As previously said, I use water based stains and frankly would not go back to anything else. I find them great for blending light areas into dark ones and, if you don't like what you did, very easy to remove and start all over again. Of course the stained wood still needs a final finish to seal it from moisture. I don't do this for a living but I do like to keep things simple. As such I would strip the stock,repoint the checkering, stain with Birchwood Casey walnut until you get a desired shade and consistency, and then top it off with several coats of ProStock Gunstock finish. But that's just me.
Last edited by S99VG; 01/12/16.
