Making Wood Figure "Pop" using Ferric Nitrate with Mark Thomas (Workshop Tour Part 4)

Mark Thomas, professional engraver & flintlock rifle maker shows a historical method for making figured wood grain "pop" using Ferric Nitrate. See the article & photos here: woodandshop.com/make-figured-...
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[@elchick8328]

I trust any crafting advice from someone in bib overalls with a beard like that! Excellent video, thanks!

[@lestermiller2717]

Omg that shop of his is just to die for. The collection of tools that he has is just mine numbing to see. I wish I could spend a long summer working with him to build myself a flint Penn long gun.

[@Thom4123]

Incredible finish thank you for sharing

[@ChemicalChrisOttawa]

I once added water to concentrated (pure) ntric acid, in class, 2nd year analytical chemistry class. Thankfully, due it being analytical, I was adding slowly, still, one drop of water into a few ml of acid, *BANG*, bit of flame, smoking/fuming, was a amazed it didn't shatter the beaker (real borosilicate glass (pyrex) is tough stuff!), damn miracle no one saw me do it, so I remained on good terms with the prof. Lesson learned!

[@ikust007]

Love it ! You are sublime . Thank you , sir.

[@tylerbuchholz3234]

Beautiful finish. Thanks.

[@zfilmmaker]

Nice video! Really interesting.

[@johnvaness8445]

Great video, thanks!

[@bmb49]

Would love to try this, thank you!

[@David-fv7zg]

I have built quite a few things, finished quite a few more, but I have never seen this. Thank you for sharing this, it was awesome.

[@wadepatton2433]

It's "the" way to finish maple in the historic-type gunmaking crowd. The solution was referred to as "Aqua Fortis" (strong water) in the old days. Commercial preparations (yet available) are often tainted with other acids, so we prefer to make our own.

[@ArcAngelFab]

I didn't know about your channel.... but I got here as soon as I could...

[@nosaltiesandrooshere7488]

👍 = there is nothing left to say! Everything perfect & I subscribe now! Yes, I am Austrianan old man with a white beard like yours and speak German & English!

[@henryfreab960]

Wish I would have researched on this more when I made my .62 cal Fusil de Chase years back. By the way love your beard.

[@georgeflutey838]

Thanks man, interesting video!

[@WoodAndShop]

Glad you liked it George!

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Do you neutralise this before you apply the boiled linseed oil ? You achieved a very traditional authentic finish .

[@yaakovnhadassah5327]

Hello there Mark Thomas, you sure make some amazing items such talent you have. do you by chance carve ingrave silver wedding bands? i have one i would like engraved.

[@WilliamBrownGuitar]

How does this work with other figured woods: cherry, walnut, etc.?

[@scottclark798]

I wish KZbin existed back in the day ! I could have used these tricks . Instead I used bleach and the oven to ready Birdseye maple for staining . Worked ok but NOTHING compared to this . Thanks to the inter-web once again !

[@WoodAndShop]

Glad you liked it Scott!

[@sicilientwarkan7109]

So ..is this method could also be applied to wooden furniture , guitars , knife handles .... ? Greetings from France

[@WoodAndShop]

Absolutely! Salut mon ami!

[@reneguenther2832]

I'm wondering if a person could just apply the ferric nitrate on a really hot summer day and then forego the heat source, I'm thinking of doing this on a full stock rifle and didn't want to purchase a heat gun..... great video by the way!

[@wadepatton2433]

Nope. Needs real heat. Try an acetic acid/iron solution if you cannot manage a heat source. But test before applying, you may get ugly gray/black wood from such.

[@Orxenhorf]

Should be able to let it air dry as well. It would just take longer. The amount of oxygen present as it dries it what determines the particular variety of iron oxide formed and the color. There's a method for weathering railroad models with steel wool/vinegar where you cover the wooden part with foil and poke pin holes through it, then dry it. The air/oxygen gets in at the holes and it turns dark, but the covered parts turn a light gray.

[@wadepatton2433]

Acetic acid made solutions of iron do not require heat. Nitric acid solutions REQUIRE heating for the blush.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Could cast iron filings be added for the iron content in this formula, not many people have access to wrought iron now.

[@wadepatton2433]

Yes. Modern steels can give different results depending on their specific alloys. Iron is always better.

[@maxbrumbergflutes]

How much iron do you use on wich quantity of acid?

[@wadepatton2433]

1 part nitric acid to 4 parts water is what Mark said, then as much iron as that solution will dissolve. The solution should be saturated with iron such that it won't dissolve any more metal.

[@j.e.711]

Does it only work on Maple, or can it also be used on other woods like birch, beech etc?

[@WoodAndShop]

Sorry, you'd need to reach out to Mark with that question.

[@wadepatton2433]

The effect varies on every piece of maple (mineralization/tannin differences), and it will vary on all woods even more. Try and see is the best answer.

[@shanek6582]

I thought they used aqua regia on muzzleloader stocks. Where do you get nitric acid?

[@hmpeter]

Don't know how easy it is to get the nitric acid where you are, but if it is as difficult as it is over here, buying ready made aqua fortis finish in the US might be an option. I just did that. More expensive, but less headache than dealing with all those chemical regulations over here. ^^

[@shanek6582]

Aqua fortis, that's what I was trying to remember. I had a small bottle years ago that I used on knife handles, it made a darker finish than what's in this video.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

I don't know where you are, but in France you just buy a bottle full in the local hardware store. Good luck.

[@yomomz3921]

Ah, but how do we obtain nitric acid? Can't find it on amazon, and I'm thinking it might be regulated...

[@WoodAndShop]

Lab supply stores online. Just search further than Amazon.

[@wadepatton2433]

It's on Ebay. amazon sucks

[@WALDAWG439]

How did early gunmakers heat this stain on their stocks?

[@dmaifred]

Made me paranoid, thought I had left the compressor in the shop on :)

[@user-ji9cq2uf4f]

What happened to this guy?