Maple stain

[John Cotterall]

I am nearing competition of my first build. I want to end up with a reddish color used in the Lehigh school. I have a curly maple stock. I want to accentuate the curl. Is there a reddish stain that can do that? I have used iron nitrate before on a scrap piece which helped emphasize the curl but gave the wood a brown color. Could I use tannic acid and then some kind of traditional red stain? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you 🙂

[Dave Marsh]

Check out Jim Kibler's building videos and also Bill Raby's video restocking an unmentionable with curly maple.  The process is the same.  Good luck.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Go here.

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25159.msg240890#msg240890

You can help yourself by using our search function.  So much has been written on this topic.

dave

[Tom Currie]

Lehigh Valley rifles often had a red tint to the finish . One way to do this is adding a resin like Dragons Blood into your oil based finish.

[Jerry P.]

If you go to Eric von Aschweges web site he has a tutorial on (Red Varnish Finishes on Lehigh Valley Arms).

[mikeyfirelock]

I have used the Laurel Mountain Forge products  for years and will use nothing else.
Attached pic will give you an idea ….I came out with a very red color because I used the
Lancaster Maple stain and followed it with an application of the plain maple stain.  (I also use their browning solution…I recommend it as well.  Use it with a Bivins style browning box and it will give a superb brown.
mikeyfirelock
PS……this was a pretty low grade stock ….not much if any figure.

Ps again…….I was a pharmacist and could make just about any sort of stain or browning formula if I needed to.

[John Cotterall]

Thanks for all the great advice. I think I will stick with aqua fortis for the first part and then add red dye to the oil finish. The varnish option is out of my comfort zone at this time. Anyone have specific oil finish they recommend to use with the dye? I am fimiliar with Linspeed and True oil.

[HighUintas]

Commonly used and popular ones are - chambers oil, permalyn sealer, tried and true oil varnish. There are pros and cons to each in their application method, look, and durability. Do some searching on this site of those three and you'll see suggestions for others.

[John Cotterall]

Thanks to all. I have a game plan now. Such helpful and knowledgeable people here. Keep up the great work 👏

[dadybear1]

I mixed nut brown(laurel Mt) and tinted with cherry stain---  I like the red tint--like a fine violin finish

[moleeyes36]

Thanks for all the great advice. I think I will stick with aqua fortis for the first part and then add red dye to the oil finish. The varnish option is out of my comfort zone at this time. Anyone have specific oil finish they recommend to use with the dye? I am fimiliar with Linspeed and True oil.

John,

My usual go to oil finish is Jim Chambers' Traditional Oil Finish.  It's used by many here on the ALR.  https://www.flintlocks.com/parts.htm

Don Richards

[John Cotterall]

Thank you Moleeyes36😁

[Jim Kibler]

No tannic acid.  This will just decrease any red tones.  Aniline dyes can work, but pretty much all are fugitive to some degree.  Especially red colors.  I would start with iron nitrate and then tone with something red.  Perhaps aniline dye, but fading is at least something to consider.  A softer piece of wood will often go darker and less warm in my experience.  Also not all iron nitrate is equal. 

Maybe Eric Kettenburg will comment as he has done work regarding traditional red finishes.

[Jim Kibler]

I would also say that if aniline dyes worked as well as I would hope, things would be easier.  They may color the wood, but often they look like a stock stained with dyes.  With enough work, you can get around this, but in my view it’s generally a battle.

Jim