Using Coffee or Tea to Stain Wood for Detail

[Ashley Cawley]

I've not done much coffee staining to bring out detail, I have tried a few things to stain whole projects like Coffee, Tea & burning/sanding but never to bring out detail like on Fish's handle that he customised...


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8445/7970821390_bfff56f6a8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/9228131@N07/7970821390/)
kolrossing (http://www.flickr.com/photos/9228131@N07/7970821390/) by fishfish_01 (http://www.flickr.com/people/9228131@N07/), on Flickr

So I thought I'd post this thread so we could discuss staining using Coffee, Tea or other methods to bring out detail in wood.

Any recommendations on how to bring out detail like the picture above? I take it you must rub coffee into the notches and then wipe the rest clean?

[f0rm4t]

Really nice Ash! T^
I'm sure fish used yellow flame residue/soot to stain his bone inset piece for a knife handle. That was pretty awesome too.

[AL...]

Thats a stunner of a knife!!
I have used Coffee to stane spoons and Catapults I put 4 spoons of Coffee into a big jar fill it with water and shove the spoon of Catapult into it and leave for 3 days for the colour to seep into the wood.
It works good.

Cheers
AL

[Ashley Cawley]

Really nice Ash!It's fish's knife & work :)


...I have used Coffee to stane spoons and Catapults I put 4 spoons of Coffee into a big jar fill it with water and shove the spoon of Catapult into it and leave for 3 days for the colour to seep into the wood. It works good.Thanks for the input Al.

Have you ever tried using Coffee just to enhance detail?

[AL...]

No Ash I havent but I think I might give it a go next spoon or Bowl I make mate . I like the Idea of that.

Cheers
AL

[Ashley Cawley]

No Ash I havent but I think I might give it a go next spoon or Bowl I make mate . I like the Idea of that.I'm working on a set of salad spoons, I'm thinking of adding some darkened detail to it, would love to do a nice Celtic design but I'm pants when it comes to arty-farty stuff.

[AL...]

Sounds good Ash and I know what ye mean about the arty stuff!! I cant draw a straght line with a ruler.
I realy take my hat off to guys like our very own Mr Fish :D
Hope to see the salad set when yer done.

Cheers
AL

[moontanboy]

Wow, I'd be chuffed to get any symmetrical patterns in my beginner carving, let alone staining. Looks great though

[paul standley]

Wow, I'd be chuffed to get any symmetrical patterns in my beginner carving, let alone staining. Looks great though

X 2 - Lovely detail work...

[moontanboy]

But if I wanted to burn detail I guess a solder iron would do the trick.

[bikebum1975]

Stunning work I have done some crude by Fishes standrards of kolorising just using a bit of cinnmon rubbed into the work does a nice job not sure how long it lasts though but looks nice. that has to be the single most stunning piece I have seen yet

[paulthefish2009]

So why doesn't the stain bleed into the surrounding wood? Paul

[Chubbs]

Come on Justin, we are all intrigued mate.

Any chance you can explain this excellent process.

[CanadianMike]

Could always use crushed walnut shells, is often used to dye fabric.... I've tried high concentrations of coffee/tea and never had much luck with either.

[biker-bri]

Vinegar and steel wool makes a good if somewhat smelly stain for wood as well as leather.
use interlocking circles - like a number 8 sideways to make a basic Celtic patten and remember that its meant to look hand drawn
not produced by a computer, you just get better the more you do - Justin's work on wood and bone is awesome but how long did it take him to reach that standard I'v been trying for years
and still find Celtic knot work very hard - a series of XXXXXXXXXXXXXX work well to, just round of the tops & bottoms to make an equaly wavy ine
If I can help in any way just SHOUT Cheers Bri

[bushcraftybob]

anyone got any good videos on SIMPLE pattern carving for the TOTAL beginner?

[LeifAnders]

Hi Guys, I'm new to this forum,

The Sami in Lappland use the inner brown bark from birch in their cut pattern. They dry it and grind to a powder and mix it with saliva, fill it in and dry the excess off. Alder bark is also supposed to work. Go to google and make a serch for "knivar renhorn" then klick images to see some very nice horn carved knives and sheats.

Regards

[Sylvanbilly]

anyone got any good videos on SIMPLE pattern carving for the TOTAL beginner?

+1 for this
Great post thanks for getting me hooked, it's getting that time of year when the garage beckons and the projects get started again.

[midas]

Hi leif,Welcome to the forum,and my :campfire: