Wood dyes

[brybenn]

Im planning on fixing some damage on an old husqvarna sxs and in doing so it will need to be refinished. I dont believe the wood is walnut and the inletting is very light in color so i thought id try using a dye instead of a stain as theres not much grain. Lee valley sells aniline dye packs.
Any tips on using those or should i try something else?
I want a darker color that complements faded to grey metal with spots of bright case colors and ill top it with a win max poly

 

[B_noser]

Aniline dyes work well, but they are not color-fast. I prefer the water based. you can mix dyes to obtain that just-right color, or they can be layered. Experimenting on scrap is highly recommended.

 

[Potashminer]

An option to consider - might want to try in your barrel channel, first, where it won't be seen if it does not work out. The idea was from an acquaintance - mixed 50/50 boiled linseed oil plus Minwax Red Mahogany stain - slosh it on very "liberally" with a bristle brush - left it soaking wet for several minutes - then rubbed really hard with an old terry bath towel to remove as much as possible - seemed to work. Next several layers were just the boiled linseed oil done the same way - sloshed on a lot of it - kept it wet for several minutes, then rubbed hard to get off as much as I could - layers would be totally dry at room temp in about 6 or 8 hours - I was doing cycles about 12 hours apart. Final layers were just a few drops boiled linseed oil on my hand - rub real hard - was as if the heat from friction of skin on wood helped it go into the wood - I did not really "count" or measure - 4 drops, perhaps, to do full length M1917 stock and the hand guards. Was fairly battered up, dinged and dark spots WWII re-build - likely was a walnut, but it responded well. Whatever was left of old finishes - original, from rebuild or applied since WWII - had been removed first with Circa 1850 paint and varnish remover - several black spots went away just with that - the Minwax dye seemed to even out a lot of the mottling, etc. Many cartouches were basically filled with a varnish like finish previously applied, and just "popped out" after the remover was used. Does not look new - it looks like what it is - an "experienced" battle rifle - is not shiny.

Our small town store had many colours of Minwax stain on hand - I have #225 Red Mahogany, #231 Gunstock and #2718 Ebony - can mix, match or dilute as wanted to get the desired colour. From that acquaintance, the "trick" when involving boiled linseed oil is to try to apply microscopic thin layers - so they totally "set" and dry, before another layer is applied. If you try to "rush" the process with thick layers, we both have examples, after 20 years, that still are not hard and "set".

 

[bearhunter]

I use the dye available online for UV activated resins, used for jewelry and fly tying.

I mix the color I want with the resin, then thin it out to the viscosity I want with acetone.

I brush it into the barrel channel and let it soak for a few minutes, so the acetone evaporates, then hit it with a UV light.

The UV light cures the resin to a hard finish and it only takes ten minutes.

If you don't have a UV light source, set it out in direct sunlight for a few minutes.

The resin covers up blemishes and will readily adhere to synthetic materials, as long as you use enought acetone in the mix.

Don't buy the resins supplied by fly tying facilities. They're about twenty times more expensive than the same bulk resins online.

$25/ounce is rediculous, you can get 350ml online for that price shipped.

Mind you, if you're only doing one rifle stock, then a trip to the local fly tying materials shop may be in the cards.

 

[G.E.FLACH]

I have used the Aniline dies on gum wood /beech with varied success ,it tends to be blotchy.The trick is not to sand thru on your stain on the finish application.You can also try ultra dark Shaftol .You just keep putting it on and it gets darker with each application.Apply it hot with the wood warm as well.

 

[ssapach]

I wouldn't consider it a dye, but I've made my own dark color from tar and mineral spirits. After staining the wood, I coated with tung oil. Turned out quite nice on one particular Cooey stock, but turned out pretty blotchy on an old Ross stock.

I probably have a pic somewhere..

 

[B_noser]

I have stained longrifle stocks with a concoction similar to that which ssapach has used, but I used turpentine, rather than mineral spirits, as the solvent. It produced a very nice and deep dark finish on maple, but I have not tried it on walnut. The balance of the finish was multiple coats of BLO.

 

[oldrodder]

This might seem somewhat unorthodox but being a leather crafter, I've used different shades of brown leather dyes with some success on non walnut (light) stocks.
YMMV.

 

[bearhunter]

My bad, I should have read the original post.

OP, KIWI shoe polish, melted will give you any stock color you desire and it's cheap/simple to apply.

Sand the stock down to the wood.

Melt the Kiwi shoe polish enough that it can be easily spread with a paper towel

Apply the first coat to the wood and let it dry.

Buff it to a shine and add another coat. Repeat buffing.

Black shoe polish on very light wood will make it look dark brown.

Great finish, waterproof, long lasting and if it needs repair, just apply some more polish.

Warming up the wood with a blow dryer helps the first coat to penetrate.

 

[MilitaryCollectorMark]

My bad, I should have read the original post.

OP, KIWI shoe polish, melted will give you any stock color you desire and it's cheap/simple to apply.

Sand the stock down to the wood.

Melt the Kiwi shoe polish enough that it can be easily spread with a paper towel

Apply the first coat to the wood and let it dry.

Buff it to a shine and add another coat. Repeat buffing.

Black shoe polish on very light wood will make it look dark brown.

