Suggestions for 'old time' dark/black stain or dye?

[Century to late]

2 t0 3 coats of aqu fortise heat each time

That's what I like to use. So many options to get it dark. I also use dye diluted in alcohol. Black shoe polish is fun.

 

[EcoRover]

FYI, my friend @tarawa1943 on here just picked up this fishtail-stocked matchlock with a nice dark stain on it. Such early arms were often 'blackened', for lack of better words.

Anyone have any suggestions for such a dark or black dye/stain from real world experience?

Thanks in advance!

View attachment 309813

Very cool gun! Black walnut hulls make an effective dark traditional stain. Used to use it to dye traps--it'll blacken wood, metal, your hands--whatever it touches.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

I use either MinWax Ebony or Spanish Oak. Both are very dark to black when multi-coated. Being oil-based stains, they're also good wood protectors. Semper Fi