Light colored wood needs dye.

[Red Owl]

This is a Rem 78 "sportsman". Basically an economy 700 bolt action. It was a store demo that had a chain lock around the wrist of the stock which beat it up in that area. The store gave me a bargain price but now I want to refinish it. If possible, checker it as well.

QUESTION. if you stain wood the end grain often soaks up more stain and is darker that the rest of the stock. Wood workers use some type of resist on the end grain- boiled linseed oil- I think- so those areas are darker than the rest of the stock.

In any event -- if anyone else has dyed a light wood to a dark walnut color -- any tips appreciated.
I was figuring Tru Oil over the dye/stain.
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Forum Boss: Red Owl has been asked to upload a photo to illustrate his request.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Brownells Gun Saver stain Gun Finish Great Stuff
Oil Base Stain ?

 

[Twdmar]

If you want to dye, figure out what kind of wood you have. There are retarders for the alcohol. You can use those but I prefer just to use a thinned dye and then you can put more on away from the end grain. A little bit goes a long way in the end grain. Knowing the wood species helps to know if your wood will blotch. I would guess it's still walnut but don't quote me on it.
Another option, and probably easier at this point would be to seal it with an dewaxed shellac. Then go over it with a darker gel stain. You can wipe it on and off if you don't want too much color. Then finish it with the clear finish of your choice.
It would be easier to make a suggestion with a picture.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you want to dye, figure out what kind of wood you have. There are retarders for the alcohol. You can use those but I prefer just to use a thinned dye and then you can put more on away from the end grain. A little bit goes a long way in the end grain. Knowing the wood species helps to know if your wood will blotch. I would guess it's still walnut but don't quote me on it.
Another option, and probably easier at this point would be to seal it with an dewaxed shellac. Then go over it with a darker gel stain. You can wipe it on and off if you don't want too much color. Then finish it with the clear finish of your choice.
It would be easier to make a suggestion with a picture.

They were birch that looked about like pine with red stain

 

[Twdmar]

They were birch that looked about like pine with red stain

I did not know they made them in birch.
I really would avoid the dye then. birch has a tendency to get blotchy and also picks up stain/dye pretty fast. The end grain may get real dark. Seal with dewaxed shellac, gel stain, then clear finish.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I did not know they made them in birch.
I really would avoid the dye then. birch has a tendency to get blotchy and also picks up stain/dye pretty fast. The end grain may get real dark. Seal with dewaxed shellac, gel stain, then clear finish.

The end of the forend tip and the front of the grip sure are usually darker

 

[Red Owl]

Yeah I think it is birch. Well it came dyed so it is doable. Maybe I'll contact Remington. I'd heard about shellac but I wasn't certain if it would be too good a resist. Also, I was using "stain" and a woodworking retail store got me using dye, which seems a lot better.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I did this light colored paulownia wood stock a while back. It's root beer candy under auto clear.

Another stock painting thread..

Bought a rifle some time back, a Borden B in a Paulownia wood Roy Hunter BR stock. The stock had several minor dents and dings and I don't care for the light color but it has some decent figuring to it. I've got it smoothed out pretty well, not perfect but good. Next up is something I've not...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Yeah I think it is birch. Well it came dyed so it is doable. Maybe I'll contact Remington. I'd heard about shellac but I wasn't certain if it would be too good a resist. Also, I was using "stain" and a woodworking retail store got me using dye, which seems a lot better.

I think its got some type of varnish on it too so until thats stripped it may not take a dye. Ruger uses the same look wood on the mini14

 

[DGP4]

With most birch stocks (probably beechwood) the best way to refinish is to add dye to the finish. You can use an aniline dye in powder form and mix up a batch with the right solvent for the finish coat.

 

[Twdmar]

Yeah I think it is birch. Well it came dyed so it is doable. Maybe I'll contact Remington. I'd heard about shellac but I wasn't certain if it would be too good a resist. Also, I was using "stain" and a woodworking retail store got me using dye, which seems a lot better.

The shellac would just be to seal the wood so it doesn't take up dye. It isnt super tough but if you use dewaxed shellac, its easy and fast and will keep different finishes from reacting. Use gel stain over the top will give some color and a little depth and it doesnt sink into the wood and muddy everything up like liquid dye. Then you can finish with some tougher finish.
I use plenty of dye but sometimes a darker stain over the top gives good color too. The spots where the finish is damaged are likely to stick out like a sore thumb if you get the dye too dark and to get it even you will have to strip it and start over.
Another reason I suggest gel stain is you can probably find it locally. Dyes can be less common.
Someone else suggested adding dye to the finish rather than directly to the wood and that is a good idea too. Woods like maple or birch often need wood conditioner(which sucks imo) to prevent blotching when it's dyed or stained.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I think id get a nice walnut stock from boyds for a 788 before id mess with the factory one

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

After my previous post, I'm not sure why anyone fools with dying wood. i was just tickled with how that root beer stained stock turned out. It was stained and sealed when I got it, but real light and kinda orange. That method turned out nice and was way easier than the previous mentioned ways to get close to walnut or cherry. Anybody with a paint gun can do it, with some patience. By far the easiest way that I've seen yet. The candy acts much more like die than a stain and just highlights the darker ares, but doesn't as drastically change the color. Hard to beat it, really. JMHO.

 

[Red Owl]

There's one other issue. If the stock was walnut you would just use Tru-oil etc. and then checker but if you dye and checker, the dye might not soak deep enough and then the checkering would expose undyed wood- if that makes sense.

 

[Red Owl]

Been thinking it over. Another option would be to leave it in the "white". Any oil finish will darken it a little. If I go that route I can checker the stock. To "put lipstick on the pig" I thought maybe dye the front tip of the fore-stock Black so it looks like ebony. To keep a crisp line, I thought maybe scribe in a plastic wire, etc. that would be the border between the dyed area and the rest of the stock. I could do the same for the bottom of the pistol grip. It might look pretty good, a light stock, black plastic butt plate, black fore-end tip, black bottom on grip.
Any ideas still appreciated.

 

[AccelR8]

After my previous post, I'm not sure why anyone fools with dying wood. i was just tickled with how that root beer stained stock turned out. It was stained and sealed when I got it, but real light and kinda orange. That method turned out nice and was way easier than the previous mentioned ways to get close to walnut or cherry. Anybody with a paint gun can do it, with some patience. By far the easiest way that I've seen yet. The candy acts much more like die than a stain and just highlights the darker ares, but doesn't as drastically change the color. Hard to beat it, really. JMHO.

I'm gonna try this

 

[whatsupdoc]

Ebay has plenty of factory 700 wood stocks

 

[joshb]

Maple dyed black:

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm not a wood stock guy... but I absolutely adore that one.

 

[joshb]

I'm not a wood stock guy... but I absolutely adore that one.

Thanks! It’s completely encapsulated with two thick coats of epoxy, so it’s impervious to moisture. Kind of a hybrid. A clear “plastic” stock with a wood core.