Recommendation? DIY Wood Stain?

[survivor45]

So I don’t really care for the bright white of new hickory. I’ve used old coffee grounds in the past to darken an old handle. After fitting a new/different head.
So without any research I mixed up some new coffee grounds and some vodka. Then later that night did some research and found there is an actual recipe. Coffee ground, vinegar and steel wool. So I’ve made up these two mixes. Just dumped and poured. No real measuring. I have not tried them yet. Anyone else have a DIY wood stain mix that will make new hickory look like it’s 40 years old ?

 

[Old Axeman]

One of my favorites is to apply a mix of oil/beeswax (raw linseed/ pure gum terp., tung, walnut, food grade mineral) leave it for a day before wiping excess. Then take charcoal (use only real wood from your wood stove, etc.; do not use manufactured charcoal) and rub it into the pores of the haft. I really like the looks of what quntion is doing when he hickory smokes his hafts, I need to try that.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

So I don’t really care for the bright white of new hickory. I’ve used old coffee grounds in the past to darken an old handle. After fitting a new/different head.
So without any research I mixed up some new coffee grounds and some vodka. Then later that night did some research and found there is an actual recipe. Coffee ground, vinegar and steel wool. So I’ve made up these two mixes. Just dumped and poured. No real measuring. I have not tried them yet. Anyone else have a DIY wood stain mix that will make new hickory look like it’s 40 years old ?

I’m intrigued. Do it and show us what happens!

I’ve heard of guys using shoe polish on handles. Emphasizing the need to heat it up so it melts in and penetrates.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

I really like the looks of what quntion is doing when he hickory smokes his hafts, I need to try that.

That sounds really awesome!

 

[Yankee Josh]

I’m intrigued. Do it and show us what happens!

I’ve heard of guys using shoe polish on handles. Emphasizing the need to heat it up so it melts in and penetrates.

That's funny you mention this about shoe polish. I thought of that recently and thought i came up with an original idea. Nope! Of course someone's already tried it! I think it would work great though. I will try heating it. This is a good thread because i don't want to use off the shelf stain either. It's good to have a place to post our testing and results.

 

[phantomknives]

So I don’t really care for the bright white of new hickory. I’ve used old coffee grounds in the past to darken an old handle. After fitting a new/different head.
So without any research I mixed up some new coffee grounds and some vodka. Then later that night did some research and found there is an actual recipe. Coffee ground, vinegar and steel wool. So I’ve made up these two mixes. Just dumped and poured. No real measuring. I have not tried them yet. Anyone else have a DIY wood stain mix that will make new hickory look like it’s 40 years old ?

Black walnuts boiled In water. The more it boils down to the darker it is, boil it down into a syrup then you can add alcohol to make it alcohol based

 

[survivor45]

Ok so both my mixtures soaked for 24 hours. And I can say both worked the same. Not great. It did highlight the grain. But has not really darkened the wood as much as I hoped. I just slathered it on so I can’t really say how many coats. I’m guessing I have a little less than two cups total both mixtures.
I’ll keep applying it until it’s gone.
Not really worth taking photos at this point.
I may rub some charcoal into it like old axeman suggested.

 

[survivor45]

One of my favorites is to apply a mix of oil/beeswax (raw linseed/ pure gum terp., tung, walnut, food grade mineral) leave it for a day before wiping excess. Then take charcoal (use only real wood from your wood stove, etc.; do not use manufactured charcoal) and rub it into the pores of the haft. I really like the looks of what quntion is doing when he hickory smokes his hafts, I need to try that.

Who is “quntion” ? And can you share a photo of one of their hafts. Or a link ?

 

[Square_peg]

Who is “quntion” ? And can you share a photo of one of their hafts. Or a link ?

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/new-cut-projects.1489732/page-4#post-18514681

 

[Agent_H]

Dirty shop gloves and being used a little before you BLO will get it somewhat darker or at least add character.

Nothing like smoking it though

 

[survivor45]

Ok So , Update!
It’s been about four hours since I applied my concoctions. Went down to apply another coat for the night.
And WOW. The handle is gray !
Well a light gray. Simalar to wreathed wood. I think I’m on to something. So I gave it a quick sand with some 220 grit paper. And applied another coat of the Coffee , vodka mixture. I’ll take a photo in the morning.
Oh and that “Smoked handle “ thing is intriguing. I’ll give that a shot sometime.

 

[survivor45]

Not the best photo but maybe this will give you some idea of the color.
The “coffee Stain” is on the left and a new Tennessee Hickory handle on the right.

.screen capture software
I will need to lightly sand the handle before applying BLO. And that will for sure darken the color.

 

[survivor45]

Done !
For the stain I’d recommend the Vinegar, fresh coffee grounds. And steel wool.
I made about 3/4 of a cup of the mixture using all equal parts.
Then let that mixture set for 24 hours.
I do believe the stain in the jar will continue to get darker. The longer you let it sit.
Apply it lightly. The color seams to really come through after the stain has dried.
As with all stains. You should test this on a scrap pice of identical wood.
suntrust bank branch near me
.

