Staining whitewood?

[BigWapiti]

I'd like to put a stain on my new bow - Vine Maple.  I'd like to get a dark brown, even black - Gordon's I love your build-along's color.  I've test stained (wood stain) a few scrap pieces and it just doesn't take color - particularly on the back.  How do you get white wood, particularly vine maple, to take a stain?

I've ordered leather stain (such as Gordon uses) - does that work better?

Thanks, -Mike

[Hillbilly]

I like dyes such as Fiebing's leather dye or Rit clothing dye much better than stain myself, easier to use, dry faster,they seem to penetrate better and come in a wider range of colors.

[adb]

Hi,
Leather dye has worked very well for me, especially on whitewoods, like hickory,  ash, and maple. You can mix browns and blacks to come up with your own custom colors. I also like it for doing color fading, like dark to light, etc. You can apply the dye, and work it with steel wool to create a fading effect. Make sure the wood is clean... no oil or stains, or the dye will not penetrate, leaving a lighter blotch. Leather dye dries quickly, and will take whatever finish you want to apply on top.

[Gordon]

Mike,

Vine maple does not take an oil based stain at all. I've used water-based stains with some success, but alcohol based dyes (such as leather dye) seems to work the best with vine maple.

[BigWapiti]

Thanks for the advice guys.  I have several colors of Fiebing's on order - was hoping to have them by this weekend.

Not having the stain color the wood had me nervous.

What would you clean vine maple with to remove any oils?  How "well" do you (can you) clean the back w/o comprimising its strength??  Ok, I know, I'm just a tad paranoid at this point.  I finally have a shooter, and don't want to mess it up now.

thx

[Gordon]

Vine maple is not an oily wood. I usually just wipe the surface with alcohol when I want to clean it. But don't try that once you've used leather dye, the alcohol will just smear everything. Just wash your hands well before you handle the bow. Once you get a couple of coats of finish on, then you can go back to wiping with alcohol.

[PK]

I used to use a pre-stain sealer on doors that kept the stain from getting uneven, That way the stain would not drown the wood grain and be to dark.
that another option if ya don't use the other suggestions.
Minwax was the brand, wear gloves and a resporator, petroleum products cause lots of problems.

[Minuteman]

Steel wool and vinegar makes a great dark brown to black stain. You can get red out of it if you use rusty metal bits in the vinegar. I've not used it on wood, only leather but I've heard it works, it reacts to the tannic acid in the item its applied to.
 .... OK, I just went and tested it on a piece of poplar and it did stain it. It would take a few applications to get it real dark but it worked.
 All you have to do is stuff a wad of steel wool into a vinegar container and let er sit for a coupla days. It'll build some pressure so pop the top every day, then just dip a rag in it and rub it on.   
  .....Yeah ,I went and checked the poplar shaft and its actually gotten darker since I dipped it.
 Have fun

[Auggie]

You might want to try  some charcoal, softer works better for me rub it into the grain and wipe off the excess,give it a coat of oil and burnish. Makes a nice grey to black.