I think that aniline dyes may work the best. It also helps to NOT sand the living be-jeepers out of the wood first. The finer the sanding you do, the less it takes up stain. Go to 120 grit, and be extremely careful to sand with long, straight strokes that follow the grain. Every time you reverse course with your sanding stroke can cause a little "swirl" that shows up in the finish. I like to use a foam rubber sanding pad and finish by sanding each limb from mid handle all the way down and off the tip in one continuous stroke.