Torching a stain

[fnord]

I'm going to re-stain a pipe this evening and was wondering how soon to apply my Bic after I wipe on the stain.
I was also wondering why I'm going to do this. Every staining article I've read says we're supposed to do that, but why? Does it burn the stain into the briar?

 

[mp31guitar]

I don't know what I'm talking about but, i guess it helps dry the stain. I don't know, looking forward to see the real answer though.

 

[ejames]

It supposedly "sets" the stain. Does it work? I dunno! :lol:

 

[PeriqueMyInterest]

I'm no expert but I would imagine it opens up the pores in the wood a bit and allows the stain to penetrate a bit deeper while drying it faster.

 

[cortezattic]

Every staining article I've read says...

Around here, that makes YOU the expert. :lol:

My guess is that it drives off the alcohol, or water, and nothing more. I can't see any stain being heat activated.

 

[shaintiques]

You do ot right away.

 

[ssjones]

I do it that way. Be careful to not let the stain be dripping, let it dry just a few seconds. I put the flame to a very wet stain on my first attempt and it burned part of the wood... Now, I also "poof" it out with a air blown from my mouth. It is supposed to open the pores of the wood to get the stain in deeper.

 

[cortezattic]

If torching opens the pores, why not use a hot air blower to heat the wood before you apply the stain?
Something sounds mighty screwy around here...

 

[wayneteipen]

I don't set mine on fire. You have to glob the stain on pretty fast and thick for it not to evaporate before setting it on fire. I do heat my stummels with a heat gun sometimes if I'm aiming for certain contrast stains although I find this is only really effective with water based stains because the water doesn't evaporate as quickly as the alcohol based stains.

 

[ssjones]

Thanks Wayne. I may try the heat gun approach as the flame just scares the beejesus out of me. I restained a Charatan After-Hours, with that acrylic stem extension. I thought I should keep the flame off the acrylic piece, so I taped it up, which promptly caught fire as well....bit if a fire drill getting that out and tape off... (no damage..)
I used a heat gun to warm the grain when I did the two-step stain on my recent "Selected Straight Grain" pipe. That worked well and really made the grain pop (black stain, than brown over the black).

 

[fnord]

It's been a couple of hours now and I'm not too impressed with what I've accomplished. In fact, I think it looks like shit. The stain is shiny in places and I'm guessing that's because it's still damp. The pipe has a couple of fills that are very obvious and, at this point, I'm not pleased with my handiwork.
Maybe this is typical with a first effort?
I used Minimax Wood Finish - Early American 200 from my local Ace Hardware store.

 

[wayneteipen]

I don't know any pipe makers who use Minimax Wood Finish from Ace. Most use leather dyes with Fiebings being the most popular. I prefer to mix my own and use J.E. Mosers powdered dyes.

 

[ssjones]

It must be the minwax. Just strip and start over. Once stained; i do buff with white diamond; then carnuba

 

[crpntr1]

The flame does open pours to allow stain to set as stated but minwax almost always has a wax or oil in it, sometimes poly, for the "shine" in a one step application. It wont take flame well and will do what you described every time. Leather die is best I think, bare in mind I've never stained a pipe, but lots of cabinets and furniture, I've occasionally used black brick dye, but usually to get a distressed look.