Pre - staining a repair when using iron nitrate

[Dwshotwell]

I'm working on a pre carve pistol stock and the inlet for the trigger plate is about 1/16" too wide on either side. I am planning to glue a piece of maple into the pre-cut inlet and re-inlet the trigger plate. My question: I've read lots of advice about repairs and all indicate that you should pre - stain both the patch and the surrounding stock. All the examples I've seen were using regular commercial staining products. Does the same apply when planning to use iron nitrate? Do you go ahead and blush that area right away when you do the repair?

Thanks!

[rich pierce]

The exposed end grain may get very dark. It’s a tricky business. I’d go light.

[Dphariss]

I'm working on a pre carve pistol stock and the inlet for the trigger plate is about 1/16" too wide on either side. I am planning to glue a piece of maple into the pre-cut inlet and re-inlet the trigger plate. My question: I've read lots of advice about repairs and all indicate that you should pre - stain both the patch and the surrounding stock. All the examples I've seen were using regular commercial staining products. Does the same apply when planning to use iron nitrate? Do you go ahead and blush that area right away when you do the repair?

Thanks!

Depending on the complexity I would make a wider trigger plate. Getting  the odd piece of maple to match is going to be pure luck. I don’t bother staining before the repair. The edges may get really dark.

[Scota4570]

Agreed, I was writing the same thing at the same time.  Make a new plate. 

I have found that to make a patch match the old it need to be from the same piece of wood and cut with the same grain orientation.   And then making the glue line disappear is hard, I usually use a milling machine to get dead flat surfaces. 

I have a wonkie precarve to tackle soon.  I know the trigger plat inlet is wrong and oversized.  The trigger plate is brass, simple, and a poorly done casting.  I think I will make a new one and ash can the one supplied with the kit.  I hate patches and inletting gaps. 

[Dwshotwell]

Yes, making a new plate does make more sense and that is the route I will go. It seems obvious in retrospect but my first instinct was to try to fix the wood. Thank you. The rest of the inlets on this stock are all a bit undersized and will work fine.