Stock Finishing Question

[Oldbear63]

Some of the common staining products like Old English Scratch Cover and Howards Finish Restorer use bitumen or road tar as a stain. Tar is very stable and has a nice red-brown color. It was probably a commonly used stain 200 years ago too.

 

[MAC1967]

@MAC1967 I really like the look of the stock on your derringer, can you tell me which color leather dye you used and how many coats? Anything else you did to achieve this look?

Thank you, that means a lot. I simply used Febing's Dark Brown leather dye. . .the after it dried I used BC true oil rubbed back lightly with steel wool to seal it. Febing's is messy, but it works really well.

When I originally put that together as a teen with my dad I am 99% sure we used a Minwax stain because that was all we knew back then. . . I stripped it and I shaped the rear of the lock panels a little bit last year.

 

[dkasprzak]

Here are the final results…by design I left things a little rough trying to match a TC Hawken I built 38 years ago. I’m happy with how it turned out be that “select hardwood“ is definitely interesting to work with.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Here are the final results…by design I left things a little rough trying to match a TC Hawken I built 38 years ago. I’m happy with how it turned out be that “select hardwood“ is definitely interesting to work with.
View attachment 115614View attachment 115616

Strong work, @dkasprzak ! Your pistol looks really good. The stock seemed to take the stain very nicely.

Notchy Bob

 

[BillKilgore]

Here are the final results…by design I left things a little rough trying to match a TC Hawken I built 38 years ago. I’m happy with how it turned out be that “select hardwood“ is definitely interesting to work with.
View attachment 115614View attachment 115616

Nice job. I like the hint of red in the photos.

 

[dkasprzak]

Strong work, @dkasprzak ! Your pistol looks really good. The stock seemed to take the stain very nicely.

Notchy Bob

Thank you @Notchy Bob

 

[dkasprzak]

Nice job. I like the hint of red in the photos.

@BillKilgore Thank you, I was surprised at the red and I like it. I used Feibings Dark Brown leather dye upon seeing @MAC1967 derringer. If I do another Traditions kit I will try putting one coat of Tru Oil first then the dye. I believe that will help even out the colors a bit.

 

[zerosprk]

Nice outcome, I really like the color!

 

[frankie]

Looking for thoughts, opinions and ideas. I recently purchased a Traditions Trapper kit and want to do something to try to make the “select hardwood” stock look a little better than just using a stain and tru oil. I’ve done a small bit of research on “tiger striping” the stock by either burning or painting and think it would end up looking like a cheap stock someone was trying to make look better.

Today I ran across a method of using Bone Black to enhance the wood grain by adding it to a wood grain filler. Has anyone used bone black or possibly artists powdered charcoal? If so I would love to hear feedback or, just other ideas of what can be done to enhance the ”select hardwood”.

Thanks in advance…..Dave

I f you're wanting to fill the pores I put one or 2 coats on first and let each coat dry. I use rottenstone (from Brownells) mixed with your oil, make a watery sludgy paste. Sand it in (lightly) using 400 grit sandpaper, backed by a small sanding block, like a rectangular white eraser. Don't wipe it off and let dry. It will look like a mess but that's ok. Let dry for about 4 to 6 hours. Then wet sand using your preferred oil lightly back down (almost) to the wood. let dry for 24 hours, then apply 2 more coats letting each coat dry. Then wet sand again with rottenstone and continue doing this until the pores are filled to where you want it. When you wet sand keep regressing from 400 to 600 to 800 grit. I only do this with wood I am NOT staining. If you're wanting to stain the wood first its a tougher process to fill the pores because you have to be careful and not sand through the finish down past the stain. If that happens (especially on the edges and corners) You have to wipe it (the sanded through area) down with acetone and let dry to re-apply the stain to the sanded through area. I use tung oil a lot. Linseed is ok but is not very water proof. If you ever get your finish scuffed from use, tung oil is easier to fix. I also use a dab of JAP drier in my finish. I hope this helps.

 

[Tumbledown]

Here are the final results…by design I left things a little rough trying to match a TC Hawken I built 38 years ago. I’m happy with how it turned out be that “select hardwood“ is definitely interesting to work with.
View attachment 115614View attachment 115616

Is this *just* Fiebrings dark brown? I've used Fiebrings on 2 Traditions kits and a refinished CVA, but have done lighter blends. I'm working on a 3rd kit and am debating how to finish it. If I can get those red tones...

 

[RMH]

To my eye that looks much better than any attempt at faux striping.