Waterfowl,
Sorry....I missed your question .....The stain was iron nitrate (almost always incorrectly referred to here as "AF"). I prepared the stain with real "AF" (Aqua Fortis, i.e. nitric acid) and iron by the very detailed method in "Staining and Finishing for Muzzleloading Gun Builders, Methods and Materials from 1750 - 1850" written by Bill Knight and Bill Mende. (Great little book by the way....I made up one batch of stain 6 years ago and am still using it. Should last for the rest of my gun building days). The stock was whiskered once and then the stain was applied and heat blushed in the usual manner. The finish was 50% gum turpentine mixed with 50% Sutherland and Wells Polymerized Tung Oil. I used to use this mix for the first couple of coats and then apply the S & W Tung oil straight. However, the 50 / 50 mix goes on so easily, dries so fast, and allows me to sneak up on the amount of gloss I want so well, that I only use the mix now. Also, on the second and third coats, I did the Jim Kibler method of using a little bone black and a brush wetted with the finish to darken the recesses in the carving, etc.
