A nice little sporterized banner Mauser came in today with a pretty, albeit not super professionally done Mannlicher stock.

The figure looked great, however it is the type where it seems almost perfectly laid out in black stripes all the way down the stock.

Really though, it is too good to be real.

I recall reading about in the old old days (hop on in the Way-Back machine! Off to the 1700's!) that to gussy up those plain maple stocks for those long Kentucky Rifles, guys would wrap their stocks with rope and burn it thereby scorching the stock with nice black 'figure'.

How was this done, I am thinking maybe the rope is soaked in kerosene?

I have seen this on a few guns over the years, mostly ones with long stocks.

-Spencer

Don't know how they do this but a muzzleloader buddy told me that Austin Halleck does this on their more expensive stocks - maybe the charcoal burners will chime in with the details

I have an old Pa rifle with a full length maple stock that, according to the previous owner, was wrapped with rope covered in tar and burned to obtain the figure.

I have read of this being done with lard, turpentine, kerosene, propane torch ect. I believe it is all BS.
I tried it once and it is impossible to control the marking. The marks were made with some form of acid, not unlike the fuming of oak to obtain the dark color.