Curly Maple Help

[kcorn]

I am working on a traditional slipjoint pocket knife and I am using curly maple scales. I have tried aqua fortis on some scrap but all it does is turn the maple green. What am I doing wrong here?

[WBE]

Did you blush the wood with heat? Aqua Fortis doesn't color up until it is heated.

[kcorn]

I used heat from a small propane torch. Do you think I didn't heat it enough?

[WBE]

Maybe not. A radiating heat seems to be the common way. Like a red hot iron bar played over it, without touching. Maybe a heat gun.

[Kostoglotov]

You need to scrub the surface with steel wool.

Do this until you are happy and rub in your favorite oil - BLO, Truoil, etc

[WBE]

The above will do nothing to change the color. Aqua Fortis requires heat to oxidize the iron that is dissolved in it, which will make it turn reddish in color.

[kvistads]

Aqua Fortis will turn the wood green - that's normal. You then need to turn the electric eye on your stove to high until it is red hot - then pass the maple over the eye blushing it. Should turn out beautiful with a final standing using steel wool to lighten any areas you're not happy with. That's the way I've done it and I've always had good success. Once you lock it down with a finish, it should look good. You can lock it all in with linseed oil based finish if you like - most traditionalist (gun makers/knife makers using pre-1800's methods) use it a lot. I used a combo of boiled linseed oil and turpentine. Laurel Mountain Forge produces good products - just follow directions. Hand rub many many coats until you're satisfied with the depth. It should take on a look of having almost a thick glass like appearance. Good luck!

[Crex]

Or if you don't like the fire bit, park your truck in the sun and set the knife on the dash. Combination of sun heat and UV will do the same thing for free with no chance of scorching the wood.