Minwax and red food coloring

[Manta77]

I've done this before, but thought I would share my Serbian PAP pistol overhaul with you all. I missed the before pics but the furniture was just your standard cheap Serbian PAP pistol wood (google it if you are unfamiliar). I should also note that I threw on the Krinkov muzzle this morning. More pics to come!

 

[rcmodel]

I have NO IDEA what that is a picture of?

Or even what PAP is??

Care to explain, in just a tiny bit more detail?

rc

 

[Manta77]

This is the furniture from a Zastava ak pistol of which I am staining with Minwax and red food coloring

 

[improperlyaged]

I have NO IDEA what that is a picture of?

Or even what PAP is??

Care to explain, in just a tiny bit more detail?

rc

PAP is an ak pistol, those are the handgaurds

 

[Manta77]

Here are the ingredients so far...and red food coloring...brush on multiple coats to suit your taste.

 

[Manta77]

Yes...these are the stock handguards.

 

[Manta77]

Here is the next ingredient.

 

[DeanDallas]

Should be cheap enough, just don't add any sugar or frosting.
Wait & see if the purist buy it before you get your hopes built up.

 

[Manta77]

That's funny DeanDallas... I don't sell anything (just ask my wife!) This is just a fun project that I have done a few times and thought I would share with THR this time in case anyone wanted "Russian" red grips for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Manta77]

After 1st coat of clearcoat:

 

[Manta77]

Close up

 

[Baron66]

Neat! That should hold up well.

 

[DeanDallas]

Sorry years ago in 2006, I discovered & posted the recipe for the restoration of Finn rifles using pine tar. And I have had nothing but grief & insults over the whole deal.
I found more than my share of hypocrites in the collecting field.
But the hypocrites used my idea as their own.

Just do a search online for "pine tar on gun stocks" some of my pictures still show up on line.
That is what I meant by if the purist buy it.

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=8165

 

[barnbwt]

That red dye will fade almost instantly in sun light, just so you are aware. Probably O2 will kill it after some time even in a gun safe (food dyes aren't meant to be durable, and for a very important reason )

TCB

 

[Manta77]

Barnbwt, I have done this many times and haven't had a problem with fading. It's not for everybody though...but for me it works.

Here is the finished product. I will probably let them dry for 48-72 hours so take a look over the weekend for the finished grips installed on my PAP pistol. If I remember, I will dig out another rifle where I did this same thing about 5 years ago and the finish still looks perfect!

 

[DT Guy]

There may be UV protection coming from the topcoat. Either way, they look good!


Larry

 

[barnbwt]

True, true, and a polymer varnish will help prevent oxygen from reaching the dye particles right away. When it comes to guns, it's also worth remembering that we don't exactly leave them out all day, every day, so my comment was more from the experience of trying to dye more exposed items (in which case, don't bother, since pretty much everything bleaches out unless it's lead)

Another popular cheapo wood dye is the Rit brand clothing dyes. Again, they don't last well in light (even non-UV as my black, er, brown couch can attest ). It lasted well enough on a few little projects I brushed RIT onto, though. I haven't used them, but aniline wood dyes are supposed to be 'where it's at' for the fancy guitar makers and such that use them to pop grains to mind-boggling depths and do cool sunburst effects by mixing into the nitro lacquer.

TCB

 

[BBBBill]

Aniline dyes as used in guitar finishing produces some beautiful bursts, but it is very subject to fading. Happens very quickly in sunlight. They are artificially aged in a matter of hours.

 

[Manta77]

Here is the finished product curing on the back porch...I think they came out pretty good (it is an AK though so you wouldn't want it "perfect")! I will add some more pics of this one as well as another where I have used this method in the coming days. As mentioned, it's not for everybody...but I like the end result!

 

[zoom6zoom]

I went a bit more traditional route.
I gave the stocks an initial coat of Minwax Gunstock to give it a brown undertone. Then several upper coats of shellac mixed with TransTint wood dye (Bright Red). This stuff beats RIT hands down; it mixes instantly with shellac or alcohol, won't raise grain, and doesn't need to sit overnight and be run through a coffee filter. It's actually made for use on wood.

Oh, the rifle is a VEPR in 7.62x54R wearing Ironwood Design stocks.

 

[Helidude]

Both nice looking weapons!

Now I have two more to add to my Christmas list.

I found some nice ready to go ar stocks from Precision Firearms.
But I have been aching to get something from ironwood designs for some time now.

 

[Manta77]

Cool Vepr zoom6zoom... I don't pretend to be an expert in woodworking. I would never test my "recipe" on one of my Russian rifles. With my PAP...I figured if I screwed it up, I'll just order a rail
I'm pretty happy with the results though. I believe I'll wait on that quad rail.

 

[DeanDallas]

Wood is wood that said, two words keep buzzing through my old head.

Artificial food coloring, it is the gingerbread man on a Easter egg hunt. Traipsing through the Lilly's.
OK I am getting old, I admit it. And I am glad if you want the truth.
Geeze.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Good job and let us know how it holds up.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Have you ever tried an alcohol base die? It is easy to make and you can adjust the color to your liking.
You will need:
Denatured alcohol
Coffee filter
Rubber band
Mason Jar
Rit Die (Powder)

To get a deep red you will need Rit Scarlet and brown.
Use the rubber band to hold the coffee filter in the mouth of the jar.
use one tablespoon of Scarlet and a quarter teaspoon of brown. Put this in the coffee filter.
Pour one oz. of denatured alcohol into the filter. Remove the filter and you have your die.
Test it on scrap wood and adjust your color if needed by adding more die to make it darker. Or thin it with more alcohol to make it lighter.