I think this will be my last post on this particular thread / post for the Kentucky, within my Crockett build thread, but had to add these to the finality of the Kentucky re visit.
I have found my favorite stain today!
The weather was poor, I was bored, so I decided to experiment on the Kentucky stock today while I could.
This stock means little to me due to the flaws fresh out of the box, so I am using it as a platform to experiment on..... dang it, I like it now.
Today, I found an oil based stain at my local Ace Hardware called Kona by Varathane.
It is a very dark stain, but meets all of my requirements for a very used, but loved, rifle as far as color.
Here is a shot before I used the Kona stain on my Kentucky.
Pardon the "doggy bacon to the top left".....
heheh, Chewy really is a slob, but he does love bacon doggy treats!
Here are a couple of shots of the Kentucky after applying the Varathane Kona stain over, yes, directly over the Traditions stain.
Due to the stock taking stain differently in many areas, this stain has actually evened it out quite a bit.
On my next build, I will be using this stain from the get go, so look for that build once I start it if you are interested, as this will be my last post here!
It is amazing how much the stain you choose changes the overall look of the stock.
I personally love the look of a used, but loved, rifle / gun, and this is the look I am hoping for from here on out.
I tried this stain also on the "Hawken" I built from Traditions, and it really did even out the coloring considerably.
"Hawken" by Traditions before re-stain.
Notice the lighter area towards the muzzle on the stock from my initial build.
"Hawken" after re-stain tonight with the new stain.
Heheh, yeah, I am redoing that one also, and I really do like the "fish belly" on the stock so I am leaving it!
From what I have been reading, this is more of an Ohio feature, but I do like it and am proud of the way I have blended it into the butt plate on this one, so yeah, it is a "railshot" kit build circa 2018.
I do sign all of my builds in a hidden area known only to me for now, so 200 years from now at least someone will know who did this crappy kit build job!
Heheh.
Tonight, around midnight, I am going to start the boiled linseed oil routine on both of these, and I know from past experience, it is going to bring out some very nice grain details.
Here we go again, once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year ……. forever..... Or..... until it is just so sticky that you cannot let go of it!
I hope this will help someone make some informed decisions down the road about stock finishes, without having to take the 3 month trip I have on both of these builds.
It may have been covered here already, but I like to explore, experiment, and discover myself.