Hi, I am just about ready to finish my first stock it is curly maple. What does everyone like to use for a stain and also for a finish.
Please let me know what you think.
Thanks, Gary
Hello Gary, Welcome to ALR.
Traditionally Aqua Fortis (AQ) was used to stain stocks. According to the stock in front of you the AQ will turn it a dark brown, a reddish brown or somewhere lighter. Each stock reacts differently due to where it grew and what minerals the tree sucked up while growing. AQ reacts with the iron in a stock, accentuates the figure and is generally pleasing to the eye. There is a chemical known as Ferric Nitrate (FN) that is an exact substitute for AQ and used by many. It comes in crystal form from the Science Company, you mix it with either water or drugstore alcohol according to the strength you want, usually by volume at 1:3 or 1:5 ratio. Test in the barrel channel before using. The advantage of FN is the lack of acid and having to neutralize after applying it. Once it is applied in liquid form it is heated to obtain the reaction (coloring the stock).
Also, other stains are often used to alter the look of the stock after an AQ application, stains from the Laurel Mountain Forge company (LMF) are often seen. Currently I am using LMF's Nut Brown only to stain a stock, the tests I did with FN caused this particular stock to just go a deep muddy brown which I didn't like so I went with with the LMF stain only. The combinations for staining stocks are many, testing before committing to doing a whole stock should always occur.
There is no one magic formula, and as you will learn from the responses you receive everyone does their staining and finishing somewhat differently.
Again, welcome - and good luck with your project. Suggestion: do a search on ALR using the term "Stock Finishing" and you'll come up with pages and pages on the subject.
dave