Walnut stain smells funky

[Muskyman]

I was going to stain a bow today and when I opened my walnut stain I made last year it had a bit of a funky smell. Is that normal or okay? I put a little denatured alcohol in it and that helped. It looks okay but just smells weird. It’s my trade bow and I don’t want to have it smelling funky.
Any thoughts, suggestions?

[Piddler]

Sorry no answer from me but. I made some as well bottled up while hot and haven't opened it so don't know if it smells or not. I am anxiously awaiting an answer as to what to put in it or should have put in it as a preservative.
Piddler

[Hamish]

Curious to know what kind of "funky" was it: fungal, ammonia , vinegar etc?

[Muskyman]

Hard to describe the smell. Maybe like something soured. It seems much better after putting the denatured alcohol in it. Thinking about it now seems like it was pretty stinky when I was cooking it too.

[Eric Krewson]

I made my first walnut stain with water; it started smelling and later developed a mold on top of the stain. My stain has all of the crushed walnut pulp in it, I didn't strain it.

 I scooped off the mold, added about a cup of denatured alcohol to the jar and stirred everything up, 20 years later I still use the same qt bottle of stain. I initially poured my stain into a plastic instant coffee jar with a lid, even well sealed the liquid will evaporate over time, I just add more alcohol to the mush when I want to stain something.

I apply the stain pulp and all and wipe off the pulp after the wood takes the stain.

I like the color; it looks good on hickory and arrow shafts. The first picture is my almost dried up stain before I refill the jar with alcohol. In the second picture I am testing the stain to see if I can use it on my M/L ramrods. The third picture is an arrow shaft that I stained with my homebrew walnut stain.

[Muskyman]

Thanks Eric. I’d remembered you said something about your stain and how you used it  I was hoping you’d comment about this. I’ve smelled it several times since I posted and it seems much better after adding the denatured alcohol. I’ll probably go ahead and use it.

[Pat B]

Being organic it probably turned rancid over time. The alcohol should kill any bacteria. I've never used walnut stain so I think I'd go with what Eric said.

[Piddler]

Thanks from me as well. And thanks for the thread Muskyman.
Piddler

[Muskyman]

That’s what I thought to Pat. I did put denatured alcohol in it before I put it away for the winter. It was stored in a glass jar with a lid.. it’s similar to a canning jar. I put some stain on a scrap piece of Osage and I’m going to give it a sniff test.. if it’s okay I’ll continue to use it.. I’ll let you know..

[GlisGlis]

my walnut stain is way more liquid than Erics
it developed some mold on surface
I removed it and added some vinegar
Still stinks some in the bottle. no problem on wood

[osage outlaw]

I crushed walnuts and soaked them in water to use as a cover scent for hunting.  By the end of deer season it had molded.  I bet if you use alcohol it shouldn't mold. 

[Piddler]

Quick Question. Did anyone boil theirs. I boiled mine then put it in jars. Granted very small jars and I haven't opened them. Don't see any mold though. Just wondering if the boiling may have killed some of the things that create mold. I put some of the leftovers in Vinegar and let it set for a long while. Never did get where it would stain dark. After a long while, Few Months, vinegar level dropped and it got invaded by gnats and I threw it away.
Piddler

[Muskyman]

I boiled mine for an hour or two adding water as needed. Basically cooked it to mush. Then poured it through cheese cloth into glass a glass jar. About 2 pints worth. I made two batches of it. One stained darker than the other. Neither one was super dark but it looks okay with a couple coats. Probably needed more walnut hulls to make it darker. I haven’t had any mold yet.

[Eric Krewson]

I boiled my husks for an hour or so before I crushed them to make a slurry. One could water bath the jars like canning tomatoes and the contents wouldn't develop mold but as soon as the jars are opened and exposed to air for month or so mold will develop. 

[Muskyman]

I just started a new batch. This one doesn’t call for boiling but does use alcohol mixed with it.
Basically mix husks with water, crush and mix and let sit for a week or two, strain and place into a jar and mix in alcohol and that’s basically it. Let you know how it turns out.