lye treatment for maple

[GibsonFan]

I've heard of people using lye to prep maple for hawk or knife handles, then sealing it with tung or linseed oil. What does the lye do, and how do you use it?
Off the top of my head I'm guessing a lye solution would open up the pores of the wood to accept the oil.

I love the way tung-oil finishes look and feel on maple guitar necks, but I question the durability on a working knife. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[LRB]

I am a maker of early type knives, and 18th C. longrifles. I use a lot of maple in my work. I cannot remember ever hearing this, but it may be something I missed. I wouldn't do it. I won't use any water based stain on my maple. It raises the grain, and can wreak havoc on fine carving details.

 

[B Finnigan]

They may be using it to oxidize or artificially age the wood first before applying the finish coating. Chuck Burrows mentioned that he uses aquafortis(sp) on his hawk handles. I am not familiar with aquafortis but I am guessing it is a type of oxidizer that gives it an aged look.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Aquafortis is nitric acid . It will change the color of organic things to a bright yellow/orange.If you get it on your skin the stain will stay on your hands until it grows out.I don't know if lye is used or not on handles,but it would probably bleach out the maple.

 

[deker]

Check out this thread over at Knifenetwork. It talk about a lot of different ways to finish maple, and somewhere in there is an explaination of what the lye treatment does.

-d

 

[GibsonFan]

Check out this thread over at Knifenetwork. It talk about a lot of different ways to finish maple, and somewhere in there is an explaination of what the lye treatment does.

-d

I'm sure that's a fine link but I'm not a member over there so it doesn't help much. Thanks for your help, I'll keep looking.

 

[Dan Pierson]

I hope that copying one paragraph isn't breaking any rules. By someone named BlackNet:

First off use lyewater in place of baking soda. Lyewater does a couple of things, all of them good (unless you get a drop on your skin or cloths). It brings out the tannen in the wood which darkens all of the surface, but moreso on the darker curl or burl than on the plain areas. This makes these darker areas stand out, increasing the contrast between the stripes/swirls. It removes all of the oil which has accumulated on the surface from your handleing it with your bare hands. This leaves a nice clean surface for the aquafortis or stains you wish to apply. Lye water does not attack metal so any inlays can be installed before using it. It should be neutrilized though if only to protect your skin when you touch the surfaces. Neutrilizing can be done with vinegar.​

 

[GibsonFan]

Hmmmm that makes sense. I wonder how strong they make the lye water?

 

[Wild Rose]

Aquafortis is nitric acid . It will change the color of organic things to a bright yellow/orange.

That's true in part, but to 18th/19th century woodworkers/gunsmiths/hawk makers, the term Aqua Fortis also referred to nitrate of iron aka ferric nitrate aka iron dissolved in a mixture of nitric acid and water (some mixtures also include muriatic aka hydrochloric acid) - and this is how the term is used amongst today's reproduction gunsmiths, hawk makers, etc.
Wahkon Bay Aqua Fortis is a commercially available mix from several sources or you can make your own in one of two ways: using old rusty iron and nitric acid (a nasty dangerous business) or buying Ferric Nitrate crystals and adding distilled water (and muriatic acid if you so choose - muriatic tends to "kick" the color to the red side, rather than the brown). After applying to the wood it is usually allowed to dry and then "blushed" with a heat source (heat guns are commonly used today in the past it was radiant heat such as hanging above a forge or stove) and then neutralized with lye or baking soda and water mix.

As to the color - here's a couple of different examples of what the final product can look like after applying the stain and a final finish on sugar maple (in this case the finish is a home made cold pressed linseed oil/rosin based violin varnish used by 18th/19th gunmakers - a tough finish when applied properly - the wood was not sanded but rather scraped and then burnished in the 18th century manner - both methods which help obviate swelling of the grain and those nasty little whiskers).....

a closeup view...

a different piece.....

the other side after the fittings were added

Unfortunately the pictures don't really show the "opalescence" of the wood's grain produced with this method.....in 40+ years of working with maple I've found no better stain or finish for fine maple - the combo brings out the depth of grain in maple like no other. Of course the various varieties of maple: sugar, red, silver, big leaf - can/will vary dramatically in color and figure........

as always others mileage will vary.....

 

[GibsonFan]

That's absolutely stunning. Guitar collectors pay beacoup dollars for axes (pun intended) with character like that.

How does the finish feel under the hand? Is it suitable/durable enough for outdoor use?