QUESTION ON BIRDSEYE MAPLE

I HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS BIRDSEYE MAPLE ON A KNIFE BUT HE WANTS THE HANDLE LEFT AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE [COLOR WISE]. I HAVE HEARD YOU SHOULD STAIN IT TO GET THE "EYE" GRAINS TO SHOW.IS THERE A VERY LIGHT COLORED STAIN THAT WILL WORK OR HOW DO I DO IT.ALSO HOW CAN I STABILIZE IT WITHOUT A VACUUM SYSTEM.I HAVE NEVER WORKED THIS WOOD BEFORE.
THANKS ,
LARRY

Larry,

One option is to send the wood to Mike at Wood Stabilizing Specialists and they can do the stabilizing for you. They can be found on the web at:
http://www.stabilizedwood.com/

Otherwise, I have seen several people post on different mixtures they prefer for sealing handles. You may look there.

A third option: have you considered 100% tung oil? It might just give you the finish you were looking for...and be durable enough. The place I purchase mine is at:
www.woodcraft.com

Hope this helps,
Chris

Larry,

Though staining can give a nice look to bird's eye maple, your customer must not prefer it. If it was me, I would leave it off.

I agree with having the maple stabilized. Maple is not a very stabile wood and benefits greatly from the stabilizing process.
I have used WSSI and always had good luck with them.

Gary

I have used tung oil in my woodworking projects and it really brings out the figure in the wood. If you don't want to darken it much at all then that's what I would try.

Stabilized wood is something I would like to learn more about though. Is it done after the piece is already shaped, or before?

Russ

Tung oil has worked well on maple for me before. Found mine at walmart. The thing to remember with the tung oil is it is a surface treatment and will have to be reapplied often. Stabilizing is a permanant treatment and is not going to allow the wood to discolor nor will it require much care in the future. 12.00 a pound may sound like alot for wood treatment, but how much is it worth not having the knife come back with a complaint about the furnature?

Steve
Double S Custom