How many coats?

[rich pierce]

We need Mad Monk or John Cholin to tell us about ferric versus ferrous ions and how H2O2 might brighten that color up. At least it can with the home brew iron saturated AQF.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

What does the hydrogen peroxide do, Rich?  And how to use it.

[ScottH]

I bought the tannic acid powder and iron nitrate from Kibler and used it according to the directions. When I heated the stock I used a medium setting on a new heat gun. Turned out pretty dark. Then following Jim Kiblers instructions I rubbed it back with Chambers oil and a finer grade of scotch brite pad it turned out pretty good for a first attempt at that kind of staining.

[mustanggt]

I have to now agree that the color I have is as good as it is going to get. I like it very much. It isn't what I was going for but it will certainly do for my first rifle. I have a Chambers York that I got two years ago. I've had a lot of trouble with it due to my inexperience. I would have gone with the Kibler rifle first if I knew about it two years ago. I'm going to pick up on the York rifle soon and hopefully apply the leasons learned to it and maybe it will turn out better than it was going before this rifle.

[rich pierce]

What does the hydrogen peroxide do, Rich?  And how to use it.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=41454.msg403258#msg403258

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Thanks my friend.  Most helpful.

[smallpatch]

It sounds like you've done everything right. 
Remember, ferric nitrate is a chemical reaction.  It reacts with the natural, and applied tannins in the wood.  If chemically, it has a lower concentration of tannins, the reaction will be much less.
That's why we use test strips.  If you don't have scraps, it's a $#@* shoot.
It won't get probably won't get darker.  It's stain from here.

[Joe S]

These two guns were stained in exactly the same way, and from the same bottle of AF.  The top gun is actually lighter in color than it appears in this photograph.






I have a somewhat different approach to staining than a lot of folks.  I never test the stain before I use it because I don't care what the final color is.  AF acts differently on different pieces of wood.  That's how it is, and the final color is just another part of the journey as far as I am concerned. 

[mustanggt]

I agree. The color is growing on me so its not a bad thing. I am going to get it wrapped up this week and hopefully take it to the range on the week end. Thank you.

[rich pierce]

I’m with Gordo in accepting/embracing what AQF gives me except I will adjust coats to get the fullness of saturation I want.  I’ve learned to like some darker stained maple when that happens. It can look really dark indoors but glow in the sunlight.

[Daryl]

Taylor had a pair of Hawken Rifles finish much like your two guns, Jose Gordo. Same bottle of stain, same heat and source and maybe even on the same day - 2 different colours, one ,much lighter than the other.

I think it was these two.

[SingleMalt]

I have no doubt that "wood chemistry," for lack of a better term, effects the final color.  Here's my nickels worth.  This rifle is stocked in red maple and stained with a rather strong batch of homemade AF.  It was then neutralized with lye, about two teaspoons to three gallons of water, then rinsed with plain city water.  After drying, a coat of thin shellac was applied to penetrate the wood.  Finally, a homemade varnish (cooked linseed oil with lead oxide dryer) was applied with a lint-free pad. 

[mustanggt]

What a stunning beauty!!! That was the exact color I was searching for. Perhaps on the next one.