Got Curl...........

[tallbear]

  In the course of an email conversation, the future owner of this rifle  asked if the curl on his rifle popped out.Even though the finish was still wet I took this quick photo as his answer.I thought i would share it and the process I used for anyone interested.I started with a great piece of wood from Jim Kibler.I painted the stock with a coat of tannic acid.Once dried I did two coats of home made Nitrate of Iron stain,heat blushed between coats.I then neutralized with house hold ammonia.I then sealed the stock with a spit coat of seed lac and the stock has two coats of Jim Chambers oil finish at the time of the photo.The stock will get several more coats of finish.Glad to answer any questions as always....

Mitch Yates

[bama]

Looking great Mitch

That is a great piece of maple.

[Kaintuckkee]

Stunning piece of Maple....wow

[smart dog]

Beautiful Mitch!!

There is no one I know who finishes wood better than you.

dave

[moleeyes36]

Mitch,

Beautiful looking stock.  You didn't have to rub it back to lighten up the stock?  Others have described needing to rub it back because it turns very dark, actually black before blushing.

Mole Eyes

[n stephenson]

That should do it!!!    Nice Work!!!!!                   Nate

[P.W.Berkuta]

Everything about that rifle is "spot-on" including the finish. Very tight curl, great carving design & nice lines the owner will be VERY HAPPY i'm sure !

[Joe S.]

nice piece of maple,your finish looks great as does your carving

[elkhorne]

tallbear,
You have done a fantastic job on that piece. I'm sure the new owner will be very pleased. I am getting ready to try some samples of maple before a stock. Got some of the tannic acid powder off Amazon and ferric nitrate crystals from Sience Company. Could you share your formula on proportions of each and how to mix them? I have also heard some mixing with water and some with denatured alcohol - do you have a preference? Did you sand or scrape between layers of ferric nitrate before blushing or putting on the finish? Trying to figure this stain issue out and figure if I am, there are many more thinking the same thing. Thanks and again a beautiful job!
elkhorne

[Marcruger]

A man (or woman) would have to be an idiot to not appreciate that one.  The lines, the carving, the finishing, the color.  Just beautiful.  Best wishes and God Bless,   Marc

[wattlebuster]

I agree. Its got CURL. I like it

[snapper]

I had wanted a rifle in this style for quite a while.  So a couple of years ago I talked to Mitch and got on his waiting list.

My ancestors came to this land in the mid 1700's and I wanted a rifle that would be from that time period.

I am not sure that they would of had this fancy of a stock but I can so I did.

I can hardly wait to get the rife.  Been trying to figure out a reason to drive to NY and pick it up.

fleener

[Mark Elliott]

Very Nice!

[tallbear]

Thanks everyone  !!!

moleeyes

   I whiskered the stock with scotchbright between the last blush and the ammonia.The stock was blackish green before the heat but was more of a rustoleum red after heating.I rub with fine scotchbright wet with naptha and then pick up the dust with the ammonia.


elkhorn

For the tanninc acid I add a teaspoon to a pint of hot water

I'm sorry i have no experience with the Ferric Nitrate crystals.I make my own using nitric acid,water and wrought iron.Maybe some one here who uses the cystals will chime in with what they use.

My stocks are all scraped no sanding.I don't do any more scraping once the stain is applied using only fine scotchbrite after that.


Snapper

It won't be long now..........

Mitch

[n stephenson]

Snapper, Congrats on a fine rifle , it shouldn't be hard to enjoy this one. Nice choice of rifle and builder!!!                Nathan

[Timothy88]

I would say the curl popped

That is a beautiful rifle.

[BOB HILL]

Beautiful work Mitch. Thanks for sharing.     Bob

[goodtime7]

Just curious, is this red maple or sugar maple?    Either way it's great, thanks for sharing.

[snapper]

Mitch has been great to work with on this build.  He had a very nice stock blank on hand that I picked out for the build.  He knew that I was wanting a stock that perhaps had more curl, but did not want to break the bank.    Mitch went to a show last year and found this blank from Jim Kibler.  I appreciate that Jim sold us the blank at a good price and that Mitch is the kind of guy that did this for me and ended up not selling to me the stock on hand that I had already picked out.

Mitch certainly did not have to go out of his way and do this for me, but he did.

Fleener

[tallbear]

 goodtime7

I'm not sure.It did'nt have the slight pickish color that sugar maple often has so I'd lean towards red.Either way it worked very nice for the amount of curl.Wish I had bought more 

Snapper

Thanks for the kind words ...They are appreciated!!!

Mitch

[Flint62Smoothie]

Been trying to figure out a reason to drive to NY and pick it up.

... you need ANOTHER reason to drive north to get it? Bring a driver with you ... as you'll likely be in the back seat playing with your new longrifle - that's a beauty!