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I'm contemplating my next build and I like the idea of Bloodwood binding on a Walnut/Englemann Spruce instrument. I'm a bit concerned about the color "bleeding" (pardon the necessary pun ) from the binding into the various woods. I hope to finish the whole thing in tinted danish oil, and it will be hand rubbed.

I've used bloodwood several times and never had any bleed problem. I haven't used it with walnut, but it is my favorite on koa or tasmanian blackwood or curly white oak.

On walnut I like curly maple.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I bound a spalted maple fretboard with bloodwood, no bleeding.
Padauk bleeds, bloodwood doesn;t seem to in my experience.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

Ian - IF your finish is going to be Danish Oil then you won't need to seal the bloodwood. Not enough solvent in that stuff to cause the bleeding you speak of. BUT - do a test anyway. White cloth dabbed in some Danish Oil...rub it on a strip of bloodwood and see how red the white cloth gets...apply it the same way you would apply to any other piece of furniture or otherwise...but don't try and MAKE it bleed. BTW I think Waterlox sealer and finish would be a better choice but that's just me thinking out loud.

Chris

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

I've never had bleeding with bloodwood. Only recomendation is bending the bloodwood binding on high heat,,with little water..I bend on a pipe..Get it good and hot..some pieces depending on how its cut or something just snap easily.

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

If you have runont, it will break. If you have nice Q-sawn pieces, wihtout runout, then it will bend easily, with lot of heat and a bit of water.

+1 with shellac sealing before anything. Checkout your glueing too. If you glue with CA, you'll have more bleeding issues than with PVA or Hide glue.

Francis

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

Never had any bleediing issues with bloodwood either, bending has been straightforward too, nothing fancy or different, bent easy for me on numerous occasions.

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Gwaltney Guitars

Love the stuff. Bent easily for me and looks great. No bleeding with me.....not that a band aid wouldn't take care of.

kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

I recently bought a nice piece of bloodwood from the local hardwood store'
ripped it into bindings, broke off a piece, and found pretty major runout.
I broke the first try, then made 8 more pieces succesfully, for 2 projects,
1 with serious tight bends.
I used a terry towel soaked with water over a hot pipe.
Steamy affair! It turned to rubber.
I'll let ya know if it bleeds.
Gonna be a while though.

Looks like I'll be okay then. Thanks guys

I've had bleeding problems with Bloodwood. Bled when I wiped on a coat of shellac, of all things. It was totally unexpected and stained the curly maple purfling next to it a light pink in the flame. Took a bit of sanding to remove . If you do initial light sealing sprays or seal the lighter woods first with shellac and then come back and seal the Bloodwood you should be OK. You could also surround it something that will not stain as easily as maple.

Tim