cherry finishes

[axelp]

I am interested in different finishes on Cherry wood. If you have a nice cherry wood treatment can you post pics of it?

[Daryl]

I simply used tung oil. Sorry can't post a picture - it's the forend on my Sharps.
Except for the grain (most people don't notice), it looks like the English Walnut butt.

[Sawfiler]

I used easy off oven cleaner and BLO on my last gun. I like the satin look of the finish, but I feel like I didn't wipe the oven cleaner off fast enough, or maybe coated the stock to heavily on my pass with the spray can. I tested on scrap pieces and ended up with a lighter color that I liked better, but I think when I did the full gun I was more concerned with getting and even coat and got a little heavy handed. If you go this route be sure to check the label on the oven cleaner and make sure it is the kind with lye. I believe the heavy duty had lye and the regular strength had some other chemical that just turned the wood green. Couple photos as a representation of color. I love working with cherry.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I am not a fan of the lye method but that is just my taste.  The NE fowler below was first painted with thinned black enamel paint, which was then rubbed back aggressively to bring out the grain in cherry. Then I used a mix of brown and scarlet aniline dyes to add warm color to the cherry.




On the 17th century fowler below, I used brown and orange aniline dyes to give the cherry stock the appearance of aged apple wood.





The finishes on both guns used Sutherland-Wells polymerized tung oil.

dave

[FALout]

For me, there are only two ways to finish cherry.  One is a clear finish of your choice or to use the lye method (aka: oven cleaner) with the finish of your choice.  I’ve never seen seen cherry stained that didn’t have a muddy look to it, on furniture or cabinetry you can get away with staining, but on a firearm it never looks great.  Cherry can achieve a great dark look on its own in time with exposure to sunlight which can only be duplicated with the lye method.  A lot also depends on the piece your working with whether it has some curl or black inclusions ( to me, an aspect of cherry that is unique).  Experiment for yourself on some scrap.

[smart dog]

For me, there are only two ways to finish cherry.  One is a clear finish of your choice or to use the lye method (aka: oven cleaner) with the finish of your choice.  I’ve never seen seen cherry stained that didn’t have a muddy look to it, on furniture or cabinetry you can get away with staining, but on a firearm it never looks great.  Cherry can achieve a great dark look on its own in time with exposure to sunlight which can only be duplicated with the lye method.  A lot also depends on the piece your working with whether it has some curl or black inclusions ( to me, an aspect of cherry that is unique).  Experiment for yourself on some scrap.

I could not disagree more.  Let's see some of your work.

dave

[Dave Marsh]

For me, there are only two ways to finish cherry.  One is a clear finish of your choice or to use the lye method (aka: oven cleaner) with the finish of your choice.  I’ve never seen seen cherry stained that didn’t have a muddy look to it, on furniture or cabinetry you can get away with staining, but on a firearm it never looks great.  Cherry can achieve a great dark look on its own in time with exposure to sunlight which can only be duplicated with the lye method.  A lot also depends on the piece your working with whether it has some curl or black inclusions ( to me, an aspect of cherry that is unique).  Experiment for yourself on some scrap.

Yes I too would like to see some examples as I tried the lye (oven cleaner) method on a counter top and was not happy with the results.  I want to refinish or replace it and of course refinish it. 


Dave

[tallbear]

Here's one I did a while back using Lye to age the stock...http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=45036.msg441793#msg441793

Mitch Yates

[Turtle]

 I used oven cleaner on my latest cherry gun. I should have diluted it more, or wiped it off more quickly. It came out darker than I wanted. Next time I will dilute it more and try multiple coats to get what I want. other than that, I like it.

[bob in the woods]

It's a matter of taste. I love the gun, Tallbear, but not the finish. Lye, / oven cleaner has occasionally resulted in something I like, but not usually.  I much prefer to just let cherry age naturally. It really doesn't take all that long. My last cherry stock was my Chamber's officer's fusil  [ a fabulous gun BTW ]   Finish is beeswax, applied hot and allowed to soak in. Then buffed.  It has aged beautifully, and has stood up to all kinds of weather extremely well.

[Mike Brooks]

Here's a few cherry guns I did using aniline dye.
http://www.fowlingguns.com/newenglandfowler1.html
http://www.fowlingguns.com/englishfowler7.html
http://www.fowlingguns.com/hvfg22712.html

[Marcruger]

Yep. To each his own.  If I was shelling out several thousand for a rifle from Mitch, and got that cherry stocked rifle dyed with Lye, I'd be one happy camper.  I think it has a very warm, inviting look.  Everyone's eye and likes are different.  God Bless,   Marc

[Pete G.]

I used drain cleaner diluted with water. Gives more control over the color than a straight lye treatment.

[PPatch]

Time alone will bring out the figure and color in a cherry stock perfectly. I have never been a fan of oven cleaner. I once worked in a furniture shop that often used the oven cleaner technique on cherry and the results, which varied widely, were not to my taste.

dave

[silky]

I tried the Easy-Off oven cleaner technique on my last rifle, mostly out of curiosity and because I wanted a dark finish.

I applied the cleaner, let it sit for five minutes, then wiped it off.  I then immediately repeated the same process twice more.  After the last application, it was neutralized with a water/vinegar mixture and left to dry for a few days.  The oil finish is a few coats of Chambers oil, very lightly rubbed back with a Scotchbrite pad after the last oil application.

It's nothing fancy, and probably darker than lots of people prefer, but I'm very happy with it.  She looks good in the sun.

- Tom

[Dennis Glazener]

Silky,
That stock looks like walnut is it or is it cherry.
Dennis

[silky]

Dennis,

Nope, it actually is Cherry.  The finish definitely does give it a walnut look, though!

- Tom

[Dennis Glazener]

I have never used oven cleaner but I have used a Red Devil lye water solution several times and really like it on Cherry. The solution is fairly weak and I put it on until it "looks right" to me then finish with Chambers oil.
Dennis

Time alone will bring out the figure and color in a cherry stock perfectly. I have never been a fan of oven cleaner. I once worked in a furniture shop that often used the oven cleaner technique on cherry and the results, which varied widely, were not to my taste.

dave

[Ron Scott]

The most natural colorant I have seen used on cherry is an Exposure to UV light. Get yourself two inexpensive flourescent fixtures, four high intensity UV tubes. Expose the finished project for 48 hours of UV light and you have the equivalent of two or three decades of darkening. The pluses are that there is no liquid to raise the grain and no muddying of color. I don't personaly use cherry as a gunstock. This procedure is what my son and I used on a cherry wood cradle made for my Grand Daughter.

[WadePatton]

I used drain cleaner diluted with water. Gives more control over the color than a straight lye treatment.

This. 


I have no idea why everyone thinks aerosol lye cleaning foam is the only answer to lye-conditioning cherry.  I'd get sodium hydroxide for clearing drains and mix it up (and test on scraps) for the best results on your wood. Or even make your own with ashes and water (potassium hydroxide) as if making soap.  That is if you want to try the lye method with a wider range of possibilities.

I'm not sure for the one stick I have, as it is gorgeous with nothing but oil on it. (yet a blank, but I shall experiment a little)

No disrespect meant to the accomplished builders above who find other methods more suitable to them.  They have great results too.