Homemade Walnut Stain

[CherokeeKC]

I threw some walnut hulls with walnut still inside in 5 gallon bucket with water 2 years ago.  I put a sealed lid on it.  It stayed in storage and then in my garage the whole time.  I know I should have taken the hulls and everything out after a month or so but I was graduating college and moving etc.  Anyway I opened it up the other day and there was an inch thick "growth" on top of water.  It stayed together when I removed it.  I poured the water through several layers of cheese cloth into another bucket.  I made the mistake of trying to get most of the liquid out by removing some of the hulls and stuff settled at bottom.  There was  a bit of a stench to it which is understandable.  The stain I strained out has a little bit of that stench to it although it isnt overwhelming.  Does anyone have experience with this or know what I might do to remedy it?  Maybe boil it?  Or do you guys think it would be ok to use to stain my bow like it is?

[Adam]

I had that happen once too.  I filtered it through an old t shirt, boiled it down and added rubbing alcohol to get it back up to the consistency I wanted.  That seemed to work pretty well, and I've had it about a year now.  There is still some sediment (possibly some mold?) in it, but it is much better than it was.  I've also heard using vinegar can keep mold from growing in it, but I haven't tried myself.

[Eric Krewson]

I crushed up a bunch of walnut hulls, soaked them in water and poured the slurry into a qt jar. Within 6 months I had a thick mold growth on top of the slurry, dumped everything out.

For my next batch I mixed the same water hull slurry and added a cup of denatured alcohol. Been about ten years since I mixed up my stain, no mold, no stink and very usable. I wipe it on grainy slurry and all, let it soak in and wipe off the chunks and sand like slurry, stains really well, used it on some arrow shafts last week.

[CherokeeKC]

Thanks guys!

I will boil it then add alcohol

[Pappy]

I made a large batch several years ago,boiled down the hulls and even had some whole ones in it ,no alcohol added ,but might be a good idea,and it is still fine,no stench and nothing growing in it. 
   Pappy

[CherokeeKC]

Thanks pappy.  Next time i will boil immediately

[RidgeRunner]

I made some several years back.
Crused up a five pound coffee can full of dry hulls.
Covered this in water and set then on top of our fireplace insert.
Let this simmer for about a week.  Making sure to keep plenty of water in the can.
After a week or so I filtered the contents through a old t-shirt.
Simmered the strained liquid down until it was thick as moter oil.
Brought it up to a boil, over a fire, and pored it into clean baby food jars.
The jars all sealed.  Last time I checked, early this spring, it still looked good.
The stuff is as thick a jelly.

David

[Eric Krewson]

Come to think of it, I am pretty sure I boiled my hulls and water as well, been a long time ago.

[bowtarist]

I used to boil my traps in walnut hulls.  Just hulls and water and a top layer of paraffin.  Used the same batch every year. I thought it smelled good.  Never any rot or stench.  I used an old canning pot and a gas grill.  Kept it outside the rest of the year.  Let rusty traps boil in pot, when I pulled them out they got a thin coat of paraffin and all was good.  This year I've been using just hulls to stain shoot shafts with, then wiping off excess letting dry and sealing my arrows. It ain't rocket surgery.  dp 

[CherokeeKC]

I would use fresh hulls if i knew where some walnut trees were but havnt found any since i moved

[mullet]

I did the same thing, stunk to high Heaven. I left the lid off of the jar for about a week and now it doesn't stink.

[Fred Arnold]

I fill an old plastic coffee can with hulls and the skin when I'm removing them from the walnuts to dry and then add isopropyl alcohol, put the lid back on and leave it outdoors to ferment. Then I strain it through and old t-shirt or paint filter. I store a couple of jars in my shop for later use. It smells good enough to drink but I've already got too many bad habits.

[CherokeeKC]

Thanks guys.  I took a couple cups of the stain and left out with lid off to see if it helps at all.  After a few days i will mix in some isopropil alcohol to see if that takes care of it.