MTFCA Forum

In an earlier post, November, December or January. There was a discussion on staining firewalls, 1913 or 1914. Someone was talking about a color of minwax stain that had been discontinued. And for all I remember it might have been another brand. And on that same post, there was some mention of some other colors that were close. And right now, I just cannot find it. Can anyone help me to find it. It seems like I always have problems searching for back topics that I want to re-read. Thank you. Lyndon

I don't remember anything about MinWax stain, but I do know, and a huge consensus is, that Laural Mountain Forge Cherry stain is as close to original as about you can get.

I think you may be asking about Pratt & Lambert's Cherry Bark. That has been discontinued. I used it on my own '14 dash. At least one other poster here (besides me ) bought all the remaining stock at his local store so it's still out there.

I do think that is it. Pratt and Lambert. Also did someone come in and mention another brand that was close also? I will search my local paint store that carries Pratt and Lambert on Monday. I am working on a 1914, and just wanted it as close as possible. Thank you.

I have attained that color by mixing red mahogany stain with brown mahogany stain. I believe I mixed 1 part red with 3 parts brown, or vice versa, but you can experiment with the mixture to get the exact color you want. In my 50 years of restoring antiques and refinishing furniture, I have always had the best luck with water based analine stains from “Constantine's Woodworking Supplies”, (www.constantines.com). The quart size stains come in a small envelope and, when mixed with a quart of warm water in a glass jar, makes a quart of stain. The reason I like water based stain is because, unlike oil stains, which sit on top of the wood, water based stains are absorbed deep into the wood, giving it a 3 dimensional appearance as it stains several layers of wood grain deep in the wood, illuminating the various levels. One important thing that should be done is, prior to staining, you should wipe down the wood with water and let dry, then sand off the raised hair-like grains. If you do not do this, the water based stain will cause the grain to raise and the wood should not be sanded after the stain has been applied, as it may cause an uneven stain distribution, however if you need to sand the surface after staining, you can re-apply the stain. You can also control the color by adding water and thinning out the stain for a lighter color, or apply several applications for a darker color. Just be sure you do not alter the main stain mixture from which you mix your colors from. Once you have applied your mixed stain to the wood, allow the stain to dry and wipe with mineral spirits to determine how it will look coated with varnish. If too dark, allow the mineral spirits to evaporate and wipe with a cloth saturated with water. If too light, apply more stain. Jim Patrick.

I recently used some Cherry Bark stain on my KW coil box. It is nice, but I prefer the Laurel Mountain Forge stain. I believe it is closer to what Ford used.