# Best way to seal white maple to keep it white?



## Mr Woody (Oct 30, 2011)

My forester gave me this small slab of music wood flame maple the other day as we scouted out the ones on my land.. I want to use it to make lovely white flame grips for 3 Scofield pistols. They come with faux ivory which IMO is kind of cheesy on such expensive revolvers. The pics are way too bright, the wood has a golden tint to it as it is just rough sawn at this point. As a sidenote I am going to possibly have a lot of the leftover wood that is too small for guitar making and I will be selling some of it to fund the new wood retail business I am starting. At that time I will have much more wood of numerous variety available to forum craftsmen and I'll become a vendor here, it's a great site. I would like an oil rubbed finish but I am open to other durable finishes if they seal the white in and are not too slick. These pictures do no justice to the beauty and variety of this piece, this is a true exotic only found on land like mine in Western WA State


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## Mr Woody (Oct 30, 2011)

Back side.. keep in mind that if you suggest a clear coating it has to be durable, these are fancy Western belt guns but I will wear them for fun sometimes, maybe even do a cowboy shoot after I learn them> I especially love the squiggly lines outside the flame patterns and may use that for the 3rd gun, a 3.5 inch "Hideout" model


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

Actually Woody, that is called quilted maple such as used on many top line guitars though it may have some flame i cant see it in the pics sorry. 

That said if you would like to make them whiter first you can use a solution of potassium permanganate followed immediately with a strong solution of sodium hypo-sulfate [photographers hypo] which will bleach without destroying the beautiful patterns inherent in the wood, if interested pm me and i will guide you through the process ok?

Now as t finish options, if it were me i would use only gloss acrylic coatings as i have done numerous times on other light or bleached woods. it can be applied very thin so as not to build as it would if full strength to look like a simulated oil and if the coating is then rubbed with mineral oil and 4/0 steel wool it will look even more so. Other advantages, will stay crystal clear and not yellow as oils or most other coatings would, easy to repair or re-coat in the future if or when necessary, nice tactile feel. 

i will let others respond as to their feelings on the matter, be sure to post pics no matter what coating road you determine to travel ok?:yes::thumbsup:

Sincerely, 

Chemmy.


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## Mr Woody (Oct 30, 2011)

chemmy said:


> Actually Woody, that is called quilted maple such as used on many top line guitars though it may have some flame i cant see it in the pics sorry.
> 
> That said if you would like to make them whiter first you can use a solution of potassium permanganate followed immediately with a strong solution of sodium hypo-sulfate [photographers hypo] which will bleach without destroying the beautiful patterns inherent in the wood, if interested pm me and i will guide you through the process ok?
> 
> ...


Quilted and flame are different critters.. this is direct from the mill operator and forester yesterday.. fiddleback is the same as flame.. the first pic is flame but it is an edge piece and pic 2 may display the quilt effect. flames begin building at the base of a tree and the quilts usually from the top, down. Both are very valuable and I learn something new every day. Thanks for the finish advice.. it should be the same for most Big Leaf Maple woods I would think and I will try a small corner patch of it, sanded, first


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

Mr Woody said:


> Quilted and flame are different critters.. this is direct from the mill operator and forester yesterday.. fiddleback is the same as flame.. the first pic is flame but it is an edge piece and pic 2 may display the quilt effect. flames begin building at the base of a tree and the quilts usually from the top, down. Both are very valuable and I learn something new every day. Thanks for the finish advice.. it should be the same for most Big Leaf Maple woods I would think and I will try a small corner patch of it, sanded, first


OK Woddy, let me see some pics after it's sanded maybe i can see the flames better then ok?

Good luck with your project ,sounds cool !!


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I would use a waterbase polyurethane, in thin applications (sprayed is best). I would not use steel wool at all, but rather synthetic microfiber pads, like Scotch-Brite. Steel wool is not recommended, even by the manufacturers, as particles can cause rusting/oxidation in the finish.









 







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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

Strange, What manufacturers water base manufacturers? that does not apply to solvent base that i know of? If your not using it for between coat smoothing, but only as a last step after all the finish is applied and cured, how would it imbed in the finish? or are you talking something different again that i'm taking wrongly?


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## Mr Woody (Oct 30, 2011)

chemmy said:


> OK Woddy, let me see some pics after it's sanded maybe i can see the flames better then ok?
> 
> Good luck with your project ,sounds cool !!


I will do a small corner patch and get back to y'all


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