Staining Striped Maple Handles

southriv

southriv

Joined
Feb 28, 2002
Messages
751
Do anyone have a forumla/process for staining striped maple a dark brown color? So far, the results I've gotten are too light for me. I’ve been experimenting with finishes and hope to eventually get dark brown look I've see on Moran knives. I started with a clear Watco stain on one and, as I expected, it was mostly light tan with darker stripes. I have also been fooling with Cherry Watco –with somewhat better results, but still far from what I want. I often use Watco on burl wood, because I like the way it finishes and holds up.

I 'd like to try some other methods. I have had suggestions from using Potassium Permanganate or boiled linseed oil colored with oil paints. These both look promising, but before I go any further I wanted to ask the forum members what they recommend.

Bob

http://www.southrivermodelworks.com/page15a.html
 
Potassium permanganate dissolved in water. Then a coat of oil if you want to seal it and make it darker (or use clear oil if you don't want it darker). I think you can also use wood hardener with potassium permanganate if you want it more stabilized.
 
Give Magic Mapel stain a try. It can be bought from Dunlap Woodcrafts
Theie phone number is 703-631-5147.

I've been using this stain for around 7 years and always get good results.

Put the stain on the handle that has been sanded to around 400 grit and let dry. This will raise the grain of the wood. Go back over the handle with 400 grit paper and take most of the color out of the hard part of the wood (you will see what I'm talking about when you do it). Put on a second and third coat if needed. Usually after the last coat of stain I go over the handle with steel wool or Scotch Bright pad and follow with Alcohol based leather dye for final color. When leather dye is dry I give the handle a light buff with loose wheel and white compound. The number of coats of stain depends a lot on the maple used. Some are harder than others and they will take the stain dirrerently. Sometimes you just have to play around with this stuff on some scrap wood and see what works best for you.

Also, Magic Maple will not effect the metal of the knife like aqua fortis will. Aqua fortis is an acid and the tang of the knife will never stop rusting. Been there, done that!
 
Call R.W. wilson and get a bottle of his majestic maple stain. I have used this stuff and it works really good. You can control the color by the number of times you apply it or by diluting it or both. The phone # number is 304-723-2771.
 
Bob,
I don't know when I am going to see you again but I will be happy to give you some Potassium Permanganite. :D
 
Rene - I'll take you up on that & probably see you at the June show.

I also want to thank everyone else for their suggestions. They look good and I'm going to eventually try them all out. I know if I try as many variations on the same theme as possible, I'll find the one (or several) that work for me.

Bob
 
The best stuff I use is chromium trioxide it costs about 4.00 and you get it thru Dixie gun works. Its made specifically for curly maple and really makes the curl stand out. A tiny rub goes a long way.
 
I have been around custom muzzloaders my whole life
My father makes them.
He stains it then runs a blow dryer over it to raise the grain
and rubs it with steel whole and repeats and then seals it with tongue oils you should see it,looks like glass:p
 
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