Scratch disclosure techniques?

[Jerry V Lape]

What is your technique to catch the final wood scratches prior to stain and varnish?

[rich pierce]

A dilute yellow stain if it’s a white wood.

[bob in the woods]

I use a light wash of water and yellow food colouring on maple whether rifles or musical instruments. It really works.

[duca]

Interesting...

Anthony

[Craig Wilcox]

The light yellow works great on maple.  On walnut, I hold a flashlight off to the side while inspecting.  Progressive grits of sandpaper work to get rid of them, but you have to be judicious to not leave a shallow spot.  Small pieces of flat wood wrapped in the sandpaper helps eliminate the problems.

[elkhorne]

Rich,Bob, Craig,
Anyone have a formula for the yellow dye! I have heard that Jim Chambers uses a yellow dye but no mix or formula. I have heard about some using yellow Rit dye but also like Bob said, food coloring. Thanks in advance.
elkhorne

[Clint]

Be careful with rit dye, it seems to have a lot of salt in it and it will absorb  humidity. Very hard to keep dry in the summer. This is a great time of year to play with wash colors for base coats. I am making a batch of vinegar/ choke cherry stain that looks promising and there is still strong sunlight to test color fastness.

[alacran]

If you use tannic acid as you whisker your stock, the tannic acid will show your scratches. It also saves a step if you are  planning to use it anyway.

[moleeyes36]

I use a light wash of water and yellow food colouring on maple whether rifles or musical instruments. It really works.

This is a simple way to do it and works well.  Besides yellow food coloring is readily available in supermarkets and is inexpensive.

Don Richards

[Mike Brooks]

We may be over finishing gun stocks these days.

[rich pierce]

We may be over finishing gun stocks these days.

So much of what we do is influenced by the work of gunsmiths elsewhere or later in time. Euro 19th century guns for aristocracy. The Bivins/Mandarino/Haugh influences. The desire to exceed standards of most original American longrifles. It’s pretty much expected now, and achievable given we don’t have to get the gun out the door in a week or 10 days and not miss church. I can appreciate the flawless, highly finished work and the workman like excellent work too.

[bama]

I do my final scraping in a cross light which helps highlight many things including rasp marks. I have the lighting in my shop divided into two different circuits. I turn half the lights off and it cast a shadow across the stock. You will be amazed at what shows up in your carving and stock surface. Try it, I think you will like it. 

[flehto]

The first stain that's applied to a finish sanded stock is an orange toner....it shows all the blemishes but usually they're very few..... then the various brown stains are applied.....all from Jim Klein.....Fred

[bob in the woods]

We may be over finishing gun stocks these days.

I agree.  I mentioned in another post that I have seen some supposed high end European made guns in our museums, and they had evidence of tool marks.

[Ken G]

I do the same.  Orange first.  Scared the you know what out of me the first time I tried it on a rifle. 

Ken

[/quote]

The first stain that's applied to a finish sanded stock is an orange toner....it shows all the blemishes but usually they're very few..... then the various brown stains are applied.....all from Jim Klein.....Fred

[WadePatton]

Rich,Bob, Craig,
Anyone have a formula for the yellow dye! I have heard that Jim Chambers uses a yellow dye but no mix or formula. I have heard about some using yellow Rit dye but also like Bob said, food coloring. Thanks in advance.
elkhorne

I would try turmeric. No idea the best way to mix that up. Maybe someone can chime in on that.

The turmeric may well prevent your stock from getting cancer.   

Why not use dye when scraping so we don't underfinish?

[mgbruch]

I don't.  I finish the stock with rasps, then files.  My final finish is scraped and burnished.  If you look closely you can find small tool marks; it's not hard.  But at arms length you don't see them.  There's nothing quite like a good scraped and burnished finish.  Having said that, my finish isn't entirely traditional.  I use Aquafortis followed by a cover stain; and between the two I use artificial steel wool (the light grey) to rub back the running grain for a better final contrast.

[Eric Krewson]

I use this for bows and guns; I take my wood project out in the light of the setting sun, give it a light sanding with 400 grit and hold it in the angled sunlight, EVERY scratch and rasp mark will stand out like it is 3D.

[rick/pa]

I used yellow aniline dye on my recent build and had an interesting reaction when I applied the aquafortis. I tested it first on scrap and knew what would happen but I was still a little worried.

[Ken G]

That purple color would have had me in full panic mode!  Always pays to test before putting it on a stock.  AT least you knew what to expect and thta it would work.

Ken

[Metalshaper]

take a picture using your phone  or any other digital camera. the scratches will jump out at you!

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan