Staining Stocks?

[flundertaker]

I have a pair of mid 1970's S&W football targets that I had to strip the finish (with acetone) due to some flaking of the factory finish. I know what they look like with a factory type finish on them, they are kinda light colored. Since they arent pristine and will need a refinish anyways, I was considering trying to stain them a darker color before putting a true oil on them. Has anyone tried this or had luck changing the color of your stocks? Back in day I did a lot of stock refinishing on M14 stock and other mil surps rifles. I bleached many and did different cherry and walnut color staines on several. Any suggestions on getting a darker brown walnut look to a set of factory GA N frame stocks?

Here’s what they look like now

 

[Spurdann]

They are walnut, if you want them to look like GA stocks buy GA stocks and sell the walnut ones. Oil will darken them but the will not look like GA.

 

[Jaco1234]

Esquire brown liquid shoe polish & spray spar varnish, many thin coats applied with a rag and rubbed out between coats.

 

[gwpercle]

I use Minwax Wood Stain Finish , it comes in small can in many colors . I like Early American for a medium brown color and then a second coat of Mahogany for a reddish tinge .
Sometimes using two different stains will give you the color you are looking for .

I have found Minwax Tung Oil Finish to be nicer and more durable than True-Oil ... True-Oil is Linseed oil based cand Minwax Tung Oil Finish is Tung Oil based ... I like it best !
Good Luck with project ,
Gary

 

[dfariswheel]

Some of the best wood stains are leather dye, either solvent or alcohol based.

For a Reddish color I use thinned Cordovan, which is a Red-Brown.
Start off experimenting with thinning until the dried wood has the color you want, then finish with Satin-gloss Polyurethane.
Thin the first coat of poly almost 1/3 to 1/2 for good penetration, then thin the other coats about 5% for good brushing, or spray it on with a cheap airbrush.

For a "one and done" use Min-wax Polyshades.
This is a stain-finish in one.
I usually apply 3 light coats of Olde Maple.

 

[gtoppcop]

Fiebings alcohol-based boot dye. I usually use Cordovan, but any medium brown shade you like will do. Let it cure for a week. I then use John Kay's Winchester Stock Oil (on ebay) over a period of 1-2 weeks. Deep and rich and something you can touch-up if needed. Just an option if you'd rather use and oil-based finish.

 

[chief38]

They are walnut, if you want them to look like GA stocks buy GA stocks and sell the walnut ones. Oil will darken them but the will not look like GA.

I agree! Instead of trying to make a chicken look like a parrot, do justice to the Walnut grips and like them for what they are. If your goal is to make the gun look more original by having GA grips, just buy a pair. As was stated above, sell the Walnut or use them as Walnut but please do not ruin them for what they are.

 

[VinnieL59]

On my old model 66 duty gun, the grips used to take a beating. I refinished them many times by sometimes chemically stripping and lightly sanding them before applying True Oil to them. They were a multi-colored Gonalco Alves wood. True oil was easy to touch them up as well using a Q-tip.

 

[BillBro]

Yes, big difference between dyes and stains. In 99% of the woodworking I do I'll grab dyes every time. I detest min wax junk. I don't like stain in general.

 

[tabora]

This is what Old English Dark, followed by Oil/Wax finish looks like. Before and after...

 

[Cotis]

I have used this gel based stain with success when I want a darker reddish-brown color. I did a long post on repairing and refinishing a set of K frame Targets a year or two ago:

Target grips repair and refinish

I used this stain in December on a set of grips for my friend's old H&R .22 revolver.

Both of these examples were finished with Tru-Oil. Several hand applied coats then several coats sprayed on with a small $15 sprayer from Harbor Freight (tru-oil cut 50/50 with mineral spirits to spray). I then use some stock sheen and conditioner to knock the gloss down a more satin finish from a piano gloss.