Purpleheart Question.

Darrin Sanders

Darrin Sanders

Knifemaker
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I've had some Purpleheart in the shop for several years but have never used any. I had a customer that wanted some on a knife so I finally used some of it. It was nice and purple before I started now its just a nice brown. Will it turn back to purple after a period of time? If so is there anything I can do to speed up the process? Thanks in advance for any info..
 
Hi Darrin,

It will turn purple again. Put it in the sun for a couple hours to speed it up. It SEEMS to be an oxidation reaction, not a UV one, but warmth speeds it. I'd avoid a heat gun. I did several tests and found I could damage it nicely with too much impatience. Might take a week or so to return to color, but give it some circulation and maybe a sunny patch on the table.

I've used two different pieces. One was old and very dark. It returned to its super-dark color. REALLY nice.
The other wasn't quite as dark and was more browish after cutting. It also returned to its original color, but doesn't look like it will ever get as dark as the other piece.

This one was a boring brown after shaping and ended up a big more purple than you see here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1051664-Utility-Knife-in-154CM-and-Purpleheart

-Daizee
 
Same experience here. Paduak and Brazilian tiger wood are similar. I find they go to90% dark quickly, then the last 10% is a slow change over time.
 
Darrin I carried one for a few years , outdoors,----hunting and everything that goes along
with it water, blood and god knows what. Mine went to nearly black but I would'nt say it
ever got back to the nice bright purple I started with. I'm sure a lite sanding or scrubby pad
would do it. BTW pretty tough stuff. Heard the military was using it for trailer beds in the sandbox
for a while. Definitley one of the more reasonable priced "exotics".
Ken.
 
Haven't tried this with PH, but I have a Padauk folder that's holding its red pretty well. Before putting the finish on I hit it with Armor All, and it seems to be blocking the UV. As far as I can tell it's compatible with the Tru Oil finish, no weird spots....might work with purpleheart too.
 
Darrin,
I used to use a lot of purpleheart when I made Mook Jong (wing-chun type dummies). If you leave it out for a bit, it will turn purple again. However, if you don't protect it from UV, it will eventually change from purple to a more brown (chocolate-purple) color. I've never used the wood on a knife, but I used to coat my dummies in Minwax Helmsman spar varnish to protect against UV.
Erin
6201596269_a5d4fd52bd_z.jpg
 
elementfe said:
Haven't tried this with PH, but I have a Padauk folder that's holding its red pretty well. Before putting the finish on I hit it with Armor All, and it seems to be blocking the UV. As far as I can tell it's compatible with the Tru Oil finish, no weird spots....might work with purpleheart too.
Click to expand...

Armor All is used as a catalyst for tru oil. They are VERY compatible.
 
Hey Darrin. Is your PH the stuff we got bunking at Johnny W's a few years ago? I slabbed some of that and have enjoyed working with it. Bland grain and nice color - not the rumored splintery hellscape at all.

I had the same question first time I cut some. Since then I've tried a couple of things and seem to have the best luck with this.

Shape to spec > Sand to 800x or better > Blast with air and wipe down with alchohol with no bare-hand contact afterwards > spray or brush on a few light coats of blond shellac and card aggressively with a 3M scrub pad in between (not steel wool) > Let sit warm/protected for a day or so > Sand to 1200x or better and seal again with Watco's Danish oil cut about 2:1 with OMS or turps. Buff out lightly after another day or two. Color returns nicely to a hard slick surface.

I haven't used any kind of UV protection but I tried straight BLO, Kramer's and BC's Tru-Oil without sealing initially with shellac. It all looked about the same at finishing as best I remember BUT those pieces are all now noticeably darker, some more splotchy and less purple than the material finished as above. In less than two years on mostly users and working tool handles.

I expect it will all fade to brown eventually no matter what finish is used.

Give me a shout if I can help. Either way, visit soon I hope.
 
Thanks for all the tips guys. Andy, I've been I've been trying to decide whether to use Danish oil or True-Oil. I think I'll use the Danish oil & Ren-wax.
 
I absolutely love Tru oil, though it's pretty much a gloss finish, not for every knife- I've never seen another finish so simple to apply but that makes the grain pop as beautifully. A bit of wax on top and it's spectacular.
Thanks, Willie! I'd forgotten all about that.

The only issue I have with PH is that one tap too many on my usual peened rivets can easily split it, after all that fuss...much worse than the other woods I use.
 
Darrin, I'd like to see the ph after Danish oil. I am using some ph on a slipjoint I'm working on, and I love Danish oil.....match made in heaven?
 
Well I got the wood back to a nice even purple and the first coat of oil is drying now. Once its finished I'll try to remember to post a pic. If I haven't posted one in 2-3 days send me a reminder.
 
Here ya go. It actually looks better than my cheap camera portrays. And as far as that wavy looking area near the tip thats from my poor photography too. LOL Overall it truned out pretty nice. I'm gonna check with K&G to see if stabilization will "set" the color. If it does I'm gonna send them a block or two in my next batch of stuff to be stabilized.
 

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Darrin-
Sweet knife and nice clean leather too! Reminds me of that Shrade Sharpfinger pattern but with a meatier handle. Looks like hollow ground too? Expect Johnny W will have a smile when he sees that coming out of your shop.

So Purpleheart finished with Watco's Danish oil and Ren wax then? Looks great from here.

Stay cool buddy.
 
I've turned a few wood bowls out of purple heart. I had OK luck bringing a bright purple out with a mapp gas torch while the bowl was slowly spinning. BUT - it had to be very dry, and too much heat would crack it in a second. It must be some oxidation process that brings out the purple color. Protecting from UV is a must - if the wood is left unfinished, it would be back to dull brown in a few weeks.
 
Thanks Andy. The customer supplied the pattern/design. It is a lot like a Sharpfinger only smaller. Its only 7.5" overall. It is hollow ground and Johnny has seen it because I ground it in his shop, brought it home, and finished it here. Can't say enough good about ol' Johnny. Yep Danish oil & Ren-wax after letting it set for a few days for the color to return. Take care Andy.
I wanna thank everybody for all the info. they've shared with me.
 
Use a heat gun to turn it back to purple but watch it as the timing window from purple to burnt is very small
 
My edc for 10 years had a purpleheart handle finished with Johnson's Paste wax. After about 6 years it oxidized to brown, I resanded it and let it oxidize for a week, back to bright purple. I sold it a few years later when I got bored with it and it was still purple.

-Page
 
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