Thread: How to finish stripey maple

I am putting together a little pairing knife for my mother for Mothers Day. I have things mostly done, but am wondering how I should finish the wood.

I'm pretty familiar with CA, but am not too sure if the high gloss of CA is the best to show off the shine and glitter of the wood. I was thinking of using either tung oil or wipe on poly (semi gloss), but have not used either product.

Anyone have an opinion on how I should finish this wood for the best results?

Figured woods are a finisher's nightmare if the piece does anything but sit there.

First things first, the handle of a kitchen knife requires a hard, water and wear resistant finish. This would lead me to recommend the wipe on poly.

Figured woods respond best to oils and other penetrating finishes, so tung oil would be best in that respect.

I would use a danish oil if you want something simple. That will bring out the figure like an oil but protect a little better against water than tung oil.

Personally, I'd do a colored tung oil finish, then wash coat with shellac and top coat with a semi gloss poly or thin epoxy finish. However, this requires the right products, patience and experience.

Dan has some great info for you there. One thing I'd add is that you can do some things to really pop the figure and then finish with a protective coat like a poly or something else like that.

If you get some dark brown wood dye (like an analine dye) and some amber or lighter dye, with a cloth dye the wood dark, then when the dye is set sand lightly with 220 or 320 until the dye is only still showing up a bit in the grain.

Then use your lighter colored dye on top of that. Guitar makers do this to intensify their figured woods, it works really well. The figure will pop like crazy, then you can finish with a clear poly or something like that. Just my 2 cents.

Dave


BTW here is one site where this guy shows pictures of his two step dye process... you can do this for any color you want.... take a look, just scroll down the page to see the pictures and explanation.

Two step dying tutorial

I am just finishing a set of scales in the Tiger Maple... I however don't really believe in dyes myself but that is a personal thing...

I used Permalyn sealer and stock finish on these, pics will be in the Gallery after work tonight...

did you google tiger or curlly maple finish
there are a ton of really nice ways to finish it
bill moran did some fine work with maple

J Neilson also has some nice work
Hunters/Trackers
nice looking finish on this chair
http://www.bissellwoodworking.com/ch...-amber-350.jpg

i ll look over the net a bit and find the link that has a few different ways to get different shades and hard use finishes

Originally Posted by L R Harner

did you google tiger or curlly maple finish

+1

I'd just add flamed and fiddle back maple to that list