Newbie: darken fir window frame finish?

[Matt Weagle]

I'm a newbie finisher who just stripped an old fir window frame. The stripping went fine, and I've done the following:

(1) Applied an oil-based wood conditioner (2) Applied Prelude's Mahogany stain and sealer.

This looks good so far (thanks to testing all over the back), but I'd like to get the finish blacker if I can. I have black shading/glazing stain, but I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do and/or if I need a sprayer to apply it. Can anyone suggest a good way to make the finish blacker without losing the grain? Thanks for any help.

[B a r r y]

You can try a toner from an aerosol can, or a wipe on glaze. Go light with the toner, as it will seem to "develop" after you've sprayed. It's much easier to add more than to take it off. Glazes need to be clear topcoated quickly, or they won't hold up.

See if you can pick up Bob Flexner's "Understanding Wood Finishing" at a library, bookstore, or Amazon. Both techniques are nicely detailed.

As usual, practice on the back!

Barry