ferric nitrate crytals/AF STAIN

[aaronc]

I have my ferric nitrate crytals and ready to go with some water based and alcohol based stain. I plan to experiment with both. Any suggestions as to what weight/amount of crytals to disolve in a given amount of water or alcohol ? Is there a ratio that is commonly used that is not too dark or light to get started with and adjust from there ?

Thanks, Aaron

[Meteorman]

"too light or too dark" is often in the eye of the beholder.
I use 5 parts denatured alcohol to 2 parts FENO3 loose packed crystals, by volume. 2 applications.
I think my desired finished look might be darker than many might shoot for.
both guns below used that brew, they came out about identical; the apparent difference is due to background and camera auto-adjust voodoo.
/mike

[Bob Roller]

Meteor Man,
Those are fine looking rifles.Plain,simple with no visual distractions
and good lines.Well done right down to the color.

Bob Roller

[aaronc]

Mike,  yes it is a subjective answer but that is what I was looking for,............. somewhere to start and I can go from there. As Bob said great looking rifles and my preference is on the dark side as well.

Best, -Aaron

[Acer Saccharum]

Always practice on sample pieces before you commit to staining your gun. (Which you have spent hours and hours on perfecting.)

[Mark Elliott]

Always practice on sample pieces before you commit to staining your gun. (Which you have spent hours and hours on perfecting.)

Ah, Tom, why not just roll the dice an see what you get?      That's what i do.  Scrapers, steel wool, and washes can fix almost anything.   

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I do the same Mark.  I used to look for that red/brown look, but gave up when I received my copies of Moravian gunbuilding, and the new Lancaster rifle book.  That simple brown colour is predominant on most of those wonderful old rifles.  So, now I'm happy with what I get with my solution.  I supersaturate the solution...looks like dark tea.

[frogwalking]

 You should see what color it is when dripped pn a new pair of stone colored chinos.