red brown. However there are known plenty of ‘blond guns’ and guns that were stained some sort of other color.
On top of that painting was known.
LM is very nice historic colors., especially if you want light.
AF makes the curl pop, but lm brings it out well to
My own personal favors stain color is birth wood casy colonial red. But I don’t use it as the gun gets a Disney 1950s look, even though it’s an historic color

 

[Mike in FL]

Thank you. I'm just scared of using the wrong thing. I've already ordered the aqafortis, but now I'm not sure. Can you thin it to make it less aggressive? This is my first build and I would hate to screw it up.After searching all the threads here I'm thinking one application of aquafortis then a clear sealer. I haven't rushed anything thus far, but now I'm sort of stuck. Thanks for all the suggestions. You guys have answered every qquestion. I'm 76 and thinking this will be my last ML. L

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Aqua Fortis is a great looking stain if done correctly. Make sure it's heated very hot with a heat gun and then neutralized with a strong baking soda solution followed by a good hosing down with water. After that, any good polyurethane or spar varnish will work and can give you any sort of luster you want depending on how it's applied. As I've mentioned before, it's not the brand or type of finish so much as how it's applied.

By the way, I'll be 76 in October and I'm a long way from my last muzzleloader, at least I hope so!

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I use Jim Chambers gunstock Oil or Tried and True Oil Varnish.

I've not played around with it but I have read from reliable sources on this forum that you can dilute iron nitrate with water or alcohol.

 

[TDM]

Thank you. I'm just scared of using the wrong thing. I've already ordered the aqafortis, but now I'm not sure. Can you thin it to make it less aggressive? This is my first build and I would hate to screw it up.After searching all the threads here I'm thinking one application of aquafortis then a clear sealer. I haven't rushed anything thus far, but now I'm sort of stuck. Thanks for all the suggestions. You guys have answered every qquestion. I'm 76 and thinking this will be my last ML. L

Mike, your saying aquafortis or did you order the milder iron nitrate from Kiblers? Either way, if you don’t want it too dark just use one coat and heat treat it properly, then use Tried & True oil varnish as directed. Or the Chambers oil like @Hatchet Jack said. Or you can mix up a stain color you like and forgo the iron nitrate then go straight to your finish oil.

 

[CuNosecap]

I will try to give my simplified version of how I approach a finish.

1. aqua fortis. I always use it for the curl in higher grade maple. It makes the differential between curl “pop” as there are alternating hard, soft areas (relatively.
AF alone gives a simple, mud brown color, but it is the best to make curl pop.

2. Stains. These add the color from yellow, gold, to red, brown.

3. Oil or varnish, etc. This is loosely, the top coat. Not a fan of varnish or poly as they are too shiny for my liking. But I use various oils depending on desired gloss and protection.

4. Wax. Use it after simple oils.

So there is my theory. Broken down: AF for pop. Stain for color. Oils for shine.

To answer another question, I have never diluted AF. I have used more treatments to get darker, but if you want the pop to be lighter, sand it back, which leaves the curl in place.

Betting this post will generate some discussion.

 

[CuNosecap]

It sounds like you want lighter than the common dark stains. Don’t be afraid. Use a single AF treatment, take it back with 320 gr or grey Scotchbrite.
Then try some dilute stain for color. Red, brown, etc, your preference. Again, it can be sanded back too

 

[Mike in FL]

Wow, now I'm getting somewhere. Really good advice from people who know. THANK YOU.

 

[Mike in FL]

Aqua Fortis is a great looking stain if done correctly. Make sure it's heated very hot with a heat gun and then neutralized with a strong baking soda solution followed by a good hosing down with water. After that, any good polyurethane or spar varnish will work and can give you any sort of luster you want depending on how it's applied. As I've mentioned before, it's not the brand or type of finish so much as how it's applied.

By the way, I'll be 76 in October and I'm a long way from my last muzzleloader, at least I hope so!

Thank you, Crisco. That makes sense. And you give me hope for more days ahead.

 

[deerstalkert]

mike, do not use the AF in your barrel channel, or in the mortises. unless you really work at neutralizing it, it will cause aggressive rusting to your metal parts.
after you do the AF and blush it you can "knock it back with some of that 400 grit. the AF really accentuates the curl, (end grain) .
i use a minwax stain called colonial maple, and one called early American.