I have made and repaired several gunstocks over the years and have always had a problem matching or getting the color I wanted with off the shelf stains. Sometime ago I read something about mixing up wood stains using artists pigments (burnt umber and other colors) to make custom tones. I don't remember what solvent was used as vehicle. This opens up new possibilities. Anyone have any input or details on making your own stains?
Making gunstock stain
- Thread starter Tom40
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rcmodel
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rcmodel
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Very Nice Job!!
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Lucifer_Sam
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You might want to try wood dyes. Homestead are pretty good. You apply them diluted and nudge towards the color you want. It can be time consuming but you can get good matches.
dfariswheel
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Whenever I needed an unusual or non-standard wood stain I used leather dye.
These are available in a solvent base or in a water base.
The solvent base dyes much darker, much faster and needs the thinner sold for use with them.
The water based don't dye as dark, as fast, and can be thinned with alcohol.
Fiebing's sell a variety of colors in a solvent dye.
Tandy leather sells a good water based dye that comes in many colors. (Note NOT the Cova dye. it's really a paint for leather).
Both these types of leather dyes soak in instantly, penetrate deeply, and can be mixed and blended to get almost any color.
The colors are true.
For use with gunstocks, Brownell's sell base colors that are intended to be mixed to get the color and shade you want.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1128/Product/WATER-SOLUBLE-DYE
They also sell pre-mix stains in a variety of colors made by Pilkington, Laurel Mountain, and R Gale Lock.
These are available in a solvent base or in a water base.
The solvent base dyes much darker, much faster and needs the thinner sold for use with them.
The water based don't dye as dark, as fast, and can be thinned with alcohol.
Fiebing's sell a variety of colors in a solvent dye.
Tandy leather sells a good water based dye that comes in many colors. (Note NOT the Cova dye. it's really a paint for leather).
Both these types of leather dyes soak in instantly, penetrate deeply, and can be mixed and blended to get almost any color.
The colors are true.
For use with gunstocks, Brownell's sell base colors that are intended to be mixed to get the color and shade you want.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1128/Product/WATER-SOLUBLE-DYE
They also sell pre-mix stains in a variety of colors made by Pilkington, Laurel Mountain, and R Gale Lock.
dirtyjim
Member
I've used rit clothing dye cut with den. alcohol a few times with good results.
madcratebuilder
Member
I use alcohol based leather dye. The big plus for me is if I get a dry finish that is darker than I want it's very easy to lighten with just straight alcohol.
Billy Shears
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I have this problem now. I have a newly acquired Australian SMLE. It's actually a J. Jovino Co. parts gun, made up of surplus SMLE parts, and therefore has no collector value. But it will give me, for shooting purposes if not collecting ones, a mint, unissued condition No. 1 Mk. III* with a nice, shiny, completely unpitted bore -- the very thing I've always wanted. (I just have to make sure those internal copper recoil plates are in the stock; I've read J. J. Co. usually left them out, and the softer coachwood stocks will eventually split if the gun is fired without them.)
Problem is that the rifle came with one of the short length buttstocks installed. It's too short for me. So I managed to obtain a standard length, NOS Australian coachwood replacement buttstock (marked SLAZ 42 and everything), which arrived totally unfinished, and is much lighter than the wood that's already on the gun (which isn't very dark itself). I don't know if the slightly darker wood that's on the gun has been treated with linseed oil only, or whether it did get some additional finish or stain. I've got to figure a way to match the buttstock reasonably closely.
Problem is that the rifle came with one of the short length buttstocks installed. It's too short for me. So I managed to obtain a standard length, NOS Australian coachwood replacement buttstock (marked SLAZ 42 and everything), which arrived totally unfinished, and is much lighter than the wood that's already on the gun (which isn't very dark itself). I don't know if the slightly darker wood that's on the gun has been treated with linseed oil only, or whether it did get some additional finish or stain. I've got to figure a way to match the buttstock reasonably closely.
dfariswheel
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- Dec 26, 2002
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A big advantage of the leather dyes is that they soak into even oily wood.
Most standard wood stains whether oil based or water based, just lay there on the surface of wood that's been oil finished or is oil soaked.
These also don't penetrate well into even unfinished, new wood.
Leather dyes soak in instantly and deeply.
You can thin the dye with the appropriate thinner to get light tints and build up the coats to get the exact shade.
Used full strength they may be too dark, especially the solvent based dyes.
Most standard wood stains whether oil based or water based, just lay there on the surface of wood that's been oil finished or is oil soaked.
These also don't penetrate well into even unfinished, new wood.
Leather dyes soak in instantly and deeply.
You can thin the dye with the appropriate thinner to get light tints and build up the coats to get the exact shade.
Used full strength they may be too dark, especially the solvent based dyes.
beag_nut
Member
I made/make wood furniture professionally (I like to think I'm retired). I suggest you try something a little different: try a wood dye, instead of a stain. Woodcraft and Lee Valley are reliable sources. The advantage is that a dye will not accentuate the grain, but rather tint all the wood to the same degree. Plus, they are very easy to mix to any tint. It's much easier if you purchase a dye made for wood, and not fabric or leather.
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