Has anybody used purple heart for a riser or a knife handle? I just used it for a knife handle and it is not very purple. I was very purple when I cut it out but after sanding and using tung oil, it looks like walnut.
I had the same thing happen on a bow riser. I never put a finish on it and in a couple of days it was purple again dont know why but it happened
Like osage it will darken over time.They make a product to help it from changing.I think the UV rays turns it faster so a finish with a blocker in it will help.
I used it for a knife handle. Used tung oil, then Tru-Oil. Those products will darken wood. Mine looks more like rosewood now.
Purple heart seems to darken much faster than osage. That's just the way it is, it is still very nice looking when "seasoned".
Dan
Purple heart turns purple with light. Just a regular flourescent shop light will work over night. Go down in the morning and flip it over, SURPRISE! :eek:
it also oxidizes; it should be sealed relatively quickly after sanding or it darkens...
and i would guess the oil doesn't help; sealing it with an epoxy or fullerplast/thunderbird should help out a bit...
look at recurves.com and there should be some pics of purpleheart risers, along with some at navajobows.com
see ya,
marc
when you don't loose the color you really have something beautiful.
sunlight!!!!!!!!!!!!! even after the finish is applied?
Here is a pic of my purple heart riser (Chek-Mate Kings Pawn):
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/BobCo/Riser2.jpg)
purple heart and yellow heart,
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/jgbennett6/DSCN0652.jpg)
Purpleheart accent on my Cocobolo and Zebrawood Blacktail.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/Blutck/Blkt001.jpg)
beautiful. My knife handle is not nearly so bright purple.
Hey RGK, here is a knife I just made with bloodwood in the handle. On the last knife I made, it had a small bloodwood stripe and the thunderbird epoxy turned it purple. It has kind of an irridesent look. I liked it so I wanted to see how an entire handle would look. The first picture shows it with the first light coat of epoxy. The second picture is how it looks finshed. What a difference. It looks to change colors in different light.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/mikebaker/DSCF0566.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/mikebaker/DSCF0574.jpg)