Getting an antiqued look on new wood

[Dave B]

I have been working on a project the customer wanted a lighter aquafortis finish on and I got the color right but it was just a little too new looking, bright may be a better word. I thought that to get some of the caving to pop I would smoke the areas with my little oil lamp and wipe down the area leaving a darker lamp black in the grooves. Well it didn't work like I wanted the soot wont collect in the deep recesses but it did change the tone of the wood to a muted subdued shade. I took the lamp to the rest of the stock and holy cow its just what I have been trying to get a finish to give that old been on the mantel for 100 yrs look. I have yet to put any other sealers or fillers on it but I think its ready to go now.

[Acer Saccharum]

Smokin' again, Dave?

Hahahaha.

That sounds like a good idea. I have mixed lampblack oil paint in with the top coats of varnish, but it's messy. Rub back the stock, and that leaves the dark in the nooks and crannies.

[Ky-Flinter]

Dave,

Sounds interesting.  When you wiped it down, did you use any sort of liquid or just a dry rag?  Looking forward to seeing the finished piece.

-Ron

[Dave B]

The rag I am using is actually a piece of #12 canvas duck scrap. It burnished the wood as I rubbed it down dry. I used scrapers to smooth the wood on this piece. It is my first time with the scrapers all the way.  I like the results. I will stain up a scrap of the same stock wood so you can see the color difference. I guess some may like the brighter color but I am very please with the SMOKIN finish I got goin here I will post some photos

[Dave B]

This is the scrap of maple from the same blank the rifle is made from. With only the aquafortis from L&R Trading co. Sweet Home, OR. (Robin & Larry Eubanks) Nice folks,,,, Um Ok  its their McKenzie River Aquafortis. It has a lighter color than the Wahkon bay stuff I have from TOW which is what I normally have used in the past. Here is the pictures of the stock after smokin it with the oil lamp and rubbin it back with the canvas fabric.

[Lord Calvin]

That did tone it down quite a bit, nice looking rifle. Good job.


Regards,  Cal

[ronward]

 that does look good! beutiful patchbox! is that one you cut out?

[B Shipman]

That does give it a nice look. Everyone has their own thing that works well for them. I, as Acer suggested as well, use lampblack oil paint though I mix it with a little flat black Rustoleum to make it set in this lifetime. Around carving and in low areas. Feather it with a soft cloth. After a coat or two of varnish and varnish over the top of that. This is just to soften the rifle as old finishes tended to oxidixe in the low areas. I also rub the high areas. A little honest use really looks good on top of that. The really convinsing antique look that Mike Brooks and Eric K. get is a art in itself.

[Dave B]

Thanks,
It is blank box kit from TOW.  Took the idea of the pattern from a York Co. rifle If memory serves.
I have cut out only a couple of these with piercings using a jewelers saw and a hand full of little tiny blades. I broke about six of them cutting this one out. I learned by the end of the process that you cant rush the slim blade. I also remembered half way through that some one talked about using beeswax to lube the blade and it made a huge difference in how well it worked.

Bill,
When you say rustoleum are you using a brush to put that into the crevices or an air brush/ or spray can?

[keweenaw]

To do the shadowing I use bone black.  It's exceedingly fine powdered carbon.  Put on a coat of oil finish and dust in the bone black off the bristles of a soft tooth brush.  Brush it into the crevices, areas to darken with another soft tooth brush.  Feather it out by wiping with a rag.  You can also use it to darken surfaces in general and it doesn't put any strange oils into the finish.

Tom

[Mike Brooks]

Better bash that up a bit, guns don't pick up patina with out some bashes.

[B Shipman]

Dave, any brush. I jsut wipe it of leaving what i want behind.