Dye/coloring for axe handles. What are you guys using?

Render Birch Oil and stain it with it:

[video=youtube;-lne2kZiUmo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lne2kZiUmo[/video]
 
Lee Valley Tools carries powdered aniline (water-based) dyes for wood and the colours are vivid. Otherwise just go to your local hardware store and buy small can of wood stain in dark oak/ colonial maple, whatever it is you want. Or you could decide to be very patient and let the natural oil-rubbed finish you apply age gracefully on it's own!
 
On the one I actually used stain on I used an alcohol based stain I use on guitars, it does not raise the grain like water based stains and dries in just minutes.

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Finishing_Supplies/ColorTone_Liquid_Stains.html

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I love StewMac's stuff. Have you tried mixing the color concentrate with Miniwax Tung Oil? That's a very nice handle, BTW.
 
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Curt Hal said:
I love StewMac's stuff. Have you tried mixing the color concentrate with Miniwax Tung Oil? That's a very nice handle, BTW.
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I have not mixed it but i have used it in tandem with oil stains. I did this 40x stock with a very light coat of red, really just a pink hue, and then an oil walnut stain, followed buy 30+ coats of hand rubbed lacquer.

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Oxbow said:
That is an awesome axe. Thanks for the link, I went Google hunting the last time you showed that axe and mentioned the alcohol aniline dyes, did not find them. Any idea how UV stable the colors are?
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I have no idea how the color will react to UV, that axe is down at the cabin now and will never see direct light through the thick canopy.
 
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Laurel Mountain Forge stains are alcohol based and don't fade much if at all, just another option. I raise the grain and darken wood with a vinegar and iron mixture, rubbed on with green scrub pad, then apply stain for color.

This is maple, but it works on hickory also,
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BG_Farmer said:
Laurel Mountain Forge stains are alcohol based and don't fade much if at all, just another option. I raise the grain and darken wood with a vinegar and iron mixture, rubbed on with green scrub pad, then apply stain for color.

This is maple, but it works on hickory also,
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Interesting looking smoke pole. Is this an original or a re-creation and do you use it? Drop at the heel on a lot of oldies does take some getting used to.
 
BG_Farmer said:
Laurel Mountain Forge stains are alcohol based and don't fade much if at all, just another option. I raise the grain and darken wood with a vinegar and iron mixture, rubbed on with green scrub pad, then apply stain for color.

This is maple, but it works on hickory also,
lrquarter.JPG
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Good looking rifle.
I am playing with Laurel Mountain forges Plumb Brown at the moment. Not easy to find rust browning or bluing solutions these days.
 
300Six said:
Interesting looking smoke pole. Is this an original or a re-creation and do you use it? Drop at the heel on a lot of oldies does take some getting used to.
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I built it based on a SW VA original with some reckless license. The stock was precarved/uninlet but heavily modified, and the mounts were made by me. I shoot it 1-3x month in offhand matches, woodswalks, etc. The drop is good for me, as I shoot off my outer shoulder/upper arm.

It was several years ago, my first flintlock, first try at making the mounts, etc., so I didn't get everything perfect, but I still like it.
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garry3 said:
Good looking rifle.
I am playing with Laurel Mountain forges Plumb Brown at the moment. Not easy to find rust browning or bluing solutions these days.
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Unfortunately, most of the good chemicals from the past used for bluing/browning are considered extreme health hazards :).
 
Figured. Looks damn good now that you're some with it! How's it hold an edge?

I typically just use 3 in one oil, brings out a LOT in a handle. That snow and nealley I just bought took a few coats but the handle looks gorgeous now and the oil even brought out the snow and nealley stamp on the handle.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
Figured. Looks damn good now that you're some with it! How's it hold an edge?

I typically just use 3 in one oil, brings out a LOT in a handle. That snow and nealley I just bought took a few coats but the handle looks gorgeous now and the oil even brought out the snow and nealley stamp on the handle.
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I have used it to fell a small tree split some wood for my fire pit and have had to only touch up the edge. Aqua Fortis has to be heated to work then a few coats of BLO and a couple of coats of gun stock wax. Never saw a haft treated with 3 in one oil does it not make it slippery ?
 
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Not too bad, havn't ntoiced much difference between that and BLO of course this handle was about as dry as as a stick could get. Five coats and it seems to be back to where it should be! Turned the wood a beautiful dark color, pictures up after I'm done buggering around with that DB head that was used as a prybar.
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I've been using the sludge from the bottom of my vinegar vats. I get a little of it on a rag and quickly wipe it on and off - if it is in the bottom of a dry container I just rub some BLO into it to make a dirty oily "dye" and rub it on. I also use some leather dye - I just happened to have a bottle of the Fiebings stuff in the shop and gave it a try - mixed with BLO on a rag. I tried the vinegar sludge because I read somewhere that vinegar is used to "age" wood. It does seem to, but it just makes the wood look old, it doesn't look like patina, so the dye and oil gives it a more used and loved look. The sludge darkens the grain a lot and the rest of the wood some.

jersey_family_right by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

This recent Jersey was nice white sap wood, with the concoction applied. The axe directly behind it to the left of the picture was heart wood (although somewhat light) and you can see it is quite a bit darker and older looking. The Ct, the next axe to the right, has a bright white handle with only BLO applied - for reference.
 
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