Canadian Red Wood Stain.

[Chubbs]

Hi Guys
Is the red stain on Canadian stocks a simple case of putting Alkanet dye into Boiled linseed oil. Looking at tidying up my Long Branch No4 MK1*.

Regards Chubbs

Information

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[Chubbs]

Sorry Guys
Found the answer. Another question though can it be replaced with a alternative red dye?

Regards Chubbs

[browningautorifle]

Have you looked at Fiebing's leather die? Shades and colors that make it easy to match another piece. Leather Dye - Fiebing's

[Brian Dick]

Use raw instead of boiled linseed oil and it'll penetrate better.

[Roger Payne]

I bought some alkanet root not long ago but haven't had time to try it yet. However, one recipe that I have used for over thirty years & which has helped to put a bit of luster back on many a walnut stocked SMLE & 4T is this: Colron wood dye - it is spirit not water based & has the advantage of being readily available from pretty well any hardware/DIY store in the UK. I use mainly Indian Rosewood (on its own it is too reddish) with a small amount of Jacobean dark oak added (10 to 20%). The little bit of dark oak readily takes out the excessive reddishness of the Indian Rosewood on its own. Colron do make a walnut stain, but it never looked very convincing to me when I used it.

[BVZ24]

The red color is organic protein oxidation over time.
Bottled boiled linseed oil is processed and the protein is generally removed.
So far my best luck for finding real raw linseed oil has been a trip to the local organic food store. In those circles it's known as flax oil, look for cold pressed unprocessed oil.
I have been experimenting a little bit of trans tint reddish brown mixed in with the oil on the wiping rag, but your milage my vary.

[BVZ24]

Before, After raw linseed+red dye/more raw linseed, original

IMG-20220611-232758 — ImgBB

I'm probably never going to use my ishapore test piece in a rifle, so I occasionally have used it as a beating board when nothing better is in reach, and it seems to hold up pretty good.
Now I just need to learn how to recreate that "candy shell". Cheap tung oil finish seems to fake it until I figure it out.

[Alan de Enfield]

The red color is organic protein oxidation over time.
Bottled boiled linseed oil is processed and the protein is generally removed.
So far my best luck for finding real raw linseed oil has been a trip to the local organic food store. In those circles it's known as flax oil, look for cold pressed unprocessed oil.
I have been experimenting a little bit of trans tint reddish brown mixed in with the oil on the wiping rag, but your milage my vary.

Artists (painters) supply shops tend to have a good quality pure RLO, it is available in small bottles which are great and will last you for years.

Remember to wash out your cloths after use, do not throw them in the garbage or leave in the house 'spread out to dry'.

They will self-combust and foks have had their house burnt down - a couple of examples :


Self-Heating of rags soaked in drying oil; How long until they can ignite?

Linseed Oil Can Be A Fire Hazard—What You Need To Know To Stay Safe - Simplemost.

Warning to home improvers about oil cloth combustion risks Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

[Roger Payne]

I should have mentioned in post 5 above that I apply the stain 'neat' rather than mixed with RLO as I tend to use it when doing a fairly thorough refinish. The wood should be degreased first, stained, the stain allowed to soak in & dry, & then the piece re-RLO'd. If the OP just wants to refresh the wood without going this far then RLO either on its own or with the addition of a stain that will mix with it, will probably suffice. If your wood is dry, remember that even a coat of RLO alone will produce some darkening.

I bought a liter bottle of high grade RLO (fit for human consumption) off fleabay uk by searching under 'flax seed oil', as suggested above.

[Chubbs]

Hi Guys
Thanks for all the replies. Food for thought on Dye or Alkanet. Not sure yet if I just want to touch up the wood where I have scratched it. Or strip it and refinish.
Regards Chubbs