Question on Tannic Acid + Iron Nitrate - Sanding back after application

[Toneloc]

I think I like the darker look of applying both Tannic Acid then the iron nitrate. Have watched Kibler's video on this process and read some old posts on the topic. To "sand" it back, Jim does it with scotch bright while applying tried and true finish. I'm planning to use permalyn for my finish mostly cause it's middle of winter and don't get much sun or warm temps where I'm at and don't want to wait forever for it to cure. Assuming you could use that same technique with Permalyn? Any pro vs. cons to sanding back dry vs. doing it wet as Jim demonstrates in his finishing videos? Any other tips / tricks / things to be careful of?

Thanks ahead.

Tony

 

[martin9]

Scrubbing it back wet lets you see what you are working with better....there's most likely going to be places that you'll want to scrub back a littler more than others. Also it creates a filler of sorts in that the fine dust made when scrubbing will fill the grain some. Also it's less harsh. trying to sand it back dry will probably sand any corners, edges or carving a little too much and you won't know it til you apply finish. That's been my experience anyway. Others will undoubtedly have different ways of doing it.

 

[Garbear34]

Not installing the butt plate yet. But the butt plate wood screws I spun in my drill and used file. Planning to fit the trigger and trigger gaurd tonight. My iron nitrate and jax black arrived today. I ordered the tannic acid I expect be here in short order. I have a knife that has a maple handle and big chunk I can play with see how it'll looks.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Jim mentions in his video why dry sanding is not recommended but I'll be darned if I can remember what he said. I just went ahead with wet sanding after that.

 

[HSmithTX]

You can do it dry but wet with finish is more what it will look like as Martin said. Also, like he said it fills the pores and I really dislike the look of a stock with open pores regardless of what species of wood it is. The permalyn sealer will go right through the dark surface from the acids and you can rub it back at pretty much any point, I prefer to rub it back after the first couple coats of sealer are soaked in so there will actually be some oil on the surface to work with. Until the wood is 'filled' with sealer it goes into the wood too fast for me. A word of caution, its very easy to get streaks of lighter and darker, use at least a half pad and don't put pressure on any one point of the pad until you are ready to get in the small areas that the bigger pad and even pressure don't reach well. When you are working in the smaller areas use plenty of oil and work carefully, you can get through the dark finish really fast. When rubbing it back I'd suggest doing less color removal than you think you want, then rub the oil in very well with your hand, you can always take more color off but if you have to put color back you'll be sanding back to wood to do it.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

On walnut stocks I rub back the finish with pumice and Minwax Antique Oil Finish on a piece of hard felt. I add some bone black to the pumice or it will show up light colored in the pores. I haven't tried it but it might be a good way to rub back some of the darker places using the stains mentioned. It might be worth a try on maple. Definitely practice on some scrap before you tear into the real thing!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I have never sanded back that type of stain. I burnish dry with scothbrite till I get the color I'm looking for. Of course I always do an antique finish so I hit it hard in some areas and not at all in others. I also don't mind the wear it causes on carving.
I'll warn you, the combination of tannic acid and iron nitrate can take quite a bit of elbow grease to rub out on soft wood.