A common question asked by many of our customers is ‘How do I stabilize spalted maple?’

After researching the subject on the internet, I’ve put together a list of some different DIY (do it yourself) stabilizing products and techniques for pen blanks and small pieces of wood like knife scales and pistol grips.
Here’s what I’ve found…

Minwax Wood Hardener

Available at your local hardware store for about $10.00 a bottle.  Minwax high performance wood hardener is made up of extra hard resins that are disolved in a solvent solution.  The mixture penetrates the wood pores and as the solvents evaporate they leave behind the resin which hardens or stabilizes the wood.

This product is easy to use and from what I’ve read on different pen turning and knife making forums, the majority of people that have tried it have experienced positive results.

Here’s how it works:

Always work in a well ventilated area when using this product and follow the manufacturers directions.

Your wood must be good and dry before using this product. For better product penetration, you may want to warm the wood blank before applying the wood hardener.

Shake the can well, apply the wood hardener with a disposable bristle brush to completely saturate the piece.

Apply several coats in quick succession until a shiny surface appearance is obtained. You’ll know you’ve applied enough coats when the wood stops absorbing the solution. Make sure you recap the bottle right away between coats to prolong the life of the hardener… you don’t want the stuff to thicken by letting the solvents evaporate.

Allow to dry for at least a couple of days to be sure that it’s dry right through.
Finish and seal like you normally would.

North Coast Knives has a different technique for this product, which can be viewed at this link Stabilizing with Minwax Wood Hardener

CPES – Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer

This product is used by the marine industry to repair rotten, punky wood on boats.  It’s available online for about $36.00 for a 2 pint kit.

CPES is said to work best on rotten wood rather than sound wood.

It’s a clear epoxy sealer that is thin like water made for penetrating, which soaks deep into damaged or rotten wood, unlike an adhesive epoxy which just coats the surface of the wood. The epoxy resin is delivered into the wood pores through a solvent base. The same solvents also evaporate excess moisture from within the wood. All of the wood fibers and spores are then left encapsulated with the remaining epoxy. It glues the remaining fibers back together, and restores useful strength back into the wood, without changing the natural flexibility of the wood.

This product is available for both cold weather and warm weather applications.

RESINOL 90C – from Loctite

Resinol is typically used by hobbyists for home stabilization, though it does require the purchase of a fair bit of equipment. Its cost is $400.00 for 4gallons and is used with a vacuum pressure chamber which can be very expensive (up to $10,000.00 for a professional system).  I also found a lot of great information on the knife forums about the Resinol 90C (the one in particular that comes to mind is www.bladeforums.com) The finished product is quite a bit harder to work and more brittle than professional stabilizing due to the much higher curing temperatures needed.

Polyurethane Method from the IAP (International Association of Penturners