It is possible to stain wood much darker with them than with oil stains.

Moreover, the brushes used with them are easily taken care of.

Disadvantages: they are difficult to prepare and they raise the grain of the wood.

The former disadvantage may be overcome by buying them all prepared.
The difficulty of the raising of the grain is to be obviated either by washing the wood in water and, when dry, rubbing down with sandpaper before applying the stain, or rubbing down after staining and re-staining when necessary.
a.

Water stains made from anilines.