Hi,
I found a new reference that might shed some light on the finishing used on German firearm wood in the pre-WW1 era (and most probably until wood substitutes were introduced).
The material was stuff called 'holzbeize', in Dutch we call it 'beits', (wood stain or mordant?).
The quote:
"Auch der Schaftarbeiter verwendet manchmal
braune Holzbeizen, um die Farbe des Holzes zu versch�¶nern."
--Moderne Gewehrfabrikation, 1913.
"The shaft workers also usually use brown wood stain to enhance the color of the wood"
|