Wood finish for a kit

[PNWtrekker]

I just bought my first kit. A .54 cal. Investarm Plains Pistol to experiment with. My end goal is building a period correct pre 1840s Hawken kit. I decided I should work up to that. Question is, what would be a good method to finish the wood to replicate a pre-1840s Hawken? I know someone out there has a secret recipe to make that wood stain just right and really show off the grain. Again, I am really wanted to stay period correct. Just for fun. Thank you.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Each piece of wood will stain a bit differently, you’ll have to experiment as there isn’t a set formula. These two pistols of the same brand illustrate that. The Hawken shop used a dark varnish over their wood.
IMG_0249 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[fishmusic]

Phil has it right. I have successfully used boiled linseed oil (BLO) on my Plains Pistol and it looks great. I did my GPR with Nut Brown stain from Laurel Mountain Forge and used several coats of Tung oil finish to bring out the grain. Take this post to the Gun Makers Bench forum and you will get a lot more input. The Plains Pistol is a great gun, by the way. Good shooter and good looker. Can you post a pic of your stock?

 

[Frontier's]

 

[PNWtrekker]

I will post a pic as soon as it arrives.

 

[centershot]

On the kits I've built I've used BLO (bolied linseed oil), warmed slightly but not otherwise thinned. It takes a LOT of coats to build up a finish but the result is worth it! No stains used, the walnut stocks came out a nice chocolate color with the oil alone. This is dependent on the color of the wood, of course, you may want to use stain on a maple or lighter colored walnut stock. It's always best to experiment on some scrap pieces if you have some.

 

[boarhunt]

Each piece of wood will stain a bit differently, you’ll have to experiment as there isn’t a set formula. These two pistols of the same brand illustrate that. The Hawken shop used a dark varnish over their wood.
IMG_0249 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Phil Coffins what stains and finish did you use on your two pistols

 

[Phil Coffins]

I used some dye powders that I bought from Brownell’s many years ago. I mixed three or four of them in water till it gave the color I wanted on the first one. Years later I did the second one with the same dye and it looks different. Both are finished in Tru-oil, shows each piece of wood is a project unto itself.