Staining "Birds eye maple stock

[delivered]

Getting close to finishing up a Appalachian style rifle made w/ Birdseye maple.
Not much figure and the bird's eye is sparse. Don't have much scrap to practice on and afraid the stain will hide what little is there.
Any suggestions?

[thimble rig]

Check out Jim kibler website.He has a beautiful burl stock he stained.I think he used  Tannic acid stain with a iron nitrate stain over that then heats it with a heat gun.He tells you how he does it on his website.You can always use  the inside of youre barrel channel to use as a test strip for stains too.

[frogwalking]

I made one of my grand daughters a music box from birdseye maple, also a little scarce in bird's eyes as you describe.  I attained it with LMF honey maple.  It did not work well to emphasize the curl.  I don't suggest you try a stain of this type unless you just like the color.

[delivered]

Thanks guys
I like the Lancaster stain the best: have used it the most.
Concerned the acid will be to dark; but will check out Jim's site.

[Turtle]

 On my first build, which had a real nice flame stripe maple stock, I painted the stock with pitch black artists paint first, then stained it. That really brought the stripes out, but sanding the excess paint off was a real pain.
                                                                      Turtle

[spiderman852]

Try (on test piece) black water soluable dye stain. First sand stock to 150 grit then apply black dye. Sand off with 180 until you get all of the black removed or you get tired of sanding. Apply whatever color you want. Then your oil finish. This should "pop" those eyes!

Same deal as Turtles reply. but sand black off first.

I've also tried Jim Kiblers method and that works too.

Mike

[Turtle]

 Sorry, You sand after painting, then stain. I'm going to try it on another stock, but wipe it off before it dries. I tried that on a sample piece, and there was much less sanding required and the black stayed in the stripes.
                                                      Turtle

[Longknife]

Go to a Hobby shop and buy a tube of  "Artisan Lamp black". It is a water soluble paste. Mix some up with water and get it thin like a stain. Paint it on the stock till you can not see any grain. Let it dry and then with a damp rag start wiping off the black till you get the contrast you want. It will now look like a black and white photo. Let it dry, lightly de-whisker with grey scotch-brite and stain your preferred color...

[Hungry Horse]

 The only thing I know of that won't wear off is Aqua fortis. Everything else will leave your pride and joy looking like a spotted dog over time. The tannic acid treatment really brings out the three demensional depth of the grain. The aqua fortis can be diluted to attain the color you desire.

  Hungry Horse

[Turtle]

 I beg to differ. My first build is 15 years old, grain enhanced with black artist's paint, and it has stayed perfect.  I stained it with Laural Mt  stain and finished it with Permylin.
                                                             Turtle

[Don Stith]

On Birds-eye I like the look I get with tea and ammonia fuming. Apply several coats of strong tea to incorporate tannic acid into the wood. Then fume with household ammonia.  Control the darkness with time of exposure to fumes. An hour is most I have done. All those pieces are gone so no pictures to share.

[delivered]

Thanks for all the advise guys!
I will try and down load some pictures when I get it done!
Thanks again

[Turtle]

hope my post didn't come across snarky, it certainly wasn't intended so. I'm currently doing tests on cutoffs from a highly striped stock,paint ,heavy stain ,light stain. the painted ones are almost too starkly contrasted for my taste.
                                                           Turtle

[v308]

Mr Stith, Would you mind expanding a bit on how you 'fume' with ammonia? Thank you sir!

[Bill in Md]

While it is not in season for them , the hulls of black walnuts create a warm, and natural brown that brings out the minute details of fine maple, under boiled linseed oil.