Kingwood aging

Metalhead0483

Metalhead0483

Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
539
Hey all, I just cut open a stick of what was supposed to be cocobolo (1x1x12 craft piece from Bell) which turns out to be rather lovely Kingwood instead. Not at all sad by the mistake, but it's not a wood I've worked with before. Once it's on the knife and finished, what finish might I use to keep at least some of that purple? I have a friend/customer who will go wild for it...

Pic below is right after cutting and flattening at 60 grit. Can't wait to see how it polishes out with some stainless pins!

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Most all the colorful woods will age dark - kingwood, vermillion wood, purple heart, padauk, cocobolo. etc.
 
Kingwood seems to me to hold its color way better than something like purple heart. I've gotten some knives back for sharpening after a few years and while the purple was dull, it wasn't brown. It brightened right back up with a light sanding. This was with no finish.
 
Kingwood is one of the genus dalbergia aka rosewoods. It isn't going to require much in he way of special finish.
 
Yeah I've worked with rosewoods before, normally I just buff them and call it good. I was really just wondering if there was something I could put on after the fact that would help preserve that beautiful purple.
 
You can sand it back to bring out the original color and then coat it with TruOil and it will retain the color and vibrancy.
 
That IS coated in tru oil actually. Doesn't seem to have changed the darkening process. I guess I just have to face reality that it's going to be a (fortunately still pretty) brown.
 
The application of oil will slightly darken the wood, but if you build up a good finish, the wood should not oxidize and dull or turn color. I have handles made with various rosewoods (kingwood is a a rosewood), cocobolo, snakewood, that are 5+ years old and still look like new....they are are coated with TruOil.

How long did you wait between sanding and applying the finish? A few days can make a difference. I take my knife handles up through the sanding grits, buff, wipe down with mineral spirits (to get rid of any buffing compound) and then coat with TruOil almost immediately. Most of my handles have 6-10 coats depending on the wood.
 
That good well be cocobolo. What color was the dust from sanding/ cutting.

Kingwood dust in nearing neon purple, and cocobolo ranges from brown to orange to red to purple
 
Dust was very bright purple Ben. But I'm not super concerned either way. It's pretty, and that'll do for me ;)
 
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