If anyone has added on a wood spacer to a gun that was either previously shortened or was ordered with a short stock and you were looking to lengthen it, what did you use to complete any mineral streaking and continue the grain onto the spacer to blend it all in? Did you add the grain/streaks first then rub in the stain to redo the stock? Just looking for some tips for a future project. THX.

Mike, this is a Specialty Grade L.C. Smith that someone shortened the stock to add a recoil pad which still was short. I added this piece of walnut, stained it and faux some of the grain. The piece added was 1 1/2" which gives me now a LOP of 14 1/8". I used 2- 2 1/2" coarse thread dry wall screws. No glue in case I want to do something else.
No where near the great job that Mark Larson does.

If it were me I would just send it to Mark Larson, tell him what you want, and pay him for it. He makes his living as an artist, has the right materials, and knows what he's doing.
You'd wind up with 4 positives: support the arts, get the job done right, no expenditure on expensive materials you likely won't use again, and less frustration on your part.

David, I agree. I was just curious as to what are the most common materials used to make the faux streaks/grain, etc.

Mohawk makes markers and colors to do the blending. They have a website.

I disagree for the simple reason that this is supposed to be a DIY, or Do It Yourself Gunsmithing forum where people can learn from others who are willing to share their experience and methods. Nothing wrong with asking for the name of a good professional if the OP is not equipped or would rather not risk an amateur screw-up. It is always good to recognize your own limitations. But that wasn't the question, and an existing non-matching extension is already screwed-up, so there isn't much risk of destroying collectors value.

I wish I had more to contribute, but I myself have never attempted faux grain painting. That's why I keep a good supply of different walnut scraps, to have a really good selection to choose closely matching wood for repairs. Part of me would like to learn, but there is little information available to even get someone started. I'll be watching this thread with interest to see what I might learn.

From what I understand, the aforementioned artist/practitioner charges in the neighborhood of $800.00 for a faux grain painted stock extension. Please correct me if I'm wrong. $800.00 would buy a lot of paint, india ink, brushes, airbrush, etc., or go a long way toward restocking. It likely would not make economic sense for many run of the mill field grade doubles.

Look you are not trying to duplicate the "Mona Lesa" just some false grain streaks. Visit an Artists supply store purchase some Ivory Black, Burnt Umber, Vandyke Brown, Oil or Acrylic paints while you are there purchase some light brown card to practice on, may be a couple of different sizes of squirrel hair or equivalent brushes and most important of all obtain some feathers to use as a brushes, they give that fade out effect far easier than you can get with a brush. Then comes the hard part practice your technique it wont take too long to come up with a passible result. Remember you seal the wood first so your paint does not soak into the wood instantly, and if you dont like what you have done just wipe your efforts off with a solvent and start again.

I have seen some wonderful art work blending and faux graining. The thing that often gives the joint away is when the splice joint pops as the stock and addition expand and contract at different rates through the seasons.

There is a method of joining a stock extension that virtually eliminates the joint from opening caused by atmospheric changes. If you look at the stable stock extensions undertaken by some of the top line craftsmen on this side of the pond and we have an atmosphere that can change from dry to wet a couple of times a day, well it is a maritime climate after all. The methods only problem is that you do have to be able read the wood and orientate the extension correctly so its movement is in unison with the gunstock its self and be exceptionally good craftsman to get the joint correct.

Part of the problem with cross grain glue joints is that wood expands and contracts in response to humidity much more across it's width than it does longitudinally. Then you have that glue joint, usually an epoxy, which will inhibit moisture or humidity entering and expanding the wood from the end grain. And then you also have the relatively unsealed end grain of the extension under the buttplate. Many people think that most common stock finishes really seal the wood. But actually, they merely slow down the absorption of moisture. If that wasn't true, then we would never have a problem with wood movement. That thin epoxy glue joint isn't totally impervious to moisture, but it will allow a much different rate of moisture intrusion than normal end grain sealing. There is always more movement of moisture through the end grain because that is the normal flow of water and nutrients of the living tree.

Damascus gave great advice, I would add a cheap air brush to his list.

I recently bought an airbrush, to begin learning to hide joint lines. I feel like, eventually, I can learn to use it to enhance grain streaking.

SRH

At one time Brownells sold graining pens in 4 or so different colors. They were of the felt tipped variety and worked fine on smaller repairs.

Fair enough, Keith. The wife of a friend is a trained artist who has done grain painting in the past (in connection with the repair/restoration of antiques). I can say from watching her work through it that it's not as simple and definitely not as easy as it looks. If a DIY home gunsmith wants to do it, fine. It's his gun. But I would recommend doing a couple rehearsals to figure out how to go about it before going about it on the gun.