# Darkening maple with potassium permangenate?



## JohnZIII (Mar 23, 2008)

Good day.
I am in the process of making hand guards and rifle stocks and was told about a process by which you can turn maple dark by using potassium permangenate. This darkens the open grain and leaves the tight grian showing close to the original grain color, but somewhat darker.
I would appreciate the benefit of your experience.

Thank you.


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

Not sure that i've head that before. I have used potassium dichromate to darken mahogany.
I have tried it on maple but it didn't look too good. Very splotchy


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

This is a strong oxidizer and it isn't particularly dangerous but it should be used with caution. I generally avoid using chemical stains. The biggest problem with them is that they may be irreversible. If you get the wood too dark or or the wrong color you are stuck with it. A better alternative is available with trans tint dyes. With these you can imitate any color produced by chemical stains. But always experiment on scrap before applying to the project.


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## tenontim (Feb 24, 2008)

Potassium permangenate will darken most hardwoods. I've never tried it on maple. Depending on how dark you are trying to get it, potassium dichromate followed by a logwood abstract solution, will turn maple a deep chocolate color. Be careful with the sanding dust from potassium dichromate, it will irritate you lungs.


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## MyronW (Sep 25, 2007)

Don't let the potassium permanganate come in contact with any organic fluids, like glycerin, or you will have a very hot fire on your hands.
Just for fun, look at this experiment with the potassium permanganate. Don't try it at home- you could burn the joint down.

Or google "thermite"


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## JohnZIII (Mar 23, 2008)

Thanks, MyronW, for the heads up. I sure don't want to cause any more problems than I already have.
Setting my projects on fire would be rather counter productive to say the least.
I really didn't know about that and do appreciate the warning.
That's partly why I asked here, because I figured that if there was a down side that someone would speak up.

I'll have to look into potassium dichromate but if the chemical stains look to be damgerous I may just drop that idea altogether. Just thought the results would be nice.


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## rikkor (Oct 17, 2007)

I don't want anything around that can burn that hot.


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## acanthuscarver (Mar 27, 2008)

Potassium permanganate isn't color fast. On maple GaryK is right, it makes it splotchy. If you throw it out in direct sunlight for any length of time, the color will fade. Ketucky rifle makers sometimes used ferrous nitrate to color curly maple stocks. Potassium dichromate doesn't change the color of maple much at all. It makes it just a bit more beige. Unlike permanganate, however, dichromate is color fast. If you put it on and don't like it, you'll have to sand it off. Make sure you're wearing a respirator.


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## jcees (Dec 31, 2007)

Instead of chemistry experiments, I'd opt for colorfast dyes. Some of the NGR types are now colorfast. I'm not sure which brand but that would be the way I'd go in any production situation.

Are you actually making gun stocks out of maple? Sounds like you'd end up with a rather weighty stock.

always,
J.C.


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## JohnZIII (Mar 23, 2008)

jcees,
I am actually making Yugoslavian AK-47 fixed stocks, upper & lower handguards, and pistol grips.
They don't add up to much weight in that application.
I've made some Yugo "furniture" last week that I have pictures of.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture24-1.jpg

Here is a shot of the fixed stock and fat pistol grip.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture211-1.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture26-1.jpg

[http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture27.jpg
This particular piece is structurally sound, but the second fixed stock developed a slight crack along a dark streak in the wood. I knew it would probably develop but had to try. It was my last piece of fifteen year old cherry. I coated it with one coat of Tru-Oil just for pictures on another forum, but this stock I didn't bother to sand to 120 grit like the first. The crack nearly healed itself with the one coat of Tru-Oil. If I'd known it wasn't that bad I might have tried to open the crack a little , put some glue in it and clamp it .

The dark spot on the pistol grip is actually a little void that I imagine would fillin with whatever is used for the finish. I've done that before. Fill and sand. Fill and sand until it is even with the surface.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture214.jpg

Here is a shot of an older stock made the regular way(comb on top).

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture23.jpg

Here is a regular, one inch wide pistol grip in cherry. Thumb rest on the side for right handers.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture210.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture211.jpg
Doesn't have to be exotics or much sought after patterned wood. Just solid.
I live in the extreme northeastern part of Ohio, so if anyone knows of a source that I can drive to it would be greatly appreciated. 
The pieces would have to be at least 7"long x 5" high x 3" wide for the handguards I make.
And 12-13" long x 3" wide x 6-7" high for the fixed stocks.
The reason I was able to get the 15 year old cherry is that a friend of mine cut down a tree that many years ago and hasn't been able to do anything with it. Cut with a chain saw these are monstrous, monolithic chunks of cherry. Unfortunately it is not all good as far as checking is concerned. I have cut many pieces into furniture only to find cracks after getting so far along in the process. perhaps if the ends of the "monoliths" had been sealed it might have made a difference.

Anyway, I need wood. People are crying for this kind of thing, and I am stuck in limbo.


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## JohnZIII (Mar 23, 2008)

Well, there seems to be something amis with the picture thingy.
The images won't come up. And they have not been moved or deleted.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/USMCE4retired/Picture25-3.jpg

Yeah! There we go.
I will fix the pics in the above post.


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