Show me purpleheart wood years later... what´s the best way to protect color?

B

brainsxn

Joined
Feb 1, 2023
Messages
60
Hi,
Im starting off my journey into knife making and want my grandkids to inherit what I make. (I still don´t have any)
So Ive done a lot of searching but only nonspecific answers.
Use UV inhibitors - which specifically? any examples 10 yrs later?
use shellac - my search reveals not uv protective
etc....

There are a lot of knife makers on this forum with tremendous experience. I only want to learn to preserve the beauty of purple heart, regardless of type of finish whether it be CA glue, encased in kryptonite, lol whatever....

very gratefully,

a novice to woodworking knife making
 
Keep it vacuum sealed in the dark. If you want purple get purple transtint.
 
BigMoney said:
Keep it vacuum sealed in the dark. If you want purple get purple transtint.
Click to expand...
Thanks, but no. I am trying to preserve the beauty of the wood. Why am I getting jaded responses? The knife community is supposed to be cool and helpful. Do you think your answer is either?
 
Purple Heart is used extensively in pool cues and holds its color very well. Most cues are sealed with epoxy or polyurethane. Keep the wood sealed and it should do well for a very long time.
 
Sorry if I was snappy. The fact that purpleheart browns over time either due to oxidation, UV exposure, or oxidation as a result of UV exposure is well known. It has to do with the breaking of carbon to carbon double bonds. Its those double bonds that leads to color in all sorts of things like gems, dyes, natural pigments etc.

Ive searched quite a few websites. The recommendations are the same. 1) use a UV inhibitor but they don´t specify which. I may end up testing some sunscreens if I don´t find an answer. 2) use a varnish, shellac, polyurethane, or CA glue. Only one person so far from my research has provided a pretty good response and it was right here on bladeforums. a before and 7 years after pic of a purpleheart handle CA treated and it held up pretty well. Thank you A.Mcpherson! There are no before and after pics with the other aforementioned products and additionally there is conflicting information as to whether shellac is truly a UV blocker.

some old guy recommended I dont treat the wood. again, not helpful. that´s maybe why I was snappy. I am asking for something specific. like how to prevent rust on a blade. the answer is NOT to not use the blade and keep it in a dry place. again, not helpful. Im looking for specific products to help achieve my goal. to continue the simile, like mineral oil is great at preventing rust and is non-toxic. that IS a specific recommendation.

I hope this clarifies what it means to be helpful.
 
rlewpolar said:
A bit off topic but just saw some Polish AKs being imported with Purpleheart wood. Never seen that before. Looks beautiful.

View attachment 2424203
Click to expand...
exactly on topic. Its a beautiful natural wood and I´d like to preserve it. so yeah! thanks. maybe i will ask atlantic firearms if they made the gun or what company is the manufacturer. Maybe they have the know how.
 
brainsxn said:
exactly on topic. Its a beautiful natural wood and I´d like to preserve it. so yeah! thanks. maybe i will ask atlantic firearms if they made the gun or what company is the manufacturer. Maybe they have the know how.
Click to expand...
The gun is a WBP Jack model imported into the US by Atlantic Firearms. The manufacturer is the Polish company WBP.

Atlantic Firearms then does a conversion on it to bring it into compliance with US law. Many times Atlantic Firearms will source the wood furniture from another manufacturer and install it. In any case, they will most likely have some insight on how to properly treat this wood or at least put you in touch with the right people. Very helpful crew, I’ve dealt with them several times over the years and they are a good bunch
 
Last edited:
Some (most? all?) varnishes used in marine applications have UV blockers. One that is especially good (but not pretty because it's yellow) is called Sikkens Cetol.

I have coated garden tool handles with it after coating them with polyurethane (without UV blockers). I figure the Cetol will shield the polyurethane underneath.

Some epoxies and other resins (for example polyester) incorporate UV blockers. Look for resins used to coat surfboards.
 
There are quite a few subforums here that many probably never visit (I know I don't 😀) where knowledgable people hang out that might not read here...

Try these two, perhaps:

Maintenance, Tinkering & Embellishment

Your how-to area for discussion on sharpeners, rust prevention, alteration & more.
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Shop Talk - BladeSmith Questions and Answers

The art of knife making- advice on methods, supplies, and materials
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
brainsxn said:
Thanks, but no. I am trying to preserve the beauty of the wood. Why am I getting jaded responses? The knife community is supposed to be cool and helpful. Do you think your answer is either?
Click to expand...

Yes it was. You want a knife you haven’t made to look like fresh Purpleheart for grandkids you don’t have? So what’s the time frame here? 18-20yrs? You have two options for that length of time: do everything you can to stop oxidation(seal and keep in dark) or dye it purple. It may seem strange but dyeing Purpleheart purple is a great way to keep its color.

My local hardwood dealer sells purpleheart. They run it through the wide belt sander every 6 months so they can sell it.

Also be aware it is incredibly difficult machine and wreaks havoc on cutters.

Oh and don’t breath the dust.
 
To the Original Poster here, you did ask a pretty darn tough and hypothetical question... and your snapping at people and passive aggressive responses ("I hope this clarifies what it means to be helpful" for instance) are not going to make people want to help you with this...
You will get more flies with honey than vinegar as the saying goes.

As to what you can do for these hypothetical knives and grandkids, I have no clue. I have seen purpleheart used in some bows, and it is pretty but I dont know what kind of finish you would use on it. Try calling up a maker of traditional bows, like Bear Archery or Black Widow bows, and ask them what they use with Purpleheart. They would be the experts to talk to. Truthfully, any natural material will age and change, and that is part of the beauty of them. Good luck, and I hope your knives and your future progeny turn out wonderful! :thumbsup::)
 
Can purpleheart be stabilized? I would think that may keep the color.
 
if you are looking for something UV resistant then stabilizing the wood with a UV resistant resin may work.
link to examples on the market:https://www.theepoxyresinstore.com/collections/uv-protected-epoxy-resin

other than that I know some types of powder coatings are UV resistant you may be able to mix some of the powder that would be used in powder coating in with a clear coat however I don't know how well this would work let alone if it would look good once finished you would also have to do some research on your end taking this route as well as some trial and error

I recommend stabilizing with a UV resistant resin as it would more than likely be the least likely to fail and most likely to produce acceptable results.
 
I've had good luck by staining it with purple Transtint immediately after the final sanding stage, and then sealing it with a hard-core modern sealant like Varathane or CA. I'll try to find some pictures.

Shoot a couple of very light coats of thinned Varathane to avoid darkening the wood, then put a thin finish on it and the color holds up surprisingly well.

The CA finish looks great and it is very thin, but I hate working with that stuff.

The guy at K&G could probably advise if it can be stabilized, and if that would help it retain its color. He is very helpful over the phone.
 
Alright, quite a few of you gave some real insight. I am appreciative to those of you who are actually knowledgeable.
There is a thread on stablilizing purpleheart wood on this forum. The answer is yes. That´s where I saw the CA glue in use. As for the use of honey, I am not here to attract worthless opinions. Man, if you don´t know, dont talk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top