Recut checkering on Parker forend

[B. Dudley]

In my mind actual stain should only be used to cover up patches of sap wood, or to blend a repair in or something like that. Or to match a butt to an existing forend, or visa versa.

The natural color of any wood cannot be beat.

I will use Alkenet root in my sealer coats to get a tint of color into the wood, but the difference is only slight.

[Cameron Thraen]

I believe I have achieved the reddish color tone match using the alkanet red oil. Practice wood from the same period 1890's above with three applications, original Parker stock finish below.

I tried BLO as the first application on the other side of the forend and that produced a color tone with too much brown.