Some questions about stabilizing wood.

[Phillip Patton]

The recent thread about stabilizing inspired me to rig up a stabilizing chamber.
I already have the vacuum pump and a Pyrex vacuum chamber, but I have some questions I need answered before I pull the trigger and get the rest of the things I need.

1. How long does it take for the Nelsonite to penetrate all the way through a block of wood?

2. Is it possible to mix dye with the Nelsonite for using with light colored woods like box elder and maple? If so, what kind of dye?

3. After saturating the wood, how long do you have to wait before using it on a knife? Hours, days, months?

4. Will this work with denser, harder woods?

Any input is welcome.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Phil,
I know some makers use a home stabilizing setup and use nelsonite,but in my opinion it is not the right material for knife scales. The proper resin is an acrylic monomer that is polymerized in the stabilizing process.This product is hard to get and quite expensive. Nelsonite and things like Minwax wood hardener are penetrants. They don't form the harder polymers that resins will.
To put into knife words - It is like hardening ATS34 at 1500F. It will get harder, just not nearly as hard as if it was done properly at 1950F.Nelsonite will make the wood better than it was, but not the same as having it done by WSSI.

That vacuum chamber is good for things like stabilizing ivory and bone with CA.

Stacy

 

[Phillip Patton]

Phil,
I know some makers use a home stabilizing setup and use nelsonite,but in my opinion it is not the right material for knife scales. The proper resin is an acrylic monomer that is polymerized in the stabilizing process.This product is hard to get and quite expensive. Nelsonite and things like Minwax wood hardener are penetrants. They don't form the harder polymers that resins will.
To put into knife words - It is like hardening ATS34 at 1500F. It will get harder, just not nearly as hard as if it was done properly at 1950F.Nelsonite will make the wood better than it was, but not the same as having it done by WSSI.

That vacuum chamber is good for things like stabilizing ivory and bone with CA.

Stacy

Well, it's not so much my goal to harden it, as much as just waterproof it.

 

[mdoyle]

Phillip,
I believe Tracy Mickley was looking into buying a product for stabilizing. Also K$G sells the dye and I'm sure could offer you input on it's use.
Matt