# Redheart fading?



## hewunch (Oct 9, 2008)

Hi, yall, I got a question for you. I made a pen out of redheart a few months back (like beginning of summer). Someone purchased it off my website yesterday. When I went to pick it up, it had turned brown. Has this happened to anyone else? If so how can I prevent it? The finish was CA.

Thanks!
Hans


----------



## marcruby (Oct 9, 2008)

Any red will turn to brown over time and light exposure.  Waxes (like renaissance wax) and coatings that contain UV protectants will slow down the process.  Other than that the best strategy is to use the pen in a darkended closet.

This is unauthenticated, but the story is that Bin Pho suggested spraying red highlights back in with an air brush.  There have been a few times when I was tempted to do that myself.


----------



## ed4copies (Oct 9, 2008)

Many moons ago, I was told by a wood seller (commercial) that you should use bloodwood, as opposed to redheart as it is less prone to change color.

This is not meant as an authoritative edict, merely a piece of information for further comment.


----------



## marcruby (Oct 9, 2008)

Ed;

I think that's more a result of there being a lot more red stuff (technically they are phenolics) in the bloodwood, not any particulars of the stuff itself.  There's a guy on the AAW site who has a friendly research chemist trying to find a solution.  The result so far is de nada.

Marc


----------



## fiferb (Oct 9, 2008)

This is exactly the reason I quit using redheart, it fades to brown way too fast.


----------



## Rudy Vey (Oct 9, 2008)

Bloodwood is supposedly the only red colored wood that does not fade. We have a small bowl I turned 6 years ago and it has been sitting always out in the house since then and it has not changed color.


----------



## Hosspen (Oct 9, 2008)

I had the same problem with a Pink Ivory pen turning from pink to orangeish on the side that the sun hit while it was on display at a craft show. A fellow woodturner told me I need to "rotate" it. : )   I doubt if orange ivory is a very big seller though. ; )  I just marked it off my good pen wood list.  I do like that bloodwood though, It smells good (when turning), looks good, finishes good, stays red good and seems to sell good. 

Isn't it ironic that the color in Bloodwood doesn't bleed,
but the heart fades in the Red Heart.   (music in background playing-keep keep bleedin...)Ha ha


----------



## RussFairfield (Oct 10, 2008)

ed4copies said:


> Many moons ago, I was told by a wood seller (commercial) that you should use bloodwood, as opposed to redheart as it is less prone to change color.



That has been my experience as well.


----------

