Advice on metal and wood finishes for a new builder

[Obi2winky]

Hi all,

I've been working on my Kibler Colonial kit on and off since last winter and I'm almost to the point where I need to finish the wood and the metals parts. The metal parts are brass, except barrel and lock. Wood is maple. Can I get some advice on how I should finish it? It would be great to see example works of brass furniture.

I've see many examples of darker wood finishes and brightly polished brass. I was kind of interested in a really bright maple colored wood with dark metal parts. I saw that you can patina the brass to make it look really dark, but I wasn't sure how the color would work with a steel barrel. I'm guessing the steel barrel won't react the same as brass with the same solution?

any advice or examples of Kibler Colonial rifles to inspire me would be greatly appreciated!
Towa

[B.Barker]

I like Jim's ferric nitrate stain. It will give you reddish brown to a dark brown color depending the piece of wood. If your wanting a dark finish on the steel rust bluing will give you a nice durable dark color. Here is some of Jim's stain on a rifle I built.

[Mike Lyons]

Here’s a link to an experiment I did with four different finishes.  Tried and True is all I use now.  http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=54230.msg543575#msg543575

[little joe]

Mike  Whats the shelf life on the Waterlox?

[Frank]

There is a whole  series of videos that Jim Kibler made on assembling and finishing his rifles. Here is one on staining.

[Obi2winky]

Appreciate all the info! I'm new to working with wood so I've watched Jim's videos religiously. Am I correct in identifying these general steps in working with maple? 1) obtain grain poppage with Iron nitrate, 2) stain the wood, 3) coat with varnish.

I also found this from Kingsbury arms and I really like the color. http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=50746.msg503182#msg503182

So this is what I'm thinking for the stock. Does anyone see a problem in the making?
- Treat stock with Jim's Iron Nitrate solution.
- Stain with Laurel Mountain Forge Maple Stain.
- Tried and True Varnish Oil.

thanks!

[rich pierce]

Many times or most times the ferric nitrate is enough and no further coloring is needed in the wood. Certainly so far as we know originals used aquafortis and did not stain over it. In some cases and places a tinted varnish was used after staining.

[Mike Lyons]

Mike  Whats the shelf life on the Waterlox?

I don’t know the shelf life.  I’ve heard of people using it many many years later.  My can is over 6 years old.  It seems to be either boiled linseed oil or tung oil with a dryer added. 

[Darkhorse]

I suggest you consider Jim Chambers original oil finish for an easy to use, great looking wood finish that holds up really well.

[Rich]

The Tried and True gives a nice finish, if you follow the instructions on the can. Real thin coats rubbed in and then left to dry for a day or more. You will be tempted to do another coat when it looks and feels dry after less than a day. Don't do it, let it cure. If you do put on another coat before the first is cured, the new varnish will mix with the first coat and after rubbing it in, you will be left with the equivalent of one coat left on the wood.

[Kingsburyarms]

I sent you a PM on how I got that finish. I used Iron Nitrate, Laurel mountain Honey Maple stain and Min-wax antique Oil finish. I'm sure there are a lot of finishes to use that are just as good (or better) but that is what i used. After blushing, I did sand the wood a little to expose more of the "hard" maple to create a more striped finish.

Jon