Great finish, waterproof, long lasting and if it needs repair, just apply some more polish.

Warming up the wood with a blow dryer helps the first coat to penetrate.

I think the guy wants to dye to wood then add min wax poly over the finish.

 

[gunrunner100]

This might seem somewhat unorthodox but being a leather crafter, I've used different shades of brown leather dyes with some success on non walnut (light) stocks.
YMMV.

I've done this several times with different colours of dye. Turns out quite nicely.

 

[HuskyDude]

Mossberg 195 Winter Project #9

Klean-Strip Gel paint remover. Works very well, usually two application and you're down to a nice clean stock.

A quick rub down with some mineral spirits and let it dry over night.
Next I covered the whole stock with Miniwax Ebony oil stain (black).

Let stand for 30 minutes and wipe off.

Came out a beautiful deep dark Walnut, with lots of grain patterns.

Let that dry over night, then seal it with one coat of Miniwax Tung oil.

Really like how 50% BLO/50% Miniwax Antique oil turns out.
It's doesn't have that gloss look to it.
But this time I don't mind, will be using straight Tung oil.

Colour went from this

to this

Hope that helps

 

[sean69]

Aniline dyes work well, but they are not color-fast. I prefer the water based. you can mix dyes to obtain that just-right color, or they can be layered. Experimenting on scrap is highly recommended.

The Lee Valley aniline dyes are water based and no - not colour fast (well not UV resistant technically)

Im planning on fixing some damage on an old husqvarna sxs and in doing so it will need to be refinished. I dont believe the wood is walnut and the inletting is very light in color so i thought id try using a dye instead of a stain as theres not much grain. Lee valley sells aniline dye packs.
Any tips on using those or should i try something else?
I want a darker color that complements faded to grey metal with spots of bright case colors and ill top it with a win max poly

I have used these dyes extensively, as b_noser noted, they are not UV resistant - so long term exposure to sunlight needs to be avoided.

The one caveat I have noticed about them is that they can bleed through an oil finish - you need a polymerized finish on top of whatever you apply after dying.

Don't apply hot, follow the directions, mix with hot water, let it cool then apply, I have not had any issues with blotching. Aniline dyes are also available in oil and alcohol soluble flavors.

Walnut can be very light as well - sapwood possibly? Though if there is no figure to speak of and you are just looking for colour - you are probably best off to use a stain. (Osmo comes to mind)

 

[G.E.FLACH]

The op says its a Husqvarna so the wood is usually not walnut its a form of beech or gum wood so the water base die goes on blotchy and does not penetrate like walnut .

 

[Rob]

My bad, I should have read the original post.

OP, KIWI shoe polish, melted will give you any stock color you desire and it's cheap/simple to apply.

Sand the stock down to the wood.

Melt the Kiwi shoe polish enough that it can be easily spread with a paper towel

Apply the first coat to the wood and let it dry.

Buff it to a shine and add another coat. Repeat buffing.

Black shoe polish on very light wood will make it look dark brown.

Great finish, waterproof, long lasting and if it needs repair, just apply some more polish.

Warming up the wood with a blow dryer helps the first coat to penetrate.

I like this tip...along with the one about using the black stain to give you a brown color on light woods...but staining beech is always a real pain and I don't see that fact changing anytime soon, no matter what the technique.

 

[marshall]

I have used alcohol based stains, applied with air equipment, touch up gun or a air brush ,you can make grain if wanted on crap wood.
I used it quite a bit on fir or birch plywood when building boxes, etc. You can build up color, just takes minutes to dry.

 

[brybenn]

Mossberg 195 Winter Project #9

Klean-Strip Gel paint remover. Works very well, usually two application and you're down to a nice clean stock.

A quick rub down with some mineral spirits and let it dry over night.
Next I covered the whole stock with Miniwax Ebony oil stain (black).

Let stand for 30 minutes and wipe off.

Came out a beautiful deep dark Walnut, with lots of grain patterns.

Let that dry over night, then seal it with one coat of Miniwax Tung oil.

Really like how 50% BLO/50% Miniwax Antique oil turns out.
It's doesn't have that gloss look to it.
But this time I don't mind, will be using straight Tung oil.

Colour went from this

to this

Hope that helps

Thats about the color id like. Ive tried the ebony winmax. It didnt come out brown. I had a nice black stock lol

 

[brybenn]

Top gun in the pic. As you can see the barrel channel trick is not an option as the forend is metal. The stock had some sun damage and it drove me crazy. Im not sure the type of wood. But the grain didnt take the heavy crude factory stain as the light grain marks show thru. The wood is very light in color

 

[G.E.FLACH]

Did you try the Shaftol?It goes in the wood and gets darker with each application.It doesn't rub thru like regular stain plus it oil based not water.Here is some on some really light colored wood ,Magic stuff .

 

[HuskyDude]

That's about the colour id like. I've tried the ebony Minimax. It didn't come out brown. I had a nice black stock lol

Opps !
How long did you leave it on before wiping it off?
Do you have pics of a before an after?
Mossbergs stocks are a little lighter in colour than any Husqvarna stocks I have.
If it's too dark could try stripping it again a lot of the stain should come out with stripper.