Author Topic: Anybody else making their own stain? Ever try ipe shavings/chips for stain?  (Read 1474 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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I was wondering if ipe makes a good stain? I have a bucket full of raspings and shavings that I was thinking of trying to boil the tannins out of to make a stain. I also have a good amount of bloodwood that is too twisted to make anything but handles and smaller things out of, so I might take a chunk of that and try it out too. Also, if you do just water with the stain, will it go bad? Should I try some turpentine in the mix?... Well if anyone is curious, if ain't nobody tried it yet, I guess I will. I am thinking though it is gonna stink the house up, osage smells bad enough when your boiling a bit pot of it...  ;D I am only gonna use it for leather really.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Marc St Louis

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I was degreasing some Bloodwood for an arrow project years ago using alcohol.  As I watched the red colored alcohol dripping on the ground I got the idea of collecting it. I was able to collect close to a cup of dark red liquid which I let evaporate.  Never did anything with it but I was left with a maybe a TBS of thick  red dye.  I don't know if hot water would work on the Bloodwood but alcohol sure works well
Home of heat-treating, Corbeil, On.  Canada

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Offline Pat B

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I put ipe shavings in a mason jar and added denatured alcohol to fill the jar. That was 6 or 8 years ago and the alcohol has barely changed color.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Thesquirrelslinger

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maybe use acetone, or even turpentine.
I doubt water would do much.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Offline toomanyknots

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maybe use acetone, or even turpentine.
I doubt water would do much.

I might try the turpentine. I have read that blood wood is used in some commercial dyes, I'm thinking the end result might look pick though?  :)
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair