What type of wood/finish do you think this is?

[Tim Thiebaut]

Morning everyone, when I got this knife I was told the handle was as they called it "Gun Stock Maple", obviously this is much darker then any maple I have ever seen but after thinking about a post Kathy M made and the finish she used on it..."DO", I was wondering, do you think this is curly maple with a DO finish on it?

I need to match up the wood on the scales for a turning to go with this, as you can see the sheath has a loop built in for a firesteel like the ones I turn handles for, I want to make one to match the scales on this knife if I can match it up, so any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! Tim

[Scott Hackler]

Looks like curly maple with a very dark stain applied and then sanded back then finished with either satin poly or lacquer.

[David E Keller]

I think I remember seeing some maple finished with chromium trioxide that looked a lot like that. If I remember correctly, it was a gunmaker trick that Ron Hossack posted on SMC. The treatment makes maple look more like koa. It's very toxic stuff which kept me from trying it, but the effect is quite beautiful.

[Stephen Walker]

I have a friend who makes flintlock rifles, and he uses the "vinegar and steel wool" staining method on curly maple stocks and they end up dark like that.

[John Keeton]

Tim, you might try Magic Maple (http://www.dunlapwoodcrafts.com/MagicMapleStain.php)- about the closest "one-step" dye/stain with which I am familiar. I built longrifles for years, and had my own "recipe", but this was used by a lot of builders with great success. It should be very close to what you have on the knife.

[Reed Gray]

I know that some knife makers use the stabilized woods (polymer infused) and dyes are injected/infused during the process.

robo hippy

[Tim Thiebaut]

Thanks everyone, David I am kind of afraid of that stuff you are talking about now, dont think I will try that either. I was pretty sure it was curly maple, thanks for confirming my thoughts on that.

Stephan I had a bad reaction to the vinegar and steel wool mix a few months ago...it made me horribly sick, so I need to stay away from that as well. John I think that Magic Maple is my best bet, and it sounds like its pretty easy to use up, I will get some ordered and give it a go thank you! And thank you to everyone for your input here! I truly appreciate having a place to come to like this for help, input, inspiration and everything else.

[Scott Hackler]

Tim, I think you would have good results using dark stain that has been thinned to 50%. The higher solvent rate, should allow the stain (or dye) to really soak in deep. I do this when applying regular Rit dye to burl. I thin it in Dna (even though it doesn't really dissolve and get good penetration. FYI

[Tim Thiebaut]

Tim, I think you would have good results using dark stain that has been thinned to 50%. The higher solvent rate, should allow the stain (or dye) to really soak in deep. I do this when applying regular Rit dye to burl. I thin it in Dna (even though it doesn't really dissolve and get good penetration. FYI

I will give that a shot to Scott, I have a few scrap pieces on that I will test, I have some dark walnut stain I will give that a shot on some scrap and see what happens, thank you!

[Prashun Patel]

Looks like the vinegar/steel wool. I just did a cutting board with that mix, and the maple came out exactly that shade. Actually, it comes out purplish/grey. Garnet shellac turns it 'walnut'.

You might try a black aniline dye followed by a sanding back with 220 then a garnet shellac or a tinted Danish Oil.

My fear with using a 'stain' is that if it's pigment based, it can act like a paint and obscure the curl in undesirable ways.

[Frank Van Atta]

I think I remember seeing some maple finished with chromium trioxide that looked a lot like that. If I remember correctly, it was a gunmaker trick that Ron Hossack posted on SMC. The treatment makes maple look more like koa. It's very toxic stuff which kept me from trying it, but the effect is quite beautiful.

I think you've hit the nail on the head here; my first impression of this piece was that it was Koa.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I would google the name on the blade. They may be willing to tell how it was done. I wouldn't be surprised if it were plasticized some how. Seems a handle would have to be able to take some real punishment without showing a bunch of white wood scratches running through it. The knife looks so well made I would bet the handle has undergone some type of treatment also.

[Roger Wilson]

You can get a very dark rich color by using quarter sawn white oak and fuming it with ammonia, like the arts and crafts furniture is done. Fuming with ammonia to be done outside with appropriate mask obviously. It gives a very dark brown and the quarter sawn oak has lots of ray fleck that look good.

[Tim Thiebaut]

I would google the name on the blade. They may be willing to tell how it was done. I wouldn't be surprised if it were plasticized some how. Seems a handle would have to be able to take some real punishment without showing a bunch of white wood scratches running through it. The knife looks so well made I would bet the handle has undergone some type of treatment also.

hhmm....that actualy is a good idea, I know who the maker is, the knife is a hand made custom BHK...Blind Horse Knife, I may try and contact them thanks!

[Tim Thiebaut]

I contacted the Mfg, it is Fiddleback maple that has undergone a stablization process, they are sending me a piece no charge. Thanks for the suggestion Bob!

[Bob Bergstrom]

Glad to help a fellow creeker. I had a friend who made custom made artist brushes and the handles were always plastized. No finish was even applied, just sanded and polished.