AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Eric Smith on January 04, 2012, 07:15:20 PM
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Where can Aqua Fortis be found for staining a stock? I am new to this. I'm starting my first build this month. :)
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Welcome to the greatest learning forum. Here is a link for Aqua Fortis:
http://muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/cgi-bin/mbscart/agora.cgi?product=Gun-Finishes
I just used some on a Wm Henry, Jr. Nazareth pistol with fantastic results.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb471%2Feddillon%2FNazareth1.jpg&hash=527b04e437f5c710d9fcbd2096c684de00838e25)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb471%2Feddillon%2FNazareth3.jpg&hash=12ac296a8776067874cb071dc47b55ec5a1536e7)
The color is dark but that is my preference
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My preference is to use the modern output of creating Aquafortis. It is Ferric Nitrate ctystals that you can disolve in either distilled water or Denatured alcohol. It is easy to get and will last a loooong time:
http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Ferric-Nitrate-100g-P6384C670.aspx (http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Ferric-Nitrate-100g-P6384C670.aspx)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsecure.sciencecompany.com%2FAssets%2Fnc11220n.jpg&hash=0a5c37074fb82c49bd34a669da7c9c28e3b192c2)
See an example here :
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=19799.0 (http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=19799.0)
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Thanks for the info. :)
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When I started looking for it a few years ago I couldn't find it anywhere. Evertone had it in their catalogues but nobody had it in stock. Someone said it was because of new hazardous shipping regs.. I started researching and decided to make my own. I found a local laboratory supply house who had nitric acid in stock and the price was very reasonable. You have to have a business license to buy it though. The stuff is very potent. I mixed it outside and stayed at arms length with protective clothing and chemical gloves, face shield, etc...,. You don't want to breathe the fumes from this stuff. It is a relatively simple process to make the stain. I found some old recipes and I think there is some info on it in the Foxfire Book from Hacker Martin if I remember? I made mine with about a 1 to 3 ratio of nitric acid and distilled water. Then I added steel wool very slowly into it until it wouldn't dissolve any more. Remember your high school chemistry and make sure to mix in the right order to avoid a violent reaction. I made about a pint jar full a few years ago and need to make some more I'm about out. It gave a very nice color. I applied with a wad of rag in a split stick and smoothed it out with another rag to even the color then heated the stock very carefully. Finished with multiple coats of oil rubbed in well.
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Where can Aqua Fortis be found for staining a stock? I am new to this. I'm starting my first build this month. :)
Make your own from Ferric Nitrate or from Nitric Acid and iron. Some store bought "acid" stains are made with a percentage of hydrochloric acid. Adding this may cause grain definition problems and produce a muddy looking stock .
The acid and iron stains must be carefully done and knowledge of how to mix and handle acid is necessary.
Ferric Nitrate crystals are much easier to make stain from and seem to produce identical color when used side by side with acid made stain on the same wood sample.
Dan