Staining walnut

[Tom A Hawk]

A friend is working on an Investarms Hawken kit. It has a fairly light colored walnut stock. I've only worked with curly maple and aqua fortis. Any suggestions on staining the walnut would be appreciated.

 

[FlinterNick]

A friend is working on an Investarms Hawken kit. It has a fairly light colored walnut stock. I've only worked with curly maple and aqua fortis. Any suggestions on staining the walnut would be appreciated.

It depends how dark you want it.

A lot of people use laurel mountain maple, nut grown or walnut stain , some people like the natural color and just oil it.

Personally i like laurel mountain forge nut brown on walnut.

 

[Stykbow]

I opted to use black spray paint to make the grain show better and then BLO.

 

[waksupi]

Plain old Minwax Dark Walnut.

 

[The Appalachian]

I like Minwax Red Oak oil stain to darken my walnut stocks. Gives it a very vintage look.

 

[RobertE]

I made a stain from soaking walnut husks in water for a few weeks then boiling it. This is about 6 applications.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

This is Fiebings light brown dye on walnut.

 

[Compressorguy]

Fiebings Med Brown leather dye on top and Birchwood Casey Rusty Walnut stain on bottom. Different species of walnut so your mileage may vary……

Then refinished and restained bottom pistol with Fiebings Med Brown leather dye. Much darker, richer brown color finished with a couple coats of Tru-oil rubbed back.

 

[reddogge]

I probably still had some old Robt. Ditchburn's stain left for this one. I've used R. Gale Lock dark walnut stain and Chestnut Ridge military stain before on military gun stocks. Gives a reddish brown color. I like a little stain on walnut, otherwise, it looks washed out.

 

[Frontier's]

Investarm has switched to Beech, so if it's pretty white, it's not walnut.

 

[Dutch7]

Fiebings Med Brown leather dye on top and Birchwood Casey Rusty Walnut stain on bottom. Different species of walnut so your mileage may vary……

View attachment 292936

Then refinished and restained bottom pistol with Fiebings Med Brown leather dye. Much darker, richer brown color finished with a couple coats of Tru-oil rubbed back.

View attachment 292942

@Compressorguy , did you find that the dye rubbed off when you oiled the stock?
I am working on a walnut burial flag case and on my test piece the dye seems to come off on my hands a bit, just curious what your experience is.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I just grab walnuts when they fall from trees cut them open and walla walnut stain. But it is dark for some peoples likings

 

[Compressorguy]

@Compressorguy , did you find that the dye rubbed off when you oiled the stock?
I am working on a walnut burial flag case and on my test piece the dye seems to come off on my hands a bit, just curious what your experience is.

Yes, it will bleed some if just oiled. Then eventually stop. I top it with Renaissance wax, which helps. I find it does it much less if coated with Tru-oil. Either way it eventually stops.

First coats thinned with alcohol will help it sink in deeper.

 

[Dutch7]

Yes, it will bleed some if just oiled. Then eventually stop. I top it with Renaissance wax, which helps. I find it does it much less if coated with Tru-oil. Either way it eventually stops.

First coats thinned with alcohol will help it sink in deeper.

Thanks, your pistol refinish turned out very nice! There is a walnut gun in my future.

 

[Flintleather]

This is Laurel Mountain American Walnut with Tracks oil finish.

 

[centershot]

I opted to use black spray paint to make the grain show better and then BLO.

Did you use Scotchbrite pads or sandpaper to rub it bacl?

 

[Stykbow]

Did you use Scotchbrite pads or sandpaper to rub it bacl?

I used sandpaper with a light hand.