Awful black color using Fiberling Black Shoe dye

[Pete G.]

Sort of reminds me of some of the laminated plywood stocks on new rifles. I wonder what would happen if you put some brownish color over what is there?

[RobertS]

I've never used this so I can't speak from experience, but I've seen a product called wood bleach and wonder how that might work. It's a great looking rifle and I'm sure you'll work it out.

[Collector]

Acetone, carburetor cleaner..??  Full immersion v. surface application..?? 

Method of application and process may account for results more than the actual agent itself.  Solutions to  difficult and/or persistent problems are rarely found without altering your approach and putting each element, of that approach, to the test.     

The rifle has great architecture and that alone, makes it worth every effort to salvage the finish.

[Joe S.]

Been pondering this and possible fixes.I have no experience with rifle stocks but depending on the wood and dyes used it can be quite a job pulling it out once its on.Lot of factors from how deep the dye is to how soft/hard the wood is ect.I have tried to do do overs on different types of wood on other projects other than gun stocks with mixed results.Best possible results after a soak and sand imho would be,hopefully darker high lights then put your next finish over it and a lighter look.My worry would be having to take it back to far with scraping and sanding and then metal to wood fit being compromised. Perhaps it's best to just live with it,looking at the pictures shooting the pics over a blue background made it look worse than it is,I don't think it's all that bad but it's your rifle

[snrub47]

I've used Feibings dye on maple and walnut and have been fairly satisfied with the results. Tried the black on a maple stock one time and had the same results, it was awful, so I gave it a treatment with Feibings medium brown and it turned a nice dark redish brown. The next time I wanted a dark stock I mixed the black with the brown and that worked well also....

[old george]

Guess I'm another odd ball but I really like the rifle and wouldn't change it.

geo

[Molly]

Now, I'm just wondering with a finish one has never used and plenty of scrap wood from the stock might it not be a good idea to test it on some scrap wood and see how it turns out first.  Guess not.

[Dave Patterson]

Well, color aside, that's one awful nice rifle.

I too wonder what that color will do, given a little time...

[Molly]

Photos on a blue cloth make it look MORE blue/black.  Maybe do the photos on a red cloth!!  Or maybe just sand it down and paint it.  Why not?  You could then also fill the worm holes.  But not pink please!

[mountainman]

I actually like it the way it is, but there might be something you could try, it's trans tint dye it'll go right through your finish, you rub it on with denatured alcohol, you can play around with different colors, then if it's what you like, just rub another coat of finish on it to lock it in , it's very potent.

[TMerkley]

If you REALLY want to go with paint...... UGH..... Talk to an auto body repairman.  My brother did his with some automotive finishes that I would NOT take hunting, however for a RESTO MOD, as is the term with the restorations these days, there are some impressive finishes for the barrel, and the stock... I have no idea why my brother would do such a thing, but I think beer was definitely a factor......

[bgf]

Truck bed liner gives a tough, non-slip grip .

Seriously, I like it, reminds me of of the SW Va. black rifles. 

One of my pet peeves is people who protest red in rifle finishes, as if green and blue are going to work well by themselves.

As is, you might be able to tint the finish.  I have used various colors of the minwax polyshades product added to oil finish as a cheap tint that is available locally.  Yes, there is polyurethane in it, but if it is thinnrd and combined with softer oil finish, it doesn't hurt anything...  I know there are tints available by themselves also, just never needed enough to make it worthwhile.

[Clark Badgett]

I think I would put some shade of brown LMF over it to see how it turns out. Nothing loss at this point.

[Marcruger]

Hi Dennis,

I can imagine your frustration. 

My  thought would be to lightly sand it back (watching the inlet areas) so that it lightens the harder grain as much as possible. 

I'd then stain it with something (insert ideas here) that gives a rust or reddish color.  The soft grain will stay blackish. 

I think that a finish over it, with applied wood "antiquing" after such as Ed Wenger does would tend to blend everything together.

Just my 2 cents worth from the peanut gallery. 

Best wishes for a super Thanksgiving.   Marc 

[SingleMalt]

Bill Brockway used to do that with water color.  He'd first apply black, then sand it back and apply a mixture (usually) of various browns and reds.  I don't think alls lost.

[flinchrocket]

Birchwood Casey walnut stain is a water based stain, mixed 50/50 with distilled water is good for tinting.
I would try some on a piece of scrap first. It will take several apps before you see a change, but I think it
would put you toward a black/dark brown instead of blue/gray.