Sanding back Aqua Fortis ?

[Rkymtn57]

Does anyone use this technique , of sanding back AF to get a nice dark curl before applying stain ?

[Acer Saccharum]

AF is stain. Are you going to AF, and then sand, and then stain with something else on top? I am a bit confused, which is pretty normal.

[Dphariss]

Does anyone use this technique , of sanding back AF to get a nice dark curl before applying stain ?

I never sand a stained stock except it extremely rare and specific instances (once) and then it was with 2000 grit.

Dan

[Gaeckle]

Depending on the extent of curl and as to how intense it it I will apply aqua fortis then scrape certain areas followed by an amber colored stain like a maple, honey maple or lancaster maple. These colors have a red/orange tint to them and help produce a nice highlight throughout the rifle stock.

[Rkymtn57]

I have tested staining with AF and then sanding it back , the curl holds the nice dark color then a alcohol based stain can be applied. It seems to work the best at darkening the curl so another coat of colored alcohol stain can be applied.....I just wanted to see if anyone else has used this technique.
Try it .....Dennis.

[Rkymtn57]

Yes Gaeckle , That's exactly what I'm getting , I am very tempted to use this method.
Any helpful tips would be appreciated. Dennis

[Don Getz]

When you say you stained it with AF, did you also heat  it to bring the color out?  If you prepared your stock correctly you
should have no need to sand it again.   I always raise the grain and sand those wiskers off before staining.   Here' a
helpful hint on raising the grain.   Mix a small jar of water with a little yellow dye in it, use it to raise the grain.   That little
bit of color makes the flaws, rasp marks, etc. to jump out so that you can clean them up before staining............Don

[Rkymtn57]

Yes Don , I stained and heated my test with AF . Then I sand it back so only the curl retains the dark color.
Then I apply a colored alcohol based stain  Homer Danglers Org. Toner  or combine a couple of colors. I wish it was easier to attach a picture of how nice it looks. It contrasts the soft curl (dark)with the (colored)harder wood.
Ya might want to test it just for the heck of it.
Thanks for your reply . Dennis

[Jerry V Lape]

You might need to cut your aqua fortis with water a bit.  I have had an old batch make the maple so black after heating it that I started to sand the stock again to get back to where something else could be done.  Found that removing the surface layer carefully I was able to adjust the color to what I wanted just with sanding with 400 paper.  It would be better to come in with dilute AQ and make several applications to get the colors desired as it would be a lot less work.

[LehighBrad]

My fellow rifle builder / friend B. Dixon swears by aqua-fortis for his stocks....which he constantly trys to convince me to use it on my own rifle stock, which is nearing that point. But I've already did a ball head war club a few years ago that has super beautiful curl throughout its entire length by just whiskering it a few times, and finishing it down to 220 grit and rubbing on Laural Mountain Forge's Nut Brown stain. And I gotta say...it turned out beautiful...IMHO. The curl really pops and out in the sun it's even better! So what's wrong with just sanding a curly stock down to the desired smoothness, applying the desired stain, and applying whatever oil finish you prefer???

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Nothing is 'wrong' with that.  But be aware, that alcohol stains including LMF and Fiebings, are UV sensitive.  They will fade, and will wear and leach out of the wood onto your hands.  At least, that has been my experience.  AF is almost bullet proof.

[Dphariss]

Like Taylor said.

And....
Some folks here WAY over think things and WAY over work themselves.
Partly because, I believe, they have a preconceived notion of what the stock has to look like.
Finishing a gunstock is not like buying house paint.

Dan

[Gaeckle]

Yes Gaeckle , That's exactly what I'm getting , I am very tempted to use this method.
Any helpful tips would be appreciated. Dennis

I don't sand the entire stock......I scrape certain parts of the stock, then apply a stain. The stock area's that I scrape are the edge of the cheekpiece, the highest point of the wrist area, edges of the lock panels and the opposite panels, the edge of the forstock that shows any transition point. I use a scraper, not sandpaper. Depending upon the desired affect I want I'll sometimes scrape a lot and hard, sometimes very little....it's a touch and go sort of thing.

When the lighter colored stain is floated in, it presents highlights throughout the stock and gives what I think a pleasing appearence......essentially it is a method of breaking up a momotone color and I think that adds interest.

[Vomitus]

 Dumb question,sorry.
  Can one acquire a darker or redder stained stock by just using AF? Or does it depend on the wood fiber density? or 'blushing" it with heat? How can one get away from the "blonde" look some AF stains give? Curious is all. Thanks

[Chuck Burrows]

The red will depend on several factors, but dark is easy - just don't neutralize and leave in the sun, I've had it go black on some pieces...

[Acer Saccharum]

I've not had good luck with getting a red with AF. Brown, yes.

Tom

I have had a nice red-orange develop when using Vinegar stain, then blushed with Hydrogen peroxide. (which almost bleached out all the color, and I had to vinegar stain multiple times to get the darks back)

Vinegar and HP, and then multiple apps of vinegar to save my butt(stock):

[Rkymtn57]

With my tests I get nothen but dark brown , even with little heat I've tried 1/3. , 50/50 ect. This is why I feel I must include a stain.