Before I knew about Ferric Nitrate, I would have agreed. I have built a lot of longrifles and stained them with Fiebing's leather dye. It is an alcohol based dye that penetrates deeply into the maple. It does have a tendency to 'bleach' out in the sun, though on two of the nicest pieces of wood I used, the stain is the same today as it was twenty years ago. Other stocks faded a lot.
But none are as bad as when I tried Laurel Mountain Forge's stains. They seem to be pretty UV safe, but they leach right out of the wood and through the finish onto my hand. The forearm and wrist of the rifle, where the gun is gripped fades terribly and I can't abide it.
So I went to Ferric Nitrate, accepted whatever the hue it blushed out to be, and have never looked back. It is permanent. I doubt you'd scrub it off with steel wool.
