Question on wood stabilizing

[RICK LOWE]

I just picked up a batch of handle slabs that include some softer domestic woods that need to be stabilized before using. One is a curly ash that has really nice medium brown figure on a light blonde background. If this wood is stabilized, does the color remain the same? If I want it darker do I stain before stabilizing? Since a stain doesn't penetrate through the slab, when it's shaped and sanded, there's going to be quite a variance in color. Should the handle be preshaped and fitted and stained before stabilizing? I've used a lot of curly maple and just epoxy, pin. finish sand, apply aqua vitae and heat, then lots of thinned linseed oil/turpinetine. I'm just confused with these other soft woods how to stain and stabilize.
Thanks,
Rick

[mete]

Woods can be effected by light. My neighbors ash kitchen cabinets [very white ] and my hard maple ones turned to a nice warm honey tone within a year. The biggest change is tulip wood , the green color changes to brown.

[Ray Rogers]

I send my wood to K&G Finishing for professional stabilizing. The process does darken light colored woods slightly. Later, when the handle is finished the process of buffing it will darken it still more.

Only blocks of wood should be sent out for stabilizing, not shaped handles. This is my opinion based on the fact that even full sized blocks of wood display some warpage when subjected to the extreme conditions required for serious stabilizing. The warpage is of no consequence on a block of wood but could ruin a shaped handle.

If you want more color in the wood, K&G can dye the wood for you. The dye is forced all the way through the wood block........