I've seen some references to stabilized wood. But I'm not sure how this is accomplished. I've seen the mention of CA which to my mind means cyanoacrylate aka super glue. Anyone want to clue me in here?
Regards, Aloxite
Regards, Aloxite
How do you stabilize wood?
- Thread starter Aloxite
- Start date
CA is used as finish. Search around & you'll find info on how it's done.
Stabilizing wood can be done in the factory with high-pressure that forces in resins in the wood.
Burls is often the most important woods to stabilize.
Depending on what type of wood, drying stabilizes it.
So will a good, sturdy finish, such as CA.
Industrial impregnation is done with resin under vacuum/high pressure. The resin fills all pores of the wood. This makes the wood resistant to water and other environmental influences. The stabilized wood has a higher density and is much harder.
Applying CA is only superficial, but it is a good finish for straight razor scales.
Applying CA is only superficial, but it is a good finish for straight razor scales.
- Thread starter
- #4
I was thinking about doing a modified version of a finish that I normally use. I used a mixture of 50% pure Tung Oil and 50% mineral oil. That mix will soak into wood, the mineral spirits helping the tung oil in deeper. I was thinking that I could throw the wood and some of that mixture in a vacuum bag and pull a vacuum on it. After a few treatments of that I'd finish with a few coats of straight Tung oil buffed in. Then a French polish (shellac with pumice powder to fill the pores) and wax.
I've used this method (sans vacuum) on a curly maple rifle stock and ended up with a very hard, smooth and durable finish. It was also quite lovely.
I've used this method (sans vacuum) on a curly maple rifle stock and ended up with a very hard, smooth and durable finish. It was also quite lovely.
Look up trycarta on some knife making forums
http://www.britishblades.com/forums...n-quot-micarta-quot-%28picture-intensive)
http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/8822-micarta-question/page__hl__trycarta
Phil
http://www.britishblades.com/forums...n-quot-micarta-quot-%28picture-intensive)
http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/8822-micarta-question/page__hl__trycarta
Phil
Sounds like a great plan you have!
I do that a lot on wood. Sans vaccum...
But I'm skeptical to shellac on scales, shellac's worst enemy is water...
All though, a properly done shellac finish is the single most beautiful way to finish wood, any wood
- Thread starter
- #7
Nah, shellac's worst enemy is alcohol. 
With a French polish you end up with very little shellac on the wood. That is what's so nice about the process I briefly outlined. The Tung oil is something that is soaked into the wood. Then it crosslinks and hardens the wood into a plastic like material. The French polish is mainly to fill the pores of the wood.
The nice part about this process is that you don't create a layer of finish on top of the wood. You change the wood and then fill the pores and work it until it is glass smooth.
Here are a couple of pictures of the stock if anyone is interested.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/left.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/3.jpg
These two pictures give you an idea of how wild a properly stained curly maple is. Using an alcohol based dye stain you fill the pores of the wood with stain. Then buff the stain off of the sides of the grain using alcohol. That way when you are looking into the grain of the wood you see the color. When you are looking at the side of the grain you see blond. Open these two pictures in two separate windows and click back and forth between them to get the effect.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/rsbs2.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/rsbs.jpg
With a French polish you end up with very little shellac on the wood. That is what's so nice about the process I briefly outlined. The Tung oil is something that is soaked into the wood. Then it crosslinks and hardens the wood into a plastic like material. The French polish is mainly to fill the pores of the wood.
The nice part about this process is that you don't create a layer of finish on top of the wood. You change the wood and then fill the pores and work it until it is glass smooth.
Here are a couple of pictures of the stock if anyone is interested.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/left.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/3.jpg
These two pictures give you an idea of how wild a properly stained curly maple is. Using an alcohol based dye stain you fill the pores of the wood with stain. Then buff the stain off of the sides of the grain using alcohol. That way when you are looking into the grain of the wood you see the color. When you are looking at the side of the grain you see blond. Open these two pictures in two separate windows and click back and forth between them to get the effect.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/rsbs2.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/rsbs.jpg
Nah, shellac's worst enemy is alcohol.
With a French polish you end up with very little shellac on the wood. That is what's so nice about the process I briefly outlined. The Tung oil is something that is soaked into the wood. Then it crosslinks and hardens the wood into a plastic like material. The French polish is mainly to fill the pores of the wood.
The nice part about this process is that you don't create a layer of finish on top of the wood. You change the wood and then fill the pores and work it until it is glass smooth.
Here are a couple of pictures of the stock if anyone is interested.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/left.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/3.jpg
These two pictures give you an idea of how wild a properly stained curly maple is. Using an alcohol based dye stain you fill the pores of the wood with stain. Then buff the stain off of the sides of the grain using alcohol. That way when you are looking into the grain of the wood you see the color. When you are looking at the side of the grain you see blond. Open these two pictures in two separate windows and click back and forth between them to get the effect.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/rsbs2.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/aloxited_photos/rsbs.jpg
You have convinced me
I have used french polish a good deal on furniture, phonographs & such.
And when restoring old french polished wood, there is almost always the dreaded white water rings...
Sure, alcohol is far worse on shellac the water.
But I was thinking in terms what scales are exposed to.
And hopefully pure alcohol isn't one of them
When I do furniture & I never use oil first.
Just stain & some grain filler if necessary.
Then out with the sud & apply layer after layer until ready.
And I don't think that will work on scales.
But your method sound like it should work!
By the way, that gun stock looks lovely
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