Tip-o-The Day, (curly maple)

[RMLamey]

Fiebings Leather Dye, from Sheffield Knifemakers Supply, works great for staining Curly Maple.

Mahogony and Medium Brown are 2 good colors to really bring the stripes out.

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Sounds great thanks

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Take a look!!!

 

[Phillip Jones]

I use Fiebing's also and it looks much better than some of the stains that are used by wood stabilization companies.
When using it you have to sand the fuzz off because the grain raises. Use 320 or 400 grit and restain several times.
I use several good coats of Tung oil or Linseed oil after the stain dries. This brings out the character of the wood even further.

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If a man can keep alert and imaginative, an error is a possibility, a chance at something new; to him, wandering and wondering are a part of the same process. He is most mistaken, most in error, whenever he quits exploring.

William Least Heat Moon

 

[cjensema]

Fiebings Leather Dye is a grain raising stain. Does anyone know of a non-grain-raising stain which gives similar results? Dealing with the raised grain is a pain.

Incidentally, these tips are great. Thanks!

Carl

 

[Phillip Jones]

cjensema,

Try an oil based stain. You can buy them at hardware stores. Get them in small containers if it does not work like you want.

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If a man can keep alert and imaginative, an error is a possibility, a chance at something new; to him, wandering and wondering are a part of the same process. He is most mistaken, most in error, whenever he quits exploring.

William Least Heat Moon

 

[Alan Folts]

For a dark brown on maple I used the colonial maple stain from Brownells it worked great, just dont spill any..

For a neet grey sorta silver color on maple, try chromic acid, it makes it a grey silvery look and really brings out the grain curls..

Alan...

 

[RMLamey]

Feibings is an oil base dye. Ive had much better success since ive been taking the wood to 400 grit, then rubbing it with 0000 steel wool several times. After this i dye the wood and start the oil process using either purified linseed oil or birchwood casey tru oil.

Another method for oiling is to heat boiled linseed oil (in an old crock pot, or coffee pot) and soak your handle for at least 24 hours after dying. I havent tried this but it comes from John Fitch.

 

[P.K.Hansen]

I've got a pair of birdseye-maple scales from Jantz. What color is most beautiful on this wood ? Does anyone know if they are stabelized ? - the bag didn't say anything.