Max, that's a shame about the "inked" stock. There are funiture refinishers out there that do that all the time. Some call it "grain painted" and Thomas Jefferson was good at doing it with a feather.
When it's done you can't tell the difference between of what is real and painted on.
I'm sure that it is also done with stocks as you have said, just don't try to refinish what might not be.

David