Water based stain.

[crockett]

I always used aqua fortis in staining a gun stock followed by mulitple coats of Tru-Oil. Well I am out of aqua fortis so I tried B-C stain, that I believe is water based. The color is fine, I put on two coats and really let the wood soak it up.

With Aqua fortis I used steel wool between coats and never had a problem in removing any color but with the B-C I have to be very careful or I'll rub out the color. Has anyone else experienced this and would I have been better off with an alcohol stain- in other words, would the alcohol have soaked in deeper. The stock is maple.

Another thought, in using the B-C, would it have been better to use a dark wood filler so that multiple coats of Tru-Oil would not be needed?

 

Crockett - get some ferric nitrate - this is chemically what we call aqua fortis is (iron + nitric acid = ferrous nitrate). You can get in powder form from http://www.coscosci.com/patinas/patinachems.htm#Ferric%20Nitrate - I mix it about 5/1 water to crystals.

I mix it about 5/1 water to crystals, but I also add muriatic acid to the mix (the Wahkon Bay AF was a mix of the two) at a ratio of 70% ferric nitrate to 30% muriatic - make sure to add the muriatic to the FN not the other way around. Let sit for a day or two and then use just like the commercial stuff.

Tanstaafl has also posted here about using Birchwood Casey's Plum Brown, which is nitric acid based, as a wood stain.

here are a couple of samples of my AF stain

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Due to restrictions being placed upon the shipping of nitric acid, I did some experiments. A few days ago I posted results here on using Birchwood Casey Plum Brown as an aqua fortis maple stock treatment for the Plum brown contains nitric acid as a primary ingredient.

I reported my findings to Birchwood Casey and today received a reply. BC said they had at one time experimented with aqua fortis on maple, but, had never made the connection between Plum Brown and the aqua fortis used and they were surprised as to how close the two formulas were.

Birchwood Casey also said they will be conducting their own experiments with Plum Brown as an aqua fortis maple wood stain treatment.

 

[jdhiii]

crockett,

The aniline water or alcohol based stains are very easy to cut thru and when that happens a rather unattractive uncolored wood shows as you know. Two things can be done; one being a color touch up when it happens; and the other thing that can be done is to whisker the wood several times using freshly sharpened scrapers or fresh 320-400 grit sandpaper each time to de-whisker.

After the third or fourth dewhiskering, using the water based aniline doesn't raise the grain much which might lessen the chance of cutting thru the stain on finishing. All this presupposes the finishing process doesn't cut thru the oil or varnish and then through the stain to fresh wood. With a water based stain it is then difficult to match depth and eveness of color because the oil/varnish/etc interferes with the color uptake.

Someone above mentioned using a solution from ferric nitrate crystals and it is becoming my practice to use this and adjust color with added aniline stain on top of the AF, though I skip adding the HCL acid. :imo: -d.

 

[LRB]

Hey Crockett, how are you? Try Fiebings medium brown leather stain with a tad of Marine Corps black. Experiment with a piece of scrap. You can get this at Tandy's not to far from you. Spirit based stain soaks in deeper and does not raise the grain but a tiny bit. Come shoot with us, I will show you Two rifles done with leather stain.

 

[BLAHMAN]

Tanstaafl, when you used the BC Plum Brown, did you apply heat?

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Tanstaafl, when you used the BC Plum Brown, did you apply heat?

Yes, fourth post at thread (link) shows pics on a couple of results.

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthr...mp;page=4#98768

 

[BLAHMAN]

Now I remember! Thanks for shakin' the cobwebs outa my head....getting old....it sucks!

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I wouldn't know about age afflicting the memory, what were we discussing.

 

[crockett]

Well in any event I think something has been gained here. Use either aqua fortis(B-C Plum Brown, Etc) or use an alcohol based stain. The water based stain just doesn't soak deep enough into maple.
For what it is worth, I am using heavy brown paper(grocery bags) for rubbing down between coats and a couple of careful swipes with worn, 600 grit paper and slowly getting to a acceptable finish. The aqua fortis, at least for me, was far superior. I am also going to try the alcohol dye and probably should have gone with that rather than the water based stain.

 

[JOLIET]

Tanstaafl, when you used the BC Plum Brown, did you apply heat?

HOW and why do you put heat on it...

 

[crockett]

With any type of aqua fortis you put the acid on the wood and let it dry. You will have no color. You then heat the wood, either over a stove(be careful) or a hair dryer(if there's one around). The wood starts to turn sort of green and yellow and then becomes brown. The longer you heat, the darker the color. When you are done the wood gets a bath of water and baking soda. When this is first applied the wood will bubble as the acid is neutralized. If you don't do this the wood will get darker with age. I always do the baking soda wash and I have never had a stock darken.