Sanding stocks & stain

[Blacky Montana]

Hey guys,
I am in the process of redoing a couple of CVA ML's that were recently give to me. They were both put together from kits, and are a Kentucky rifle & Kentucky pistol set. Both in percussion. Anyway, my focus right now is the stocks. What I am wondering, is have I sanded to the point of prventing stain from penetrating properly. I started with 120 sand paper to remove the thin finish coat of what ever was used, and then stepped down to 150, then 180, then 280 emory paper, then lightly with 400 emory, and finished off with 0000 steel wool. Needless to stay, the stocks feel more like satin sheets than they do wood. But now I don't seem to be able to get my stain to set in very dark. I am using ZAR which is a oil base stain. I've put 3 coats of Rosewood, and 1 coat of Moorish Teak. By all rights this should be a very rich dark redish brown by now. I have achieved a very nice color, but is still way to light. I do believe that the stocks are maple. I called ZAR and told them of the situation, and they said I had probably filled all my grain by sanding too smooth. They suggested that I not go over a 150 when sanding. I guess my train of thought had been that the smoother I could get my wood prior to staining, the smoother my finish product would be. I would hate to have to go back over this silky smooth wood just to make it rough, but I will if I have to. On another note, the ZAR is a oil based stain. Does it penetrate as well as a water or alcohol base stain? I deffinately need some experienced help here. What do suggest guys?

Thanks,
Blacky Montana
SASS #19953

 

[paulvallandigham]

Without seeing the wood, its hard to make a solid recommendation. Try the other water or alcohol stains on the inside of the barrel channel, or the lock mortise, or the butt endgrain and see what happens. If you get a darker coloring, then give it a try on part of the stock. The worse that happens is that you have to sand off what is already there, and start over again. I would think the alcohol stain will pentrate, even before the water based stain will.

 

[boar]

They say they are beachwood. I just did 3. Two with brichwood Casey maple and tru oil, came out dark red. the other one I used vinegar&barbwire stain, tru oil, it kinda looks like satin oak. Dilly

 

[maypo59]

you deffinatly sanded too much. Go back over it with 150 or at most 220, but 150 is best. People make this mistake all the time. Remember, the stain is not the finish. The finer you sand the less stain the wood will take, no mater what the wood type. Open the pores back up with sand paper, do your stain, then finish.

 

[silverfox]

Go with the water or alcohol base stain if you want it to be dark and sink in. I don't know what CVA used for wood but it won't take and oil stain for some reason. I tried a couple times and went back to water or alcohol and it worked fine. But do what Paul said try it first in the barrel channel or under the butt plate just to check on the color.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[Allan Gray]

I'd save the Zar for your next furniture project...nasty oily stuff :barf:

Go with an alcohol based stain, and dillute it with denatured alcohol for the first coat, adjust as needed to get a darker finish. Water based will raise the grain and effectivly ruin all of your sanding efforts.

 

[cptleo1]

LMF = Leader of the pack

IMHO