MIn Wax Stains
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I haven't used them for stock stains if I recall they are oil based stains. I believe oil based stains have a tendency to leave the pigment "on" the wood while the oil soakes "into" the wood.
I do know most of the best builders don't use them, most prefer water or alcohol based stains.
Just a thought.
Regards, Dave
I do know most of the best builders don't use them, most prefer water or alcohol based stains.
Just a thought.
Regards, Dave
Black Hand
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The difficulty with these products is that they are a stain/finish product. They do not seem to penetrate very deeply, and you only get one shot. You can layer the stain, but it only sits on top of the previous layer and does not penetrate. Every little scratch will be visible in light colored wood (maple). I would suggest using a stain product to get the color you want, then use a finish on top.
MinWax *does* make a water-based wood stain now. Haven't used it yet, but in doing my finishing research, I found it at[url] http://www.minwax.com/products/woodstain/waterbased.cfm[/url]
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Black Hand
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PaperTiger said:
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Desert Ratxx
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I've used it almost exclusivley. Mostly because I didn't know any better and it was what I could get locally. I use the Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil to actually finish it afterwards. I know it's not PC but it makes a pretty gun.
I believe there are two different kinds of oil base "stains". The ones which are an oil with pigment in it and the ones which are closer to a varnish with the stain pigments added to it.
The varnish type will not penetrate the wood much, if at all. Additional coats will darken it slightly but this is because the total coating is getting thicker.
Many of these varnish stains also become hazy and tend to dull the grain and curl of the wood.
They are usually glossy finishes. Whether you like glossy finishes is entirely a matter of personal taste however some people do not like shiny gunstocks.
The oil/pigment type will penetrate the wood with the first few coats however the wood will become saturated and refuse to absorb more after a very few coats. This results in a condition where more coats will not change the color appreciably.
Another thing about these oil based "stains". Because they penetrate the wood they are almost impossible to sand off and because they are oils, they will prevent the (IMO) better alcohol or water base stains from working if you decide to use them later to darken or redden the color.
In other words, what comes out of the can is what you will end up with without the flexability to modify it later.
The alcohol based stains on the other hand can easily be thinned and multiple coats applied. This not only allows you to darken the color but to use other tints of stains to change the color.
If you already know what stains are needed to get some special color, you can mix the stains and store it for future use.
The water based stains will cause the woods grain to rise so whiskering the stock several times before starting the staining process is necessary.
The alcohol based stains do not raise the grain so usually one good whiskering will suffice.
Many people on this site like the old acid type stains like Aqua Fortis or the chemical stains however IMO, for the most part they are sometimes difficult to control and you never know what you will end up with until you've heated them.
Some of the chemical types will take on a green tone after a few years.
For this reason, I tend to avoid the chemical stains and use the alcohol or water based stains.
The varnish type will not penetrate the wood much, if at all. Additional coats will darken it slightly but this is because the total coating is getting thicker.
Many of these varnish stains also become hazy and tend to dull the grain and curl of the wood.
They are usually glossy finishes. Whether you like glossy finishes is entirely a matter of personal taste however some people do not like shiny gunstocks.
The oil/pigment type will penetrate the wood with the first few coats however the wood will become saturated and refuse to absorb more after a very few coats. This results in a condition where more coats will not change the color appreciably.
Another thing about these oil based "stains". Because they penetrate the wood they are almost impossible to sand off and because they are oils, they will prevent the (IMO) better alcohol or water base stains from working if you decide to use them later to darken or redden the color.
In other words, what comes out of the can is what you will end up with without the flexability to modify it later.
The alcohol based stains on the other hand can easily be thinned and multiple coats applied. This not only allows you to darken the color but to use other tints of stains to change the color.
If you already know what stains are needed to get some special color, you can mix the stains and store it for future use.
The water based stains will cause the woods grain to rise so whiskering the stock several times before starting the staining process is necessary.
The alcohol based stains do not raise the grain so usually one good whiskering will suffice.
Many people on this site like the old acid type stains like Aqua Fortis or the chemical stains however IMO, for the most part they are sometimes difficult to control and you never know what you will end up with until you've heated them.
Some of the chemical types will take on a green tone after a few years.
For this reason, I tend to avoid the chemical stains and use the alcohol or water based stains.
Thanks for the info!
What peaked my curiosity of Min Wax is a variation of Cherry color I got by mixing 2 parts Colonial Maple with 1 part Red Oak. When applied to pine trim in a house it looks great!
I tried the Fiebring dye on a scrap piece of horn and the dye ran everywhere. How do you control it?
What peaked my curiosity of Min Wax is a variation of Cherry color I got by mixing 2 parts Colonial Maple with 1 part Red Oak. When applied to pine trim in a house it looks great!
I tried the Fiebring dye on a scrap piece of horn and the dye ran everywhere. How do you control it?
Because horn is basically not porous, it's totally different from wood.
Speaking of the alcohol or water stains, wood soaks stain up almost instantly.
Speaking of this, IMO, that is one more reason for not using the alcohol or water based stains in their full strength.
By diluting the stains, the effects of brush overlap will not be as noticable. As the next coats overlaps will usually be in a different place, it all works out for a even color all over the surface.
There may be areas where the wood is denser and will not absorb the stain as easily as other areas.
Here again, being able to apply multiple coats permits the builder to apply extra coats to these areas.
If, for whatever reason you don't like the results of a alcohol or water based stain, they usually can be bleached out allowing another try at it.
One thing is for certain regardless of which type of stain you use. No two pieces of wood will take the stain the same, even though they are the same kind of wood.
Always try out the stain in an area which will not show like the barrel channel or under the patchbox finial.
Speaking of the alcohol or water stains, wood soaks stain up almost instantly.
Speaking of this, IMO, that is one more reason for not using the alcohol or water based stains in their full strength.
By diluting the stains, the effects of brush overlap will not be as noticable. As the next coats overlaps will usually be in a different place, it all works out for a even color all over the surface.
There may be areas where the wood is denser and will not absorb the stain as easily as other areas.
Here again, being able to apply multiple coats permits the builder to apply extra coats to these areas.
If, for whatever reason you don't like the results of a alcohol or water based stain, they usually can be bleached out allowing another try at it.
One thing is for certain regardless of which type of stain you use. No two pieces of wood will take the stain the same, even though they are the same kind of wood.
Always try out the stain in an area which will not show like the barrel channel or under the patchbox finial.
Capt. Jas.
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I have found that in my experience Minwax stains give such a unique appearance that you can immediately tell its Minwax. I dont use it.
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