Can Purpleheart be Stabilized?

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PeterB

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I have obtained a bunch of planks and need to know if I need to have it stabilized before using it. Thanks for responses.
 
My guess would be yes. The Purpleheart that I've seen has been relatively lightweight, so I imagine it would pick up some weight.
 
I've used unstablized purpleheart for handles. It was a hard wood that tended to splinter for me. Be careful drilling holes. Make sure you have a backer when drilling.

I finished it with TruOil. The question in my mind is "will the purple color stay or will it turn brown?" I wonder if stabilized purpleheart retains its color???

- Paul Meske
 
Doesn't answer your question, but, I've had several police batons made from purple heart. They did have a tendency to break and splinter if you didn't keep them well oiled. They dried out very quickly for some reason, despite different finish coats on them.
 
It should Paul. The color change occurs as the outside of the wood contacts oxygen. The oxidation causes it to darken. Ergo, if its sealed, no oxidation.
 
PeterB said:
I have obtained a bunch of planks and need to know if I need to have it stabilized before using it.
Click to expand...
We have WSSI professionally stabilize all our purpleheart. It stabilizes very well and turns purple after sanding.

The question of if it needs to be stabilized is up to you. A better question may be; Do your customers want the wood to be stabilized?
 
I have had a good bit of it stabilized by WSSI & would not use it any other way. The stabilization prevents the UV light from changing it from its lovely purple to dark brown.

Joe
 
The darkening of Osage orange , purpleheat, mahoganies, walnut, cherry, and similar woods is mainly due to a chemical reaction with oxygen. UV speeds up this reaction. The process is called Photo-Reactive, but it takes both light and oxygen to happen.

Sealing/stabilizing the wood will slow the process by keeping some of the oxygen away as well as reduce UV penetration ( assuming the sealant has a UV blocker). The wood will still darken with age, and only a light sanding will bring back the color. Most people just let the patina form. Remember that word - patina - it is how you will explain the color change to a customer a few year from now.
 
lonepine said:
I've used unstablized purpleheart for handles. It was a hard wood that tended to splinter for me. Be careful drilling holes. Make sure you have a backer when drilling.

I finished it with TruOil. The question in my mind is "will the purple color stay or will it turn brown?" I wonder if stabilized purpleheart retains its color???

- Paul Meske
Click to expand...
11 years later, how is the purpleheart doing? did it turn brown?
 
We will never know if the OP did it or how the color lasted. The last time he posted was over 7 years ago.

However, the question is a good one. Anyone have a knife with stabilized purpleheart that is at least 5 years or more old?
 
I've got one I made a couple years back with regular purple heart, un-stabilized I mean...

Here it is when new.
https://imgur.com/KsKiKJa

Here it is today.
PXL_20231129_131037569.jpg

I posted this about 2 years ago on imgur, but I think I made it about 7 or so years ago...

The finish is CA glue rubbed into the surface and polished via a method I found in a post I saw from Bruce Bump a while back.
 
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joe sangster said:
I have had a good bit of it stabilized by WSSI & would not use it any other way. The stabilization prevents the UV light from changing it from its lovely purple to dark brown.

Joe
Click to expand...
so its been 11 years since this post. just wondering: is it still purple?
 
A.McPherson said:
I've got one I made a couple years back with regular purple heart, un-stabilized I mean...

Here it is when new.
https://imgur.com/KsKiKJa

Here it is today.
View attachment 2408728

I posted this about 2 years ago on imgur, but I think I made it about 7 or so years ago...

The finish is CA glue rubbed into the surface and polished via a method I found in a post I saw from Bruce Bump a while back.
Click to expand...
very nice. I was thinking CA finish would be protective.
 
Wood is wood , and it is best material for handles on knives and it has been used for thousand of years . Why you don t leave it to be wood and you make handle to feel like it was made from plastic ? When wood handle gets wet, the grip is even better ......... appearance or functionality ? Polished and sparkling handle or all fingers in place ?
Why not let wood to grow old with you ? Are you the same as you were twenty years ago ?
 
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Natlek said:
Wood is wood , and it is best material for handles on knives and it has been used for thousand of years . Why you don t leave it to be wood and you make handle to feel like it was made from plastic ? When wood handle gets wet, the grip is even better ......... appearance or functionality ? Polished and sparkling handle or all fingers in place ?
Why not let wood to grow old with you ? Are you the same as you were twenty years ago ?
Click to expand...
You tell ‘em Nat!!!!
 
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