Aqua Fortis and Lye on Walnut, An Experiment

[The Crisco Kid]

I didn't blush the lye, just swabbed it on. I did ask Kiblers to throw in a few scrap pieces of cherry for me to experiment on which they did. I started out with a lye solution that turned the wood redder than I wanted it and then diluted it until it looked right to me. This was the solution that I put on the stock. Thanks to Kiblers for being so easy to work with.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I didn't blush the lye, just swabbed it on. I did ask Kiblers to throw in a few scrap pieces of cherry for me to experiment on which they did. I started out with a lye solution that turned the wood redder than I wanted it and then diluted it until it looked right to me. This was the solution that I put on the stock. Thanks to Kiblers for being so easy to work with.

It's interesting how the color is darker at the butt plate. I figured you blushed the darker areas. Thanks for the help as I will be finishing mine soon I hope.

 

[TDM]

I was going to ask about that too to see if you used bone black.

 

[vintovka]

I was going to ask about that too to see if you used bone black.

Same here. I think it looks great!!

 

[HighUintas]

As far as strong bases vs strong acids and their reactivity with other substances, it depends entirely on the chemical, it's concentration, and the material it's in contact with. Lye will react with the zinc that is in brass. Any oxidation from getting it on inlays or patchboxes should be removable.

The iron nitrate that Kibler sells is not highly acidic. It's really just a solution of iron nitrate in water. The term aqua fortis actually refers to nitric acid, which is a strong acid and extremely corrosive to many substances. So, Kibler's iron nitrate solution does not need to be neutralized. If you put it into inlets, it's possible it can promote corrosion to metal parts in there because of the iron ions that are in the wood in contact with the metal. Not because it is strongly acidic, because it's not.

 

[vintovka]

I used the Wakon bay stuff. It did not show signs of anything but a very, very weak solution. In Kibler 's fine videos hes applying it bare handed like water.

 

[Billy Boy]

Throughout history, is lye a tried and true method for coloring wood?

Any ill effects or degradation from using lye on wood?

I used homemade aqua fortis on a 3/8ths red oak dowel. The untreated portion of the rod bent nicely. The treated portion snaped like glass with no flexing. I was surprised. Made me wonder how brittle stocks are after using aqua fortis as a grain enhancer.

Lye being caustic will counteract the effect - neutralize - the aquafortis which is acidic.

 

[vintovka]

No problem with the small amount of AF but devil of time neutralizing my old formula Plum Brown -- Sheesh!!

 

[Trapper Scott]

No problem with the small amount of AF but devil of time neutralizing my old formula Plum Brown -- Sheesh!!

I had the same problem with some plum brown I used on a cap lock kit. Rust just kept layering up.

 

[Centurion]

I played around a bit once with a solution of one pad of 0000 steel wool in apple cider vinegar - the wool will dissolve over time and the solution will turn oak black. Supposedly it was called (oddly enough) “blackening” and was used to blacken furniture, when that was popular, prior to finishung. I don’t want to turn a stock blask but i wonder if this would bring out whatever grain is present in a plain jane Jukar stick before saning and staining. I was hoping tha AF would do both jobs at once. I, too, like a dark red. Will this still require stain? Thanks for the replies!

don

 

[vintovka]

I had the same problem with some plum brown I used on a cap lock kit. Rust just kept layering up.

Had to pull last 3 projects apart and use a strong mix of water and baking soda to neutralize brown. Allowed a contact time of 15 minutes too. It is not unusual to have 99% humidity readings much of time here at coast. Working so far.