 

[Agent_H]

Get it dirty, let it dry, then the mix.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

So I decided to try out smoking some handles and wow am I impressed with the results!
I kept a small pile in the far corner of the heat box and it hovered around 100 degrees in the smoker. (It never got over 120.)

I smoked them for about 12 hrs. (Using sassafras and apple wood, if you want to know.) but they had darkened more toward the top than the bottom. So I flipped over the one I was most concerned about and smoked it for another 6hrs.

Afterward I melted beeswax and made up a mixture with BLO to rub into them. Wow. They look 70 years old! (Well they are 70 years old but now they look it again.)

The two SB handles in the middle were smoked. All the others have natural patina on them.

You can see on the eyelets how much of a patina they took.

This is the one that smoked for 18 hrs.
It used to be spray painted black before I sanded it.

A tester

I didn’t get a good before picture of this one but it was very grey and weathered.

After

It worked amazingly well, in that it made what looks and feels like a natural patina. I am a painter and I could not duplicate that effect with stains or faux finishes.

Smoking them raised the grain of the wood a little but don’t be tempted to sand them again after smoking. You can knock the grain down by rubbing them with your hands or a piece of paper. (Not sanding paper, just regular paper or painters masking paper.)

The biggest drawback thus far is the smell. My shop has two sides of leather in it and it smelt amazing!! Now it smells like the inside of my BBQ toolbox. I’m hoping the wax helps seal it out and it dies out over time. I wouldn’t want a bunch of these smelling up my safe like this.

 

[Yankee Josh]

So I decided to try out smoking some handles and wow am I impressed with the results!
I kept a small pile in the far corner of the heat box and it hovered around 100 degrees in the smoker. (It never got over 120.)

I smoked them for about 12 hrs. (Using sassafras and apple wood, if you want to know.) but they had darkened more toward the top than the bottom. So I flipped over the one I was most concerned about and smoked it for another 6hrs.

Afterward I melted beeswax and made up a mixture with BLO to rub into them. Wow. They look 70 years old! (Well they are 70 years old but now they look it again.)

The two SB handles in the middle were smoked. All the others have natural patina on them.

You can see on the eyelets how much of a patina they took.

This is the one that smoked for 18 hrs.
It used to be spray painted black before I sanded it.

A tester

I didn’t get a good before picture of this one but it was very grey and weathered.

After

It worked amazingly well, in that it made what looks and feels like a natural patina. I am a painter and I could not duplicate that effect with stains or faux finishes.

Smoking them raised the grain of the wood a little but don’t be tempted to sand them again after smoking. You can knock the grain down by rubbing them with your hands or a piece of paper. (Not sanding paper, just regular paper or painters masking paper.)

The biggest drawback thus far is the smell. My shop has two sides of leather in it and it smelt amazing!! Now it smells like the inside of my BBQ toolbox. I’m hoping the wax helps seal it out and it dies out over time. I wouldn’t want a bunch of these smelling up my safe like this.

AWESOME! What a result! I don't even have a smoker but I'll have to get one now. I'll clean it really well so that hopefully i won't have the bbq smell. Those are really beautiful. Well done!

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

I'll clean it really well so that hopefully i won't have the bbq smell. Those are really beautiful. Well done!

Thank you!
The smell is imparted by the wood smoke, I’m afraid there is no getting around it.
But do put a aluminum shield over them so grease doesn’t drip on them.

 

[quinton]

So I decided to try out smoking some handles and wow am I impressed with the results!
I kept a small pile in the far corner of the heat box and it hovered around 100 degrees in the smoker. (It never got over 120.)

I smoked them for about 12 hrs. (Using sassafras and apple wood, if you want to know.) but they had darkened more toward the top than the bottom. So I flipped over the one I was most concerned about and smoked it for another 6hrs.

Afterward I melted beeswax and made up a mixture with BLO to rub into them. Wow. They look 70 years old! (Well they are 70 years old but now they look it again.)

The two SB handles in the middle were smoked. All the others have natural patina on them.

You can see on the eyelets how much of a patina they took.

This is the one that smoked for 18 hrs.
It used to be spray painted black before I sanded it.

A tester

I didn’t get a good before picture of this one but it was very grey and weathered.

After

It worked amazingly well, in that it made what looks and feels like a natural patina. I am a painter and I could not duplicate that effect with stains or faux finishes.

Smoking them raised the grain of the wood a little but don’t be tempted to sand them again after smoking. You can knock the grain down by rubbing them with your hands or a piece of paper. (Not sanding paper, just regular paper or painters masking paper.)

The biggest drawback thus far is the smell. My shop has two sides of leather in it and it smelt amazing!! Now it smells like the inside of my BBQ toolbox. I’m hoping the wax helps seal it out and it dies out over time. I wouldn’t want a bunch of these smelling up my safe like this.

I hit the raised grain with steel wool and blo a couple of times during the smoking process. And you're right, the natural smoke can't be duplicated by any other finish, It's patina.

 

[Yankee Josh]

I hit the raised grain with steel wool and blo a couple of times during the smoking process. And you're right, the natural smoke can't be duplicated by any other finish, It's patina.

Right! It was you Quinton! I was trying to remember who it was prior that I had seen get great results through smoking them. Now i remember!

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

Q quinton does the smell go away or at least die down?