how to make hickory ramrod take a stain?

[wolf]

over the years I have had problems staining a hickory ramrod. sometimes they take the stain but most times they don't. I stained one last night and went out this morning and it did not take the stain. what do you fellers do to make it take a stain,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[jerrywh]

 I made a pipe capped on both ends with a tire valve on one end. Put the ram in , filled it with leather die , capped the ends and inflated it to 25psi.  I left the rod in there for about 2 weeks.  The die lasted about 2 months and it did not penetrate very far at all. GOOD luck.

[rich pierce]

Do not over-sand the rod and do raise the grain only once. Then wash it with a scrub brush and water. Let it dry. Apply stain and it should penetrate. I use aquafortis only.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I sand the rod with the grain to 220 grit having already installed the rod tip.  I immediately apply Fiebing's leather dye (alcohol based) with a piece of lamb's skin (wool).  the rod takes the stain nicely, but isn't as dark as one might think it should be.  If you let it dry and re-apply, it'll be darker.  When that dries, I burnish it with 0000 steel wool, and re-apply.  then I wax it thoroughly with paste floor wax.  That's it...done.

[wolf]

thank you fellers,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Lucky R A]

   If all of the above advice fails get a bottle of mission brown Trans Tint dye, and wipe over your finished rod and then scrub it back to the color you want.   
Ron

[wolf]

well I tried aqua Fortis with heat, it worked perfect! turned it a nice golden brown. then I applied some chambers gun stock oil. it is drying now. thanks for all the suggestions,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[smylee grouch]

I have a can, quart of Watco(I think) brand walnut stained Danish oil that I have used on hickory rods and it penetrates and really turns the rod dark brown. Let it dry for 3 days and repeat.

[dogcatcher]

I would try this, sand to 220, stain with Fiebings alcohol based black, sand again with 220, then stain again with your choice of color of Fiebings alcohol based dye.  The black will accent the softer parts of the wood grain but still take the other color over it.   

[Robert Wolfe]

I stained my last one with aquafortis (Ferric Nitrate crystals) and it colored up nicely.

[Daryl]

I used Fiefings Black on the hickory rod- about 1990.  This is the rod last fall, 29 years later, below the new red osage rod.

[flehto]

I use 3 Dangler stains on the stock but only use the dark brown {final stain on the stock} on the RR and it takes 3 applications to equal the darkness of the stock. The RR was sanded w/ 220 grit prior to staining.....Fred 

[JBJ]

Jerrywh,
I think, if you pull a modest vacuum on the pipe dying vessel that you made, you will fine that the dye will penetrate deeper into the wood. The air in the wood pores will be vacuumed out as opposed to being under compression. As the air comes out of the wood, the dye replaces it. Of course, on dense woods like hickory and osage orange, you are going to get modest penetration compared to the oaks or ashes.
J.B.

[rich pierce]

I’m still shocked people have trouble staining hickory. Stained this yesterday with my home brew iron saturated AQF.


It may be that water-based stains work best on hickory.

[wolf]

well I have another "hickory" rod I tried aqua Fortis on and it did not work! I am wondering if some of these rods they call hickory is something else? I have stained some ramrods that stained perfect. then some will take no stain,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[canadianml1]

I use potassium permangenate/water solution on my hickory ram rods. Goes on purple, turns a nice brown. It is necessary to repeat several times. It does tend to fade with time.

[jerrywh]

Jerrywh,
I think, if you pull a modest vacuum on the pipe dying vessel that you made, you will fine that the dye will penetrate deeper into the wood. The air in the wood pores will be vacuumed out as opposed to being under compression. As the air comes out of the wood, the dye replaces it. Of course, on dense woods like hickory and osage orange, you are going to get modest penetration compared to the oaks or ashes.
J.B.

Done both. I have a vacuum pump also.

[steven baker]

Hi ,I just let my ramrods build up there own stain with use ,it gives it a natural look.I have in the past "toasted" a rod over a lpg gas flame .It suited me fine, take care Steven.

[JBJ]

Jerrywh,
I think, if you pull a modest vacuum on the pipe dying vessel that you made, you will fine that the dye will penetrate deeper into the wood. The air in the wood pores will be vacuumed out as opposed to being under compression. As the air comes out of the wood, the dye replaces it. Of course, on dense woods like hickory and osage orange, you are going to get modest penetration compared to the oaks or ashes.
J.B.

Done both. I have a vacuum pump also.

Oh, well. Works on getting Danish oil deep into wood duck call parts.
J.B.

[jerrywh]

Pressure or vacuum will stain them but in time they will fade. I have stained them black to simulate ebony but in use they don't stay that way very long.

[Jerry]

Fiebing’s leather dye or aqua fortis. Jerry