preventing wood from darkening

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gshamr

Joined
Jan 18, 2002
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I finished a pink ivory handle and let it sit for 2 weeks and it has already browned. I'm about to start on my first cocobolo handle and understand that it darkens over time from UV rays, like the pink ivory. Is there a simple finish that prevents this? I want something that doesn't change the color much when applied, but doesn't look plastic-y like varathane.

I read that teak oil has some UV protection. What about Johnson's Wood Paste? Any help would be appreciated.

Gerry Hamrick
Snohomish, WA
 
Pink Ivory can be helped by stabilizing, before you use it for a handle.
The cocobolo is not a good candidate for that process as it's too oily. It just gets dark like ironwood over time, by handling and exposure to light.
There are wood bleaches if you really want to go that far.
 
I wonder if there's anything you can really do. After all most woods darken on exposure to light , even artificial light . My kitchen cabinets are hard maple and they turned from pale to beautiful honey color within a year and that's without direct sunlight ! I also have an very interesting piece of white oak that darkened over the years just by oxidation - stuck in a pile of lumber unexposed to light !
 
Thanks for the replies. I'll just see how the cocobolo turns out in the long run. I don't really want to mess with wood bleach.

Gerry Hamrick
Snohomish, WA
 
I've never tried Armoral and not even sure if I can spell it but its got UV protection or at least they say it does.
 
Pink Ivory should not darken over time. However, it scorches and burns easier than any wood we've ever worked. We've had it scorch and burn brown in less than one second on the belt. ALWAYS use new sharp belts when working this wood.

Cocobolo gets very dark after a little exposure to sunlight if it is not protected. We used a UV blocking polyurethane on a cocobolo knife handle more than 10 years ago and it still looks great.
 
I worked with exotic woods for a few years turning bowls, and I can tell you what I learned. ALL wood turns brown eventually. Its not UV that turns it brown, rather the natural process of decay and oxidation. Even a lovely white pine will age to a golden brown after so many years. Its one of the reason Norm Abrahms gets a woody when he finds old pine timbers from a barn or something. :rolleyes:

Best you can do is stabilize it. Even that's no guarantee.
 
Chuck,

How does the finish on the handle look with the Polyurethane? Can you have a reasonably natural look on Cocobolo using it?
 
I know for a fact that after having worked with Mesquite for the past 25 years, I've never found a thing to help it not to darken. Usually takes about a year to reach it's full darkness, which is a beautiful rich red. I've tried UV inhibitors and other things that just cost money, and didn't do the job (on Mesquite, anyway). Personally, I love the dark look of woods when they reach that stage, but I've had some clients that want it to remain "as delivered". I always try to show photographs of older pieces.
 
gshamr said:
How does the finish on the handle look with the Polyurethane? Can you have a reasonably natural look on Cocobolo using it?
Click to expand...
The polyurethane we used has a matte finish. It does not look natural, but it doesn't look bad. I tried to find the can but it was tossed long ago. I think it was one of the Minwax polyurethanes.
 
I also like dark, natural woods. These cocobolo slabs are very dark to begin with and I don't want to lose the highlights I have. I'll just sand and buff them and leave them at that. They'll still look good.

I think the pink ivory oxidized a bit. I sanded it roughly and let it sit. It is a dark pink/brown. I think I'll sand it again until I hit color and seal it with something. Maybe the polyurethane.

Thanks for all the info.
 
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