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Thread: Dye on Rosewood Headstock Veneer

  1. #1
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    Default Dye on Rosewood Headstock Veneer

    Has anyone had an experience like I just had? I had some East Indian rosewood headstock veneer just collecting dust that I had bought for a project, but never used. I thought they (two pieces) would make a nice classy looking pickguard for a dulcimer I built. I shaped them and glued them on some time ago. Today I thought I would put a little finish on them. I used Behlen Qualasole. If you aren’t familiar with it, it is just basically shellac, alcohol, and a little oil, just an easier to use pre mixed French Polish kind of thing. This particular rosewood was purchased from a very well known luthier supply company. I didn’t think it was especially pretty but it would serve its purpose. Well, anyway, as I’m wiping on the Qualasole, I noticed brown dye coming up on the rag. A LOT of dye! Obviously, the wood had been dyed with some sort of alcohol soluable brown dye. I continued my work, and more dye came up as I wiped on the finish. I began to notice something else. That dye was concealing some really nice looking grain! The dye had the effect of obscuring the contrast of the grain pattern. I thought it looked MUCH more attractive without the dye.

    Has anyone else had this happen to them? Why would a wood supplier dye their wood to look less attractive? And don’t you think that’s something the supplier should disclose, so folks would know not to use alcohol based finish products. I’m happy with my results, but I’m sure not everyone would be!
    Don

    2016 Weber Custom Bitterroot F
    2011 Weber Bitterroot A
    1974 Martin Style A

  2. #2

    Default Re: Dye on Rosewood Headstock Veneer

    I think what you are seeing is natural in the wood. Some Indian RW is particularly susceptible to this.
    John

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Dye on Rosewood Headstock Veneer

    So the natural coloring of rosewood is alcohol soluable?
    Don

    2016 Weber Custom Bitterroot F
    2011 Weber Bitterroot A
    1974 Martin Style A

  5. #4
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dye on Rosewood Headstock Veneer

    Rub rosewood with nearly any solvent and you'll get a healthy dose of color on your rag. Alcohol, acetone, lacquer thinner, even water to some extent. I agree with John, you might be seeing color from the wood, and the finishing process is making the wood look "better". Wetting wood (with liquid, including finish) tends to highlight figure, grain and other features.

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  7. #5
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    Default Re: Dye on Rosewood Headstock Veneer

    I’ve never done anything with finish on rosewood before. I am happy to find out what I observed is natural and that the wood I bought wasn’t dyed to make it look artificially “better”.
    Don

    2016 Weber Custom Bitterroot F
    2011 Weber Bitterroot A
    1974 Martin Style A

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