Carved Bear Colour Advice

[abercarver]

Hi all,

 

Anyone recommend a good finish for a carved brown/black bear.

 

Looking through wood stains etc and was seeing if anyone has used any and which colours would go well.

 

(For the fur, that is)

 

cheers

[Steve Bullman]

burn it

[abercarver]

burn it

 

Was thinking that but I havent a burner and previous experience I prefer a brush :-)

But thanks Steve

[Steve Bullman]

dirt cheap on ebay PARASENE BLOW LAMP DIY BLOW TORCH GAS CARTRIDGE CAN | eBay

[abercarver]

dirt cheap on ebay PARASENE BLOW LAMP DIY BLOW TORCH GAS CARTRIDGE CAN | eBay

 

Thanks for the link...will certainly take up that offer!

Nice one

[dervishcarving]

there was a thred a while back on this. get a jam jar fill with vinegar and chuck in a couple of iron nails. leave it (with the lid loose) for a few days then pain it on. the tannin in the wood reacts with the solution to darken the wood. I know splinters uses this quite a lot. worth a try but if the wood you are using has low tannin levels its not so effective. you can improve the tannin levels by painting on a few coats of tea (no milk) first. might be worth a try if you want to avoid burning. i prefer burning but remember to oil plenty afterwards cos the burnt-effect will wash off

[Woodcrafter]

I guess it will depend on what type of finish you go for I treat the whole bear except for the base with a fencing wood sealer which has a chestnut stain i spray the bear with a black outdoor paint except for the snout and I then use a good few coats of Danish oil on the claws and base.

[Woodcrafter]

Or for my simple quick finish burn and brush and oil.

[wisewood]

I reckon paint or dye/stain is the best guarantee for a full colour change.

I've been experimenting with burning lately and unless you burn the **** out of the wood it only burns the prominent surface areas leaving the hollows and recesses un-burned.

The vinegar solution works well too, I've used it in the past with 000 wirewool on oak which is full of tannins and it came out jet black.

[abercarver]

Thanks for all the advice guys, iv gone with a stain finish and will further protect it after..having panic guessed the colour I think it went well and looks good..pics to follow later :-)