Contrast Staining

[The Smoking Yeti]

"Start a new thread asking Kurt about his contrast stain method. Expect Bruce and Sas to jump on you, but don't worry, they're harmless." -Anonymous Man

So yeah, I'm looking to improve the consistency and depth in my contrast stains. I'd love to know what you guys can offer as advice. Especially Kurt, cus' I really need more guidance on my finish work.

Don't eat me Sas.

[TRS]

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5029

A couple people describe their method in this post. At the bottom of the first page is a post by Todd Johnson that details exactly how to get a great contrast stain. Try it, it works.

[Sasquatch]

Contrast staining requires mad skillz, hot girlz, and voodoo.

First, load your BST pipe with Club Blend, but do not light it.

Get a pint glass. Fill it about half way with ice. Second, measure (you MUST measure or you are just a drunk) 3 or 4 ounces of Sailor Jerry into the pint glass. Fill to the rim with coke.

Once in the shop with a pint of rum and coke, light your BST pipe, tamp, and have a swig of the drink.

Actually, now that I look at this, it reads more like instructions for a Rum and Coke and a pipeful of Club. Two fantastic ideas if I do say so myself. But we are really no nearer a contrast stain.

I basically use Bruce's method, and I dunno how he feels about putting it in public, particularly because of the extensive use of endangered animals and the quasi-legality of using cocaine as a polishing powder.

[taharris]

Sas is in rare form today boys!

[Sasquatch]

I'm just taking some pictures of the process I'm using right now - will post tomorrow when the pipe is done.

[Alden]

taking some pictures of the process right now - will post tomorrow when the 8 Ball is done.

Fixed it for you. ( and you should know, an 8 Ball never lasts as long as you think it will)

[Sasquatch]

Well, I don't even know what an 8-ball is, but you're right, it didn't last long.

Schtep vonne:

Schtainink ferry keavy:



Schtep next:

Schanding ferry cleffer:



Schtep tree:

Making nexte Schtainink:




Schtep Tirty Six:

Looking like million marks:

[Alden]

I dont want to argue with the master here, but I think you might be using the cocaine wrong...

[The Smoking Yeti]

I like yur schtyle schas.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

He is right. I think you have at least an 8 ball caked in and around your fingernails. I am very curious about steps 4 through 35. Do they involve any dunkelweizen? Feel free to PM if they are a trade secret.

[Ocelot55]

....I thought Sas was a hairy, drunken Canadian, not a German with a speech impediment....I guess you learn something new everyday!

Oh, nice pics, Sas. Very sharp looking pipe.

[Sasquatch]

There is no particular secret here, I guess that's the point. Sand perfectly, stain well, sand perfectly. Just go play at it, and if you wreck a few pipes in the process, don't come crying to me!

Steps 4 through 36 involve some kind of topcoating agent that will make it so that the color doesn't come right back off the pipe the second it's smoked. A very thin coat of shellac would work. You can't just take the pipe as-is and put it to the tripoli wheel, cuz you'll just scrub off the color you just applied.

The pipe in question was treated a little differently, and that's because I'm a big dumb butcher and when I tried to set the stain with a tiny bit of ultra thin shellac, I made a mess of the finish, and then ground it off with the tripoli wheel. This is the part that they DON'T tell you about. Knowing a method is one thing. Being any good at it is another.


The casual reader will now run away from this thread howling "Oh my Sasquatch pipes are lacquered!" Fact is shellac is not especially super good at preventing moisture transfer (leave a hot pizza box on a shellac finish and see the bix white square of transferred moisture when you pick it up). But it is really good at preventing color transfer, which is why almost every stain-blocking primer you can buy at Lowes has shellac in it. Every rusticated Peterson and Savinelli are shellaced and you never hear anyone complaining about that.

A lot of smooth pipes are now finished with acrylic, which I'm not fond of, but it's quick and easy I guess, and stays shiny even if you handle the pipe a lot.

I've tried all kinds of strange stuff - various turner's polishes which are designed to be applied to a spinning workpiece have been pretty successful. At the end of the day, you are grinding the topcoat with the tripoli anyhow (or I am, anyway) so getting a perfect application is not that important if you have the right product. One that I'm experimenting with right now is a water based oil/urethane emulsion. It doesn't bug the stain, it raises the grain, and sets in about 30 seconds. It's weird stuff.

[Nate]

Sas, you are one big sexy Canadian and a master of pipes. Thanks for the info. Saw one of your cool pipes on Pinterest the other day. Wo0t.

[SchmidtN]

Sas is in rare form today boys!

A Sass-quatch?

[andrew]

That's pretty ballsy breaking into the pinterest group. Was it posted next to the doilies?

[Nate]

That's pretty ballsy breaking into the pinterest group. Was it posted next to the doilies?

Slow your roll there, I'm on it too. And Sas didn't upload his own, someone else did. I just re-pinned it.

[andrew]

No roll, no roll! If I ever get punchy, I'll use frowny eyebrow icons to convey my displeasure . Pinterest is getting massive amounts of attention right now. If I were smarter I'd probably post there too but then I've always been a little slow on the uptake

[Nate]

[KurtHuhn]

My method for contrast staining is very simple, and I think I learned it from someone else. Trever probably.

After rough shaping, apply stain.

Sand with 180 grit until all stain is gone, then apply stain.

Sand with 360, you will have some contrast, apply stain.

Sand with 500 until your contrast is where you want it, then stop.

Proceed with finishing. Wiping on shellac, then wiping it off, can also help increase contrast. I wouldn't worry about this if you don't already use shellac though.

[wmolaw]

My method for contrast staining is very simple, and I think I learned it from someone else. Trever probably.

After rough shaping, apply stain.

Sand with 180 grit until all stain is gone, then apply stain.

Sand with 360, you will have some contrast, apply stain.

Sand with 500 until your contrast is where you want it, then stop.

Proceed with finishing. Wiping on shellac, then wiping it off, can also help increase contrast. I wouldn't worry about this if you don't already use shellac though.

Kurt:

Sorry, but just want to be sure I understand.

When you say "apply stain" you do mean apply the under stain, right (black, dark walnut)? Not the finish coat of stain? That comes after the "sand with 500 ..."

When would you put the shellac on? I haven't tried using shellac yet, but was thinking of experimenting.

Thanks.