Russian red AK furniture stain or oil

[Scratcha]

Would anyone know where to get russian red stain or oil for wood AK furniture?

I'am in the process of reconditioning a Maadi ARM; that someone hand-painted a terrible job of camo, on the wood furniture. It's a laminated stock in really good condition; I found out once I stripped the camo oil-based paint off.

I like the russian red look. But I don't know what color stain or oil Maadi originally used on their laminated stocks.

I appreciate any input on this subject.

Have a great one,

[Black_Wolf]

Ding will know.

I imagine he will be along shortly

Hang tight

[Southern Wind]

Rit clothing dye mixed with alcohol and Formby's tung oil to top it off. Google Ironwood designs
I used this method and it's cheap and it works.

Here are some stain recommendations from a few of my customers as well as our own formula.
This is my new full proof stain formula. It is by far the easiest staining method I have ver used.
Materials: RIT clothing dye, available at supermarkets, fabric and drug stores. I happen to use the powder form
but you can get it in liquid form as well. In powder form they cost around $2 to 2.50 per color. Denatured,
Ethyl alcohol, also available at drug stores, cost, around $1.50 per bottle, reason, it evaporates faster than water
and raises the grain less, making it easier to lightly de-fuzz the stained finish before oil or clear coat application.

Mixture and method: I used Scarlet red and Sunburst Yellow, it created a red finish with a little orange. I suggest
you might try Red and Orange or even some Brown to get the authentic looking AK stock color. The store
I went to happen to be out of the Orange, so I went with the Yellow.

Mix 1 Tsp of Red and 1 Tsp of Yellow dye into some sort of cup. Hint, if you can grind up the dye a bit before
adding the Alcohol, it will help it dissolve more completely. Add 9 to 10 Tsp of the Alcohol and mix together.
Hint: You can also control the color by how much Alcohol you add, more =lighter color, less=darker, experiment.
Note: Only apply stain after you have taken the stocks through the grain raising process and final polish sanding
as listed above in the sanding suggestions. Apply the stain, I used a rag, you can use a sponge brush, but you
don't need to. Apply one coat, check the color, more coats=darker color. The color you see is the color you get.

When you are happy with the color, let the stock dry for about 10 minutes. Using some 600 wet dry sand paper
lightly sand down the slightly fuzzy surface or the stock parts. Sand lightly so as not to go through the stain.
This process will make the surface clear and smooth again, ready for oil or clear coat.
Final coat: I used an oil finish as listed in the finishing suggestions above, 4 coats of the Watco .
Finish, then 2 coats of Varathane Diamond grade Water based semi-gloss interior grade clear coat.
Note: let the oil finish dry for 24 hours before applying the clear coat. Also, Laminate is very thirsty for oil,
soak the wood well with oil on the initial coats as well as in between coats. You will see the shine go away as
the oil is drawn into the wood The wetter the better. When applying the clear, wait at least 2-3 hours before
applying the next coat. The optimum air temperature to apply the clear will be listed on the can.
Also, you can apply as many coats as you want, it will help if and when you wet sand
the final finish. I did not wet sand as I wanted to get the semi-rough finish as found on military stocks.

The beauty of this formula is that it is inexpensive, any one can do it, you can control the color, and, the stain
will not fade or dilute when applying oil or clear coats. Pay attention to detail, make sure the stock set is
properly sanded and prepped before staining / dying. If you do this, you will create a beautiful finish.

[fullautotogo]

Coolaid!

[kethcar]

I have mixed up some iodine and amber tinted shellac and came out with some really pretty looking furniture.

I didnt stain or dye the wood, the only thing that gives it color is the shellac finish. AFAIK, this is what gives the wood an almost 3-d appearance, the grain will reflect different shades with different angles of light.

the only thing that sucks is im finding it increasingly difficult to find iodine. my local drugstores stopped carrying it because its used in making illegal drugs... or so they say.

[Scratcha]

Thanks everyone for your help.

[winston]

There are no dyes or other "coloring" systems required. I asked this same question 2 years ago and after being told and looking into it myself (asking the Ishmash folks) I found out that all you have to do is strip your stock down to bare wood and put several coats of amber shellac until you get the shade you want.

That's what the Russians did verbatim.

[Ding]

use DE-WAXED ruby red or garnet shellac flakes and denatured alcohol mixed and dissolved over night.gives it the look I think you are looking for.you can add some color strained through a coffee filter.you can use the RIT scarlet red(very little) and golden yellow mixed and strained,don't need much of either,added to either the ruby red or garnet shellac.keep applying coats and steel wool between coats till ya get your desired color and depth and then seal it with poly in either satin,flat or gloss.






or you can go lighter

[Cerberus]

I get very close to these same colors as Ding's with Laurel Mountain Forge's "Lancaster Maple" stain, with lot's less experimenting.