Indeed. And I think it is fair to say most people have a number of guns so all of us have more than one stock finish direction. Yet the range of things i learn on this thread can be applied to each of my gun finish options.

Personally, most of my guns are field guns and I have no cabinet queens. But I have beaters and I have NICE field guns.

I want finishes that are durable and can be repaired easily. That said, and since I started this alkanet thingy, I do have preferance for red stocks, deep rich red stocks. The older doubles, like merkels, always catch my eye from across the room or at 20 paces in the field and then up close I just like their look and feel even more.

I've been trying to duplicate that "look" with alkanet or at least come up with stock finishes and methods that gets what I call---"a rich oil look with a deep and protective shine"... and yes RED RED is good.

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