Acid-fuming curly maple?

WalterDavis

WalterDavis

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Nov 23, 2005
Messages
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After seeing some great knife and 'hawk handles here, I read about acid-fuming the maple using muriatic acid to make the colors really pop. I had some successes, but on my last batch of handles I really only had one come out nice! Another came out so-so, but two of them just blackened up, with almost no design. Has anyone else had this problem before? Any ideas where I messed up?

Thanks,

Walter
 
Using heat from a heat gun to oxidize the sugars works better with more consistant results. Some areas will darken more with using liquids but heat can be controlled more. If an area does over darken you can use 0000 steel wool to take off the layer and blend it in with the surrounding area.

Used a heat gun on these hawk handles.
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Pen
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I have had real bad and inconsistant results with acid bath and fumed maple. But I have also seen some great stuff posted that has been. It's a learning curve for sure.
 
So you are using a heat gun only on the maple? No liquid at all? What finish are you putting on them? Can you see the grain popping while you are applying the heat?
 
Just heat and carding it with 0000 steel wool afterwards. Yes you can see the curl bands darken as you apply the heat. I use mostly tung oil and tru oil to finish curly maple.
 
Matt Roberts(LongRifle),used muriatic acid on the maple handled boot knife he built for me.
I really like the results. :)


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Doug
 
Thanks! I didn't think that heat alone would do much, but I guess the control of a heat gun probably helps a lot. Must be time to pick one up.

Thanks for the great pics, gents!

Walter
 
So with the acid, do you apply a solution of it or just gas it in a container?
 
Keith, I've just applied muriatic acid with a rag and heated it. Up until now I've just heated it over the stove.
 
The goal is to burn (oxidize) the sugars in the curl rings. The sugar content varies between the rings. The rings with a higher sugar content will darken faster. I have used sulphuric acid and chromium trioxide. The chromium tri went black within seconds and the sulphuric turned it green.

So for me heat has proven to be very predictable and controlable. A few times it has gone too dark but it's real easy to sand or steel wool it back. The chromium tri went in real deap and took forever to sand off.
 
the best and most tried/true way for me is to use Chromium Trioxide. The trick is to dilute it enough that it dont get as dark as B Finnigan experienced. It should take no more than 5 minutes with steel wool after the CT dries to get the desired look.
 
Most of the Maryland smiths that I have talked to abandoned the chromium trioxide or acid method and went with Fiebings spirit based leather dye. They make a bunch of colors and you can get it as dark as you want and if it is a bit too dark, you can rub it with 0000 steel wool and lighten it up a bit. The good thing about the spirit dye is it doesn't pop the grain up like water. The knife on the front page of my website was done with Fiebings dark brown or light brown (can't rmemeber) If you hit the wood even with the light brown enough times, it gets dark. I do believe that Jay Hendrickson uses British tan combined with a bit of some other colors to get that lighter color like you get with the acid fuming.
 
you guys that use the muriatic acid, do you rinse the wood in water to neutralize the acid after the heat?

Will the acid screw up wood stabilization?
 
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I use a homemade mix a friend of mine makes using muriatic acid,steel wool dissolved and something else,I'll have to ask.I use a rag and rub it on then take a propane torch or a heat gun will work.It will turn almost black,I rinse it off,dry,then take fine steel wool and soak with tung oil and rub til I get the color I want....I have a hawk in the gallery with the haft treated this way----your mileage may vary:DRegards Butch
 
The mix that Butch is talking is:
3 parts water (About Pint Size Parts)
1 part muratic acid
ALWAYS ADD ACID TO WATER just remember 3A's DO ALL THIS OUTSIDE AND DON'T INHALE THE FUMES!!!!!!! WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!!!
I then pull a pad of 0000 steel wool apart and add to the mixture. Let mixture dissolve the steel wool usually takes about 2 days. It is then ready for use.
The finer and slicker you get the wood the better the stripes will pop out. I apply sparingly. It will turn the wood a yellowish color. you will think you have ruin it. Apply heat with a heat gun or torch till blackened. Don't burn it just turn it black. Again you will think you ruined it and by this time you be hating me. Rinse with baking soda and water mix almost a paste but still a liquid as you wash it will turn brown. Steel wool again after drying and add you favorite finish.
Every piece of maple will be different try a small scrap piece before doing the actual piece. if it doesn't suit you you can always add a little leather dye to get more reds or browns.
This is an old muzzleloader builders recipe.
These where finished with this.
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the problem with dye is that you generally have a harder time getting the "depth" that the CT and muratic give. Another issue is that you BETTER get it sealed good or the dye will bleed with sweat (if the person is carrying the knife against a shirt etc.).

Ive not used muratic, but may give it a try.... will have to be really standout to be the results of CT.
 
Thanks for the instruction Stuart. I have been tinkering with the idea for not only knives but gunstocks as well. I have seen some uber sick fiddleback maple stocks that were done like that, and the red color is unbelievable.
 
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