After you have stained it, apply orange shellac vs. modern day brush on or spray shellac.
Orange shellac really gives it a very deep look.
You buy orange shellac flakes, mix it with denatured alcohol and pad it on. The pad is a couple of cotton balls squeezed into a piece of cotton cloth (old t-shirt) and secured in by a twisted rubber band. You do light long stokes with the pad after applying the shellac to the pad. I use a squeeze bottle to mix the shellac in similar to a mustard or ketcup container. About twenty strokes works great and only takes less than an hour. You can remove some of the shine if you like by buffing lightly with fine pumice or rottenstone applied with olive oil.
Here is a link for more instructions. It also works great on furniture and antique items.
http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?t=62345
The finish will take your breath away. By the way orange shellac comes from discarded insect shells and part found in wood bark in tropical parts of the world. It takes on a new life.
Also, the next day or two apply a good hand polished coat of quality wood paste wax. This will help protect your beautiful stock or other wood projects.