This thread started with how to obtain a Reddish finish to the woodwork.I think it has been very well received and a lot of good stuff is contained within these pages.
For those of you interested in colour, Roy Dunlap gives some information in his book Gunsmithing.Leather dye is also a usefull source, for the traditionalist, alchemist, we have the natural cloth dye technology,Madder, Alkanet,Iron filings/Nails.Another good donor is Onion skins,you would be amazed how brown a colour you can get.
Oil finish, here is the original Joe Manton oil recipe as recommended by Col. Sir Peter Hawker listed in his book Instructions to Young Sportsmen.
Recipe for keeping the polish on Gunstocks.
Cold drawn linseed oil 1 quart
Gum Arabic (dissolved in warm water) 1/2 ounce
Alkanet root 2 ounces
Rose pink 1/2 ounce
Vinegar 1/2 pint
Boil these together and then let stand for 1 or 2 days. It should then be fit for use.

To apply it, rub a small quantity into the wood, let it stand for a day then rub it off clean.With a few such dressings, you will bring out a superior polish.
Hawker also mentions 'if considered too troublesome to apply to gunstocks, it may still be worth applying to tables, or any kind of furniture'