doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Alkanet Root - Reddish Stock Look

Thanks David, the photo is digital, I have a studio set-up in my workshop.
The gun is from original Belgian Britte metalwork made in the 1930's so it is almost French. I imported a few unfinished 12ga. brld action several years ago. This was the gun shown in the arcaded fences column in SSM. There has been a lot of metalwork involved as well as stocking. The engraving is by Larry Peters of WA.
BTW, I'm very familiar with Fashingbauers work, mostly through photos in books. He was quite an artisan who seemed to enjoy single shots.

A pic of the freshly chiseled fences.
SDH

If I recall the cochineal beetle is likley to be found somewhere in Latin America (and regardless of locale of origin) would be an ancient ingredient for fabric use. And therefore the original application would be water based. I may also be thinking of the lac bug. A net search would settle the issue.

It might be possible to import raw materials in some ground and purified consumer-safe form. Or perhaps the Real Thing may be obtained en situ and brought back. Check the fiber and fabric freak sub-culture which usually does a lot of rug and rope work. The Chicago Art Institute would be a source for printed info as would the library.

Fabric and wood dyes are the same thing. My issue is to get a proper walnut underbark concoction for use on my old muskets and maybe even a Catalan style stock I want to fit to a shotgun. This would have an appropriate black finish and be decorated like a caucasian harlot with appropriate inlays of mammoth, ivory, bone, shell, brass, etc, plus red coral and whatever else is in my bins.

You can normally find what you want by researching the fabric, dyes, paints and ink,industries.But frankly you will find Old Codgers like Crossed Chisels & Ken Hurst have done it or know someone who has or can do it.
Me ? I'm far too young and still learning

Someone should undertake the task of editing this great thread!

Thought I'd share this "before & after" with you lot:




Phots not very "pro" but enough to give you an idea.

JC(AL)

P.S.: Yogi, you can email me pictures and I can post for you. JC

Jaycee, is that after staining with Behlens blood red through the original finish, or after finish was striped and then stained with alkanet and refinished or exactly what was done?. Whatever you did it looks very nice BTW. Well done.

Cody

Cody, sorry, neither.

Stripped and re-done using a mixture of water soluble dyes and linseed oil.
Can't wait to get my hands on some Behlens Blood Red though!

JC(AL)

JAYCEE WENT FROM NICE HO-HUM TO BEAUTIFUL CLASSY LOOK...I LIKE...WELL DONE...

Thank you Bugsy.

JC(AL)

JC, Excellent job! The gun's appearance is much warmer with the refinish; If I saw the original in your gun rack I'd appreciate the engraving, 2 barrel sets and 3 piece forends, but I'd want to pick up and swing the final version.

(keep that old pad...in 25 years we'll be putting 'em back on )

Jaycee, I can appreciate the gun both before and after, but notice how the fancy back inletting to the action stands out and catches the eye more with the darker finish? For my personal taste that gun will look fabulous if you were to build up the finish on it and bring out the richness that appears to be sitting there, shouting out to be released. Well done.
Perhaps a violin finish would be the answer?