Darken a new axe/hatchet handle using blood

[jblyttle]

I'll be processing some rabbits within the next several days and have a good candidate handle. I'll post up some pics when I do it.

Remember that thread recently about the ideal way to do something versus other ways? Blood on the handle has to be one of the "other" ways.

 

[jonnyt16]

...During the sharpening process I cut my thumb and was bleeding pretty well, so I wiped it all over the fawns foot and let it dry in the sun. THATS the color I want, it has a rich natural dark brown, maybe with a little red hint to it.

If nothing else, at least you won't have anyone asking to borrow your axe!

 

[jonnyt16]

On a side note, I recently restored my dad's axe and used a stain from Varathane called "Cabernet". Not sure if thats the color you're after but there is some red in it. I think it turned out pretty nice.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Remember that thread recently about the ideal way to do something versus other ways? Blood on the handle has to be one of the "other" ways.

Using blood as a colorant is actually nothing new. Hog or ox blood used to be used in making the red milkpaint that was used on barns. There's a color known as "Suffolk Pink" that was derived from mixing livestock blood into whitewash used on homes. I think it'll make for an interesting experiment, and I'm not currently using the blood for anything when I do my processing work, so it's making a waste product useful.

 

[Skimo]

A mix of iron oxides might yield a similar result, red, brown and grey mixed into BLO might come close.

 

[fast14riot]

A mix of iron oxides might yield a similar result, red, brown and grey mixed into BLO might come close.

Dissolving steel wool in vinegar (aka vinegaroon) is a classic way but works best with maple and being heated after.


This is the natural color of BLO and age on an axe handle...

-Xander

 

[jblyttle]

Dissolving steel wool in vinegar (aka vinegaroon) is a classic way but works best with maple and being heated after.


-Xander

This has been on my list of things to try, but I have heard that it works on some woods better than others but best on oak. There is a reaction with the tannin in the wood, and it ebonizes the wood, producing and jet black stain. For low tannin woods you put a teabag into the stain before application. I don't know what he tannin levels of maple or hickory are compared to oak.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Just found a 1915 furniture industry publication that suggestion of using a 2:5 ratio mix of boiled linseed oil and blood along with lead oxide as a durable protective paint for iron roofing. Obviously one would want to omit the lead oxide in this case.

 

[marbat]

I'm going to experiment mixing BLO with rust dust from sanding some heads, might work.

 

[Oxbow]

If you want to do the rust/tannin ebonizing reaction a stronger source of tannin than tea that is easy to extract is sumac leaves, if you have any around.

Another way to darken wood is to fume it, but different woods react differently I think. You leave the wood object in a plastic tent with a pan full of ammonia. Really darkens up oak, but I'm not sure how much tannin hickory has.

 

[gben]

RixAxe, you're an a$$ For some reason wood stain doesn't have enough of that... hell what's the word i'm looking for, depth? Wood stain, to me, has a two demential feel to it, maybe, fake, or a man made feel to it. I love the boiled linseed oil look, that's all I use, but it takes too much time to get the results I want.

I don't think Rix is an a$$ for pointing out the obvious. It is a lot more pathetic to me how people turn everything they touch into a fashion statement. I have old axes with old handles, and some with newer handles and what they were never bothered me enough to see me going to any effort to change them.

For wood to oxidize and turn dark must take a long time as I have some new handles that are over 40 years old that still look like new white wood. If an tool handle has a dark color from the factory it came from decades ago great, or if it is dark because it was used or abused for decades great, but when a hipster has a bee in his bonnet about owning an axe that looks old then that just makes me sad for the world.

 

[brettdean]

I don't think Rix is an a$$ for pointing out the obvious. It is a lot more pathetic to me how people turn everything they touch into a fashion statement. I have old axes with old handles, and some with newer handles and what they were never bothered me enough to see me going to any effort to change them.

For wood to oxidize and turn dark must take a long time as I have some new handles that are over 40 years old that still look like new white wood. If an tool handle has a dark color from the factory it came from decades ago great, or if it is dark because it was used or abused for decades great, but when a hipster has a bee in his bonnet about owning an axe that looks old then that just makes me sad for the world.

Hey gben, I think you missed the just after the a$$ part. This hatchet is a gift, and it has been requested that it looks old and vintage. Remember, we're all having fun here.

 

[BG_Farmer]

Just found a 1915 furniture industry publication that suggestion of using a 2:5 ratio mix of boiled linseed oil and blood along with lead oxide as a durable protective paint for iron roofing. Obviously one would want to omit the lead oxide in this case.

The lead oxide is the "dryer". I know a guy who makes varnish by boiling his own linseed oil with oxidized lead and, I think, crushed limestone. You can find " safer" chemical dryers (Japan dryers) or what I do sometimes is use minwax antique oil finish, which is BLO with dryers. The oxblood is just a tint or pigment. The reason I mention all this is that most BLO has some dryer in it, but if it doesnt it will take literally ages to dry and will never get much past tacky.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Interesting. The fellow describing this paint made mention of the albumen in the blood, probably aiding in adhesion, in lieu of the egg whites so often used in homemade paints.

A Metal Protecting Paint

Every manufacturing plant has use for a good metal protecting paint. Many formulas have been given but the following is a decided change from the usual and we believe has merits the albumin present in blood together with the gelatinous portion of linseed oil probably forms an indestructivle compound with the lead oxide.

 

[BG_Farmer]

Interesting. The fellow describing this paint made mention of the albumen in the blood, probably aiding in adhesion, in lieu of the egg whites so often used in homemade paints.

I didn't think of that, but it may be, esp. In adhering to metal. I think it would be interesting to mix up a batch and was just trying to prevent disappointment due to leaving out the dryer. Im guessing it will be a nice brick red color.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I appreciate the intel! I'll look into seeing if I can find a good drying agent to add.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Made some 3:2 mixture and applied it just now. Makes for a very interesting color so far, but we'll see what it looks like once it ages a little. Sort of a golden pinkish shade at the moment that's very distinctive, and I consider it attractive. Definitely looks "bloody" though.

 

[rockman0]

A 2 to 1 mix of two stains plus tossed in some ashes. The ashes don't dissolve well so I have to stir well before applying.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The first application is starting to oxidize now to a rich red-brown with a warm/fiery look to it. I had accidentally gone a little heavy on the oil so the amount of tint imparted is probably on the light side compared to what a more sparing mixture would lend. So far, I'm very pleased with how things are progressing. Providing it all comes to a happy end result then I'll likely be using this stain on a bunch of other handles of mine. Photos tomorrow. I have some on my camera from today but haven't had the time to upload them yet.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Ok--here we go. To start, this ash was blindingly white. Here it is with a base coat of BLO on it.

Here's the blood/oil mixture.

Appearance when freshly applied.

After oxidizing.