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Hey all
I am using African Mahogany for back and sides of an early Nick Lucas Special. I have all manner of colors in my stain locker from red mahogany to brown mahogany to dark walnut and all in between. I can't get the mahogany down to the color I want - it is stuck at a nice medium brown. The photos show what I have and what I want. I am not spraying so tinting the finish is not an option.

This has been a tough build for me. It looks like I will be stripping the varnish, re-staining, and finishing again. I will be hand sanding to strip unless someone has a better idea.

Thanks

Ed Minch

The thing that is really tough to duplicate when matching new work to old is the age in the wood. Mahogany is photo-reactive. It darkens and mellows with exposure to light. The brand and type of stain you use can also limit what you can do, especially when it comes to the darker shades. This has gotten worse in recent times due to environmental compliance. Darker pigments evidently need stronger solvents to carry them. I have mainly switched to dye stains as a result.

Just because you are not spraying does not mean you can't tint your finish. It is actually done quite often with brushed on finish. It is more work because you need to level sand really well between coats to keep it from getting streaky or blotchy.

Thanks for that thought, Brian

Ed MInch
“If I were two faced, would I use THIS one?” - Abe Lincoln