Tried Something New

[caryc]

This is a set of White Oak grips. This is nice tight grained wood for oak. I mixed up a special red dye and applied it with an air brush prior to the Tru Oil finish.

This was just an experiment but I really like these grips. I think they really look cool with the blued gun. I'm interested in opinions, good or bad.

 

[Hammerdown77]

Simply stunning!

 

[RonEgg]

Looks great, Cary. I think you have another winner.

 

[J Miller]

My wife said: They're gorgeous, they're different.

I agree.

Joe

 

[Knuckles]

They're kind of ugly............................. NOT!





............... awesome CaryC.

 

[flhr62]

I say good

 

[Heliman]

I think they are beautiful......

Dave

 

[Snake45]

Very, VERY pretty! I've got reddish stains on several of my gunstocks and they look great.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Pretty neat.

How tuff do you think that finish will be?

Any particular reason you couldn't just kinda slather the dye on? Is the air brush necessary?

How does this compare to the appearance of "red heart" wood?

Gonna try other colors?

Just curious.

 

[caryc]

Pretty neat.

How tuff do you think that finish will be?

The red dye is applied to the wood first. Then my standard Tru Oil finish is put on.

Any particular reason you couldn't just kinda slather the dye on? Is the air brush necessary?

The reason I used the air brush is because I can apply the red dye to the desired color that I want. With the first light coat they started out looking pink. The more I air brushed them the darker the red got. I think applying it with a brush would just give more or less one color and might be blotchy also. The dye is in an alcohol carrier.

How does this compare to the appearance of "red heart" wood?

I like the grain in this wood better than red heart.

Gonna try other colors?

I really hadn't thought about trying any other colors. The only reason I tried the red is because I have an old Uberti SAA black powder that has reddish tinted grips on it and I like them.

Just curious.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Do you let the individual sprayed-on coats dry to observe the development of the color?

I'd think with the alcohol carrier they would dry pretty quickly.

Apparently the dye is essentially transparent because the grain shows nicely.

 

[caryc]

Do you let the individual sprayed-on coats dry to observe the development of the color?

I'd think with the alcohol carrier they would dry pretty quickly.

They actually dry in about 30 seconds. So you pretty much see the color right away.

Apparently the dye is essentially transparent because the grain shows nicely.

The dye is very transparent. That's why I chose it over a water based dye. Those can be very opaque covering up the grain. There is only about 25 drops of dye in about 2 1/2" ounces of alcohol so when that alcohol evaporates, there is not much there. I probably sprayed maybe a half ounce of the mix on those grips. It's a highly concentrated dye.

 

[Slanteyedshootist]

Very nice job. The red really pops with the blued gun.

 

[deserttrans]

I like very much. Nice contrast too.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

One more question and I'll give it a rest . . .

Does the oil take the dye into the wood as you rub it in? I would imagine so, but . . .

 

[Stoots]

VERY nice!

 

[caryc]

One more question and I'll give it a rest . . .

Does the oil take the dye into the wood as you rub it in? I would imagine so, but . . .

That one I really can't answer since I don't exactly know. But, I don't expect anything to happen to the dye since it has the protective coating of the Tru Oil.

But as I was air brushing the dye on the wood, it seemed to be sinking in fast at first, then less as I finally got to the color I wanted.

 

[deac45]

Nice work! I've used bloodwood/tru-oil for several knife handles and really like the reddish color I get, but...bloodwood is a very straight grained wood and I've always wanted the color on some wood that had some charachter to the grain. I've got to go do some 'sperimentin' now!

deac45

 

[ToniDaTyga]

Beautiful!

 

[caryc]

Nice work! I've used bloodwood/tru-oil for several knife handles and really like the reddish color I get, but...bloodwood is a very straight grained wood and I've always wanted the color on some wood that had some charachter to the grain. I've got to go do some 'sperimentin' now!

deac45

Exactly what I was going for. I wanted the color on a wood grain that I liked.

The colored woods like yellow heart, purple heart, red heart don't have much nice grain to them. Rather straight grained as you said.