Burning wood handles before finishing...

Mundele

Mundele

Joined
Aug 5, 2000
Messages
403
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has ever burned (scorched) a wood handle before finishing it? I was thinking of taking a maple handle, after sanding and all, and scorching it with a torch. Not enough to set it on fire, but just enough to blacken it pretty good. Then I'd sand it to even out the color, but not enough to remove it. Then finish it with Danish Oil or something else.

Has anyone ever done this? I tried it on a little maple scrap and it made a pretty uniform color. you can barely see the grain and where it isn't black it has a gold-ish hue. I think it's quite pretty. Almost ebony, but richer because of the gold color. The problem would be keeping the color even, and making sure the heat didnt damage the epoxy (It would be a stick-tang knife)

Let me know what you guys think of this idea. I'd especially like to know if anyone esle has tried anything like this...


--Matt
 
I wouldn't do it. The blackened wood is softer than the original wood. Especially don't do it with wood that has been stabilized.If you want to darken the wood use a dark brown or black dye.I use shoe dye not the kind you get at the grocery store but the kind that comes from a shoe shop.

My experence
Take Care
TJ Smith
 
You can soak the wood in a mild acid solution,and heat it up with a hair dryer and watch the colours change as you apply heat,but don't scorch the wood. As far as i know it only works on maple...
 
I've done it to provide grain. It's an old trick gunsmiths used to do called lamping. They would soak string in Kerosene and wrap the stock then set it on fire. It would add a lot of grain. Too much in my opinion. I don;t like the effect. As long as you don't char the wood it doesn't make it softer, in fact it hardens it. It's still ugly though.
Try it and seee how you like it.
 
It's true what Allan said about the heat/acid method. I've seen the gunsmiths at Colonial williamsburg take a hot iron from the forge and pass it over a stock painted with the acid and it changes to a deep reddish brown like magic. Pretty neat to watch.:eek:
 
Thanks for all the info guys...

What kind of acid do they use? Does it have to be a strong acid, or will something weak like vinegar do?

--Matt
 
I don't think any acid will do. It was a certain type like tannic (I doubt that is it) but due to old age, I've forgotten. I'll go through my notes and see if I can come up with it.
 
The acid mixture i use is 1 part hydrocholic acid 1/2 nitric acid 10parts water..Add the acid to the water for safety...
 
Definitely strong acids then...

My friend that worked in a biochem lab just got a new job. I'll have to ask if he can go back long enough to get me some acid.

Any idea of what the Molarity (strength) of the acid was? It comes in varied concentrations, so there could be quite a range. (Sorry, my other major was Chemistry...)

--Matt
 
R. W.'s Chromic Acid comes on one strength - the right one. I would think that 0.1N should be fine for anything else.
 
Matt,I would go with Jerry's recommendion of the chromic acid, it will probabbly save you some grief, and will be safer..I had a hard time getting the nitric acid....
 
Great! I'll try it. I have a block of curly maple that is calling out to me... :)

--Matt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top