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I am starting an all mahogany 000 and want a bit more colour than the wood has naturally so want to stain.
How do I do this and keep from colouring bindings etc
Should I just use plastic for everything, and a waterbased stain?
Probably going to use tortoise binding anyhow.
thanks
Jeff

You mean you want your mahogany to be darker red? or do you want it to go brown?

First take some naphtha and wet the mahogany to make sure you need to stain it. Mahogany goes much deeper red in color when sealed and finish is applied so the naphtha gives a good idea of the color under finish. Also mahogany will oxidize over time and become darker with a bit more brown hue. That said Martin and other use an oil based stain on their mahogany to make it brown. What ever stain you use you can apply shellac t the binding and purfling prior to staining and scrape the shellac off afterwards.

Thanks Michael,
I have already tried some tru-oil on a scrap area and it is a fairly pale tan colour not really red or brown. Looking to colour it to approach a martin brown shade rather than the guild reddish shade.
How do I apply shellac to bindings and purfllings and to the rosette without sealing the adjacent areas.
I know how to scrape bingings, but how to scrape the rosette?
regards
Jeff

Use fine artist hair brush on purfling and q-tip on binding. if gets on the wood to be stained, carefully scrape back with a razor. I would use a 1# cut of shellac. Shellac will not penetrate the fibers of the wood so it is easy to scrape back.

Potassium dichromate?

_________________
"It's a Tone Faerie thing"
"Da goal is to sharpen ur wit as well as ye Sgian Dubh"
"Sippin Loch Dhu @Black lake" ,Kirby O...

he means to stain with (actually rapid and sever ozidation)

Thanks, I will do the shellac masking.
Jeff