Replies

1. 
   saschafer | Dec 06, 2007 06:09pm | #1

   I haven't tried it myself, but hydrogen peroxide might work.

   You may also want to try Gloves in a Bottle, a cream that you apply before exposing your hands to whatever. It makes it a lot easier to wash off any contaminants afterwards. You can get it from Lee Valley, and probably lots of other places as well.

   -Steve

    

1. 
   Eef | Feb 11, 2010 02:27pm | #7

   steve!
   why, i was thinkin'
   steve!

   why, i was thinkin' about you just the other day. getting some interesting birds through here of late. spring has come quite early this year. also, we had an ENORMOUS forest fire in the angeles national this past summer and i suspect the birds are having to search more cityscapes for food.

   eef

   edit: i just looked up and saw how old this post is. i've been faked out several times by this. it's a bit unsettling...

   hope you're doing well steve.

   good to see you.

   eef

2. 
   ErnieConover | Dec 07, 2007 04:17am | #2

   Although I had a vague idea of the chemistry or your problem, I had to give my good friend Boyd Hutchinson, who holds a doctorate in forestry a call on the specifics. As you suspect the stain is caused by the tannin in the wood reacting with the acid in you skin. Certain woods, most notably oak, always cause it. Green wood causes it more readily than dry. Certain people are more prone to it, probably because of a higher acid content in their skin.

   I have used alcohol (denatured and externally) to remove stain with some success. I would think washing your hands frequently during carving would ameliorate the problem because there would be less acid. Using enough alcohol (natural and internally)and dim lighting makes it so you hardly notice the stain. Therefore, at dinner burn candles and ply your friends with drinks. Bumpers all around!

   With best regards,
   Ernie Conover

1. 
   dwd | Dec 08, 2007 11:49pm | #3

   Excellent suggestions from both Ernie and Steve. Thanks to you both.
   Steve: I have never heard of Gloves in a bottle and will have to investigate it.
   Ernie: Thanks for the lessons in chemistry (both physical and personal)!- dwIf anyone else has any ideas, I'll try just about anything!

3. 
   dwd | Jan 20, 2010 08:11pm | #4

   Sorry it's taken so long to
   Sorry it's taken so long to post this but...

   Last Year I found out that Lemon Juice or Lime Juice will remove these stains almost immediately. Now, I just keep a fresh lime by the sink. When I'm done for the day, I just cut a wedge off of the lime and rub my hands with it. Stains gone!

   Hope this helps anyone else fighting this issue.

   - dw

1. 
   BruceS | Feb 11, 2010 08:54am | #5

   Being an old sour puss myself, I'll confirm your lemon juice trick. Have been using that method for years and have made the same post a long time ago.

2. 
   Eef | Feb 11, 2010 02:28pm | #8

   hey man, don't sweat it. it's
   hey man, don't sweat it. it's only been three years-well worth the wait.

   eef

1. 
   KeithNewton | Mar 18, 2010 09:08am | #9

   Another thing about the lemon juice

   When working with green wood, I will sometimes knock the bark off with a hammer by striking the bark with a glancing blow, when it is too tight to just pry off. However, this will leave a bruise which turns brown on some woods like maple. When I want to keep a nice clean natural surface, I fill a spray bottle with real-lemon juice, to spray the surface of the wood soon after cleaning up a patch. You have to do it asap, because if you wait too long, doesn't work. It will prevent the browning, but not remove it.

   I discovered this over twenty hears ago while stripping a big maple tree which became the core for a circular stair. I remembered that my Mom used lemon to prevent bananas from turning brown in her ambrosia fruit-salad.  

4. 
   trialnut | Feb 11, 2010 09:00am | #6

   Fast Orange hand cleaner, made by Permatex. Available at any auto parts store. Wonderful stuff.

   Rich