getting an antique patina

[Chris McGee]

I want to make a reproduction of a small antique box I saw in a shop. The construction is very simple, but I need some help with the finnish. I want mine to look old and worn like the one in the attached photo. Not sure what would to use either, sugestions? Any ideas for a finnish process with product names would be much appreciated.

thanks,
Chris

[Bob Glenn]

I use Dark colored Briwax after staining the wood. It gives an nice soft patina. Briwax available at Woodcraft.

[Steve Vaughan]

You might consider this:

Once the project is complete, use one of the minwax stains such as early american. Once dry, you might sand off the corners a bit to get back to the raw wood, hit the piece a few times with a screwdriver or something where you can get a few dings and knicks in it. Then, go back over the piece with Minwax Provincial or Special Walnut. This will help darken the raw areas of wood, and fill in some of those dings and knicks.

Now, once the stain is dry, you could brush on a light coat of orange shellac, thinned out the can by about 1/2. You can pick that stuff up at lowes or home depot in the finishing area. A light sanding after that's dry, a couple coats of satin laquer, and you're on your way! I use a lot of Deft laquer and always buff it out with #0000 steel wool!

Hope that helps!