Walnut figure

[Darren Wright]

I was moving one of my gun safes yesterday and laid out the rifles on a moving blanket. I noticed from an angle that one of my winchester .22's had quite bit of figure in the walnut stock that I hadn't really noticed before. It's got such a dark finish that I've not sure I've paid much attention to it.

I had bought it for doing some checkering on and still plan to do so. I'll be sanding down the old finish before I start. I'm just curious what process would make the quilting in the walnut pop?

 

[larry merlau]

oil base, and rubbed in rockhard or waterlox dont know what the modern day finishes are on guns but they can get figure to pop darren

 

[Dave Hawksford]

For a great look ANILINE DYES.
I found that super fine sanding by dampening the wood, drying the wood to bring any furring up and very fine sand paper. Repeat about 3 times. When using this stain you can use alcohol to remove some stain from the harder grain and it darken the softer grain.
You will need a UV protective finish. Tung oil will not work. You can use an alcohol base UV sealer and then hand rub a **couple drops** of tung oil in at a time 6x6" area. Up to 3 coats let dry and add 3 more. This does require time to palm rub a good gun stock finish.