Another cherry stain question

Reading the previously posted thread entitiled "Need to stain cherry to dark cherry" jogged my memory or maybe my imagination. I swear I remember a product being advertised that permanently darkened cherry and was not a stain or dye. I was a chemical reaction IIRC and prevented the cherry from darkening further over time and left it a deep antique cherry color. I googled and didn't find anything. Am I imagining this or does it actually exist?

Reply to
Mike in Arkansas
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Are you thinking of lye? There have been many threads on the subject in the past. Here's a re-LYE-able source post from May 15, 1998:

"Its done by dissolving between 1-5 teaspoons of sodium hydroxide (Red Devil Lye) in water and applying the solution to the wood. Wear all sorts of safety stuff as this is corrosive and splashes in your eye will really hurt.

Practice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on samples first and neutralize the lye with white vinegar afterwards.

Jeff Jewitt Homestead Finishing Products"

Reply to
Nova

And it looks pretty much like you would expect wood to look after it had been treated with lye.

Reply to
Toller

Potassium dichromate

Reply to
ROY!

Well I could have sworn that it was a commercially available product and that I had seen it described in one of the wood magazines. And that I was standing reading it at Lowes magazine rack. Oh well, I guess having an imagination is not bad. Wish my memory was better :)

Reply to
Mike in Arkansas

Was it "Old Growth Aging and Staining Solutions for Wood"?

I also remember this product being advertised. I can now find reviews

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I can't find the product.

Reply to
Nova

I'm guessing you haven't actually done it, then, or if you did -- you used waaaaay too much.

The degree of darkening depends on the strength of the solution, how much solution is applied to the wood, and how long it's left on there before being treated with vinegar (or water).

Reply to
Doug Miller

Thanks Jack. That is kind of familiar. Must have been what I read about although it seems the review I saw was specifically about cherry. I notice the link that was supplied in the reviews to Woodworkers supply mentions that orders are limited to available stock. May not have been a successful product.

Reply to
Mike in Arkansas

sodium hydroxide. Do not get this stuff on your skin or in your eyes. Even with this, you won't get the desirable dark patina you get from naturally-aged cherry.

Reply to
Phisherman

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