Introduction (according to house rules)
I am a US Marine currently stationed in Germany. I brougth some mahogany back from a recent trip to Africa, and it has open pores, and the beutiful interlocking grain. I am making a humidor for a friend, and have done a reasonable job of hand cut dovetails, but I am still much a novice.
I have subscribed to FWW for 5 years now, but have never used the forum. I would like to finish the Mahagony, but the test pieces I have stained look too “crayola” red, or dull black/grey. I didn’t want a high-gloss thick coat finish, but something that had a hand-rubbed look. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Replies
I have finished a lot of mahogany, with results ranging from fair to outstanding. I no longer use any kind of pigment stains, instead I sometimes use aniline dyes, which can create any color and won’t obscure the grain. The problem is mahogany will darken over time, so what looks good today may be too dark in several years. Some people place the completed piece in the sun, and this is effective, but must be done with care as the sun can cause severe warping. I finally settled on a chemical treatment that uses hydrated lime and water, which gives a clear very stable color, but does come out pretty red. This redness can be overcome with some green dye. After the dye is dry, apply some oil to bring out the depth of grain. To get the best finish the grain will have to be filled, with a paste wood filler. For a topcoat, on something like your project, shellac would be my first choice, or padding lacquer. Either will result in a thin finish that looks and feels great. Jeff Jewitt had an article on finishing mahogany in the August 2003 issue of Fine Woodworking ( #164)
Rob Millard
Thanks so much for taking the time to give such a thorough answer. I likely have that back issue. Thanks again!
Brett
I am a US Marine currently stationed in Germany.
Geeee Just Army Armord Artillary here''' LONG ago... Ya guys used us for target practice!
Hang in there Guy/Gal.. Things get better.. THANK YOU for the service you give..
I finish a lot of mahogany and don't use any stains or dyes at all. The wood is already very nicely colored (except for some Brazilian strains). I started using a new set of products from Montour. They have some fast drying but traditional finishes that would be great for a humidor. Their fast drying linseed oil is excellent and they have a wax/oil mixture called Carnoil that works great on darker woods like Mahogany (seals the pores well so that it would likely stand up to to humidity). You can locate them at http://www.montourwax.com although you might find them in stores around you.
Brian
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