Walnut SMR finish

[simonbeans]

Black walnut; Birchwood Casey Gun Stock Filler & Sealer + Tru-Oil + Johnson Paste Floor Wax.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I am glad to see folks providing photos of their finishes. It should really help the OP to be able to see the results of any recommendations. On civilian guns stocked in walnut (American black or English), I usually stain the stock with yellow aniline dye dissolved in water. That kills the cold purple-brown of most black walnut, which I do not like at all. I also do this to make black walnut look more like English walnut. Here are a few examples showing the yellow stain.

Here is what it looks like when finish is applied.

For a fine finish on walnut, after staining, I apply finish with 220 grit sandpaper. I usually use Sutherland-Welles polymerized tung oil in medium sheen. I sand as I apply until I create a slurry of finish and sawdust on the surface.

I let that dry into a crust and sand it back to smooth with 320 grit paper. The slurry fills the grain nicely. Then just a few coats of finish are needed on top to bring up whatever sheen you desire. Here is that rifle shown above finished. It is English walnut but the process is the same:

dave

 

[Kmcmichael]

I like the Chambers stuff.

 

[Star of The West]

Hi,
I am glad to see folks providing photos of their finishes. It should really help the OP to be able to see the results of any recommendations. On civilian guns stocked in walnut (American black or English), I usually stain the stock with yellow aniline dye dissolved in water. That kills the cold purple-brown of most black walnut, which I do not like at all. I also do this to make black walnut look more like English walnut. Here are a few examples showing the yellow stain.

Here is what it looks like when finish is applied.

For a fine finish on walnut, after staining, I apply finish with 220 grit sandpaper. I usually use Sutherland-Welles polymerized tung oil in medium sheen. I sand as I apply until I create a slurry of finish and sawdust on the surface.

I let that dry into a crust and sand it back to smooth with 320 grit paper. The slurry fills the grain nicely. Then just a few coats of finish are needed on top to bring up whatever sheen you desire. Here is that rifle shown above finished. It is English walnut but the process is the same:

dave

What ratio of water to dye did you use? I'm thinking about buying a black walnut stock and trying your method to make it look like English walnut. In my past experience, I had a black walnut stock and used a cherry color oil based stain, but it turned a hideous shade of dark purple. I sanded it off and used an alcohol leather dye mix which was better, but I couldn't get it perfect.