What Stain for Tiger Maple?

[springfield art]

I've seen mention here of a stain that 'really makes tiger maple pop'! Can someone remind me what that stain is again? Thanks!

 

[Commodore Swab]

Aqua fortis, it's a process not a stain.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Ditto. That's all I use.

 

[Collie]

People use aqua Fortis (iron nitrate) and tannic acid for tiger maple and then finish with their favorite oil. This stock here is one I did with 2 coats of track of the wolf's aqua Fortis and hand rubbed with a linseed oil finish.

 

[J.D.]

IKHO, Kibler probably sells the best, pure ferric nitrate, aka aqua fortis. Some of the brands of "Aqua fortis," have other ingredients that can adversely affect the stock wood, over time. There should be some youtube videos, and/or threads on this or other forums discussing its use.

 

[M. De Land]

I've seen mention here of a stain that 'really makes tiger maple pop'! Can someone remind me what that stain is again? Thanks!

I never cared for the traditional dark look of Aqua Fortis and much prefer the red high lights of Winchester Red stain which leaves a much brighter look but still accentuates the tiger strips.

 

[springfield art]

Aqua fortis, it's a process not a stain.

Thanks!

 

[springfield art]

IKHO, Kibler probably sells the best, pure ferric nitrate, aka aqua fortis. Some of the brands of "Aqua fortis," have other ingredients that can adversely affect the stock wood, over time. There should be some youtube videos, and/or threads on this or other forums discussing its use.

Thanks!

 

[SmileMaker]

Aqua fortis & Tru oil

 

[Dangus]

I used Kibler's iron nitrate and some tannic acid powder on this one.

 

[bajabuc]

Make your own. CAUTION!! I do this outdoors with plenty of room to stand back. While we dilute acid, it is always preferred that the acid is added to water rather than the water being added to the acid. I cut...dilute...nitric acid about half...half acid half water. Submerge steelwool...I use 4 ought...fine...in the acid...get away...don't breathe the red fumes. THE SOLUTION IS HOT. When the dilute acid has dissolved all the wool it can take...allow the mix to cool. I use thick rubber gloves to apply the aqua fortis to the wood. HEAT...I use two kinds of heat...over the forge is fastest...a commercial heat gun is selective. Boiled linseed oil to the wood. it's done. I have used my homemade stain on maple, cherry, walnut, ash and oak with excellent results. I browned my GPR 54 flinter barrel with it.

 

[olskool]

i usually use iron nitrite i mix up. i treat the stock then heat, then do it 2 to 2 more times. then i brush on lye water that i mix. 2 teaspoons pure 100% lye, then 1 cup distilled water. put the lye in the glass measuring cup then the water. brush on the stock and instantly it will turn red. if you would rather have it brown then don't do the lye. but i have used just stain on curly maple without the nitrite, it works great and brings the stripe right out as well.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I used Iron Nitrate from Jim on mine. Looks fantastic and I love dark guns. But, it looks like every other gun posted on here which is why I didn't post mine. If you've seen one you've seen 100.

 

[M. De Land]

Thanks!

Maple, Birch, Ash and even some Cherry is naturally light colored hence it would seem to follow the finish stain/process would be the one that accentuates it's natural color. If one wants the dark look then stock with walnut or dark Cherry.
I do think the Aqua Fortise does a better job of camouflaging the piece if one likes the dark look on light colored wood.

 

[Harry Marinakis]

I never cared for the traditional dark look of Aqua Fortis

I prefer much lighter aqua fortis colors. If you apply aqua fortis very sparingly (barely damp rag), you can get a lighter honey color.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

That's good to know, Harry.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

We commonly call that "curly maple", rather than "tiger stripe". Each to his own, I reckon.

 

[Harry Marinakis]

We commonly call that "curly maple", rather than "tiger stripe". Each to his own, I reckon.

As a wood worker, I've seen that both terms are commonly used by professionals.

 

[ekettenburg]

The ferric nitrate that is bought as a powder and simply mixed with water will generally create the same appearance of homemade stain made with nitric acid, assuming both are 'heat blushed' which of course they need to be. Of course every piece of wood is different and every homemade batch is different, so you'll obviously see variations. Homemade stains made with acid/water and iron will generally retain more residual acidity than the ferric nitrate powder. Either way, you can further use tannic acid to go darker or you can use ammonia to lighten and add more red/gold to the color *after heat blushing.* I'd use ammonia anyway with homemade stain unless you want the stock to typically go very dark over an extended period of time. Or very mild lye solution works too, or some use baking soda although I feel that the lye or ammonia enhance the colors in a way that baking soda does not.

A stock stained with homemade stain is also going to react more with most commercial linseed oil as there are fatty acids present that will react with the acidity of the stain unless it's been neutralized with ammonia or lye. Have to be very careful if using lye solution and linseed oil, too much lye and the oil will start to get cloudy and patchy white usually in high humidity.

 

[M. De Land]

The ferric nitrate that is bought as a powder and simply mixed with water will generally create the same appearance of homemade stain made with nitric acid, assuming both are 'heat blushed' which of course they need to be. Of course every piece of wood is different and every homemade batch is different, so you'll obviously see variations. Homemade stains made with acid/water and iron will generally retain more residual acidity than the ferric nitrate powder. Either way, you can further use tannic acid to go darker or you can use ammonia to lighten and add more red/gold to the color *after heat blushing.* I'd use ammonia anyway with homemade stain unless you want the stock to typically go very dark over an extended period of time. Or very mild lye solution works too, or some use baking soda although I feel that the lye or ammonia enhance the colors in a way that baking soda does not.

A stock stained with homemade stain is also going to react more with most commercial linseed oil as there are fatty acids present that will react with the acidity of the stain unless it's been neutralized with ammonia or lye. Have to be very careful if using lye solution and linseed oil, too much lye and the oil will start to get cloudy and patchy white usually in high humidity.

In thinking about the color on original guns we can observe and copy today I wonder if they are not considerably darker from age than they were when built.