New England Fowler - Revisited!

[Maestro]

I bought the New England fowler I had posted about. I didn't care much for the color either (as many of you had commented - dog poop brown!) and I took some of your suggestions. I used Laurel Mt. Forge's "Maple" stain on the stock to darken and warm it up and took a little 44/40 to the barrel and lock to darken them and even out their "aging". The photo doesn't do it justice - it looks great! :thumbsup: Thanks guys, for all your advice! :hatsoff:

 

[musketman]

It's like "getting that new gun" feeling, all over again... :thumbsup:

 

[rich pierce]

Good work- looks much warmer in color. I don't like flat tan, but this looks good. I see lots of custom guns with that flat tan color and wonder what they use for staining and why.

 

[Stumpkiller]

The photo don't do it too bad. :hatsoff:

Now get her out there and put some authentic dings and pits on her and ye've got somthin.

Better yet. Loan her to me until the end of February and I'll work on her for ye.

Very nice.

I get to futzing with 44/40 Blue and Naval Jelly to blend the spots that get too "authentic" on my natural metal finishes. And have fun doing it. :grin:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Looks MUCHO better! :thumbsup:

 

[The Baron]

That's real nice lookin' now! :thumbsup:

 

[Swampman]

Did you strip it, or just stain over the finish?

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Swampman, I have been experimenting with some stains and finishes. I am not familiar with a stain that could correctly penetrate a finish like tru-oil, linseed, varnish, etc. What kind of stain do you use for that application? Thanks

 

Lookin good. Seems like ya cleaned up the dog poop real good :rotf: Fine lookin fowler ( say that ten times fast. Bill

 

[Maestro]

Did you strip it, or just stain over the finish?

The previous finish was just a linseed oil type... all I did (at the advice of Greg Dixon) was take some 0000 steel wool to it, and use the LMF stain on it. Greg told me that since LMF is an alchohol base it would penetrate any oil left (can't use a water base stain). I was a little nervous doing this, but I tried the little area under the side plate to test what it would look like and I was amazed! I stained right over the old dog poop color - it darkened the already darker areas and really warmed up the light areas to a golden reddish color. I had a couple of spots that got "soft" as I was doing it - I only had to take the steel wool to it again. I took the photo before I actually finished it - I was going to finish it with linseed oil but my impatience caused me to go with a tung oil instead. I've had great results with Zar's tung oil that's "fortified" with polyurethane on some furniture that I've finished so I used it for this. Just rub in a couple of light coats. It may not be the correct way to finish a "period" gun for a hand-rubbed finish, but for this novice it was easy and predictable. I'm very happy with the results. I'll try to post a couple more photos with a close up of the finish in the next day or two. :thumbsup:

 

[Okwaho]

You've done the easy part, now for the rest.When you are finished staining etc,when you're watching TV or have some time on your hands then just take the gun and rub it by hand especially the area from the rear pipe back and the butt and wrist in particular.Spend at least a half hour or so each time and you will be amazed how the wood will start to glow.I've also used nose grease on the tang surround and on each side of the guard. I have really hit the wrist and the forestock foward of the guard being the areas which are handled the most.I took an old French fusil that was literally in barn loft condition and a stock that was almost totally dried out, gently washed it with warm water, dove,and a soft cloth then when it was dry started hand rubbing with nothing but my hands and a little nose grease around the tang and guard and after about three months it looked like it had been in the house the last 100 years instead of a barn.I did this for about a year and when I get it back with a replacement lock, I'll keep on.I have another gun possibly from the same stock that was worse and I'm giving it the same treatment.French walnut has a really nice look to it and while old patina is hard to recreate it is possible to give come close with a lot of hand rubbing. I have also used Fiebing on walnut to touch up areas that need a little color before rubbing.By the way English walnut and French walnut are a lot closer to each other than either is to American black walnut.That's a little trivia I thought I'd toss in.Your gun looks a lot better now and with some hand rubbing it will get better.
Tom Patton