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Author Topic: Faux curly maple look?  (Read 18861 times)

Photog

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Faux curly maple look?
« on: August 12, 2008, 07:22:32 PM »
  How do you guys do a Faux curly or tiger striped look? I just got an "El Cheapo" gun that I am going to strip and practice some inleting on, and when I refinish it I'd like to give it a striped look. Also, while I'm asking for help. Is there a way to age brass so it looks a little darker. I'm sure I can get the green look, but I don't want that. I am looking for a brownish color. Any Ideas? If I can't get a good look I am just going to by steel hardware.


Any help would be great.

Thanks
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Offline Stophel

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2008, 07:38:07 PM »
Fake curl seems to have been geographically VERY limited.  Basically Leman guns and guns from the Lehigh/Bucks county areas.  I'm not sure what they used on the leman guns, but the Lehigh ones have the curl painted on with black India ink.

It is a time consuming process.


This gun is still sitting, languishing in a corner awaiting me to finish it.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2008, 07:39:52 PM by Stophel »
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2008, 07:50:52 PM »
Why, Chris that really looks like you cut it out of tiger.

Coming to Dixon's in '09?

Tom
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Offline David Veith

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2008, 02:48:41 AM »
I have a Vinger one  that I have used before for Piture frames. I will have to dig it up for you if you want. If I remember right it is just vinger and goash (Sp) with a goose feather for the striping. done over a base coat of paint. then lots of clear coats.
David Veith
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David Veith

Offline Nate McKenzie

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2008, 04:57:53 AM »
Brownell's Oxpho-blue does a nice job of giving a brown color to brass. Try it on scrap first. If too dark try watering it down.
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Offline Karl Kunkel

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2008, 08:29:40 AM »
WRT Brass browning: I wiped the brass with a cleaning patch after a trip to the range.  After the tarnish built up, I rubbed it back with steel wool to the desired look.  Disclaimer - I only have one build under my belt.
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Kunk

Offline deano

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2008, 04:14:35 PM »
Wasn't Jack Brooks building copies of Leman rifles with the striping applied a while back. I seem to remember some articles featuring these rifles and seeing one at a Denver Gun Show. Perhaps someone has one to share I seem to remember the stripes were much closer that the one shown.
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Offline Stophel

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2008, 04:27:55 PM »
The Leman guns used a brush that would paint several lines at a time, but I don't know if they used ink or what.
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Levy

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2008, 04:33:45 PM »
Dennis Glazener currently has a rifle posted under the Antique Guns heading that has faux curly maple.

James Levy
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Offline B Shipman

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2008, 06:39:54 AM »
In the Lancaster area, the lines were painted on  with black ink, after staining but before any sealer. The lines have a slight fuzzy edge to them. Jack Brooks believes Leman, as it was a factory operation, used a large brush with sections cut out so they could do 4 or so lines at a time. I have a Leman and the stripes do suggest a pattern.

In areas east of Lancaster, the stock was sealed first before applying the lines giving the stripes a distinct edge.
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Offline Stophel

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2008, 03:23:36 PM »
A few years ago, I could have bought a late Moll rifle.  It had been sanded down, but not too badly.  It had remnants of painted on curl in the woodgrain, so perhaps it was painted on before the grain was filled. 

I'm suddenly seeing guns with fake curl from all different regions.  Perhaps it was more widespread than I had thought.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2008, 03:24:52 PM by Stophel »
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Offline t.caster

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2008, 04:05:18 PM »
Here's an anecdote to this: The first original LR I bought at an auction was kinda rough shape in the fore end, but it had beautiful evenly striped maple. a gent came over afterwards and said he was going to bid on it, but the stripe was painted on! Took me a while to convince him it was the real deal, but it was. I guess he'd never seen such evenly spaced, consistant stripe before.
If I was going to faux one I would vary the stripe like a flame or tiger pattern similar to the one Stophel shows. I can't wait to see that one when it's done! Hint, hint.
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Tom C.

Offline Stophel

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2008, 05:09:11 PM »
I'll get it done eventually...
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When a reenactor says "They didn't write everything down"   what that really means is: "I'm too lazy to look for documentation."

Bryan King

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2008, 04:54:07 AM »
About 5 years ago I built a rifle for a guy that wanted to use a stock he supplyed ,straight grain. I used a pencil torch, to fake it. A better way is use Patassium Permanganate ,stripe it on with a small artist brush. You can't tell it from the real thing.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2008, 04:56:56 AM by Bryan King »
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Offline B Shipman

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Re: Faux curly maple look?
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2008, 05:37:51 AM »
Bryan,  Pot. permanganate, chromic acic, etc. are strong oxidizers and give a strong color ititially but will fade in sunlight with time. Permanent ink, or Feibing's black or dark brown are the ticket.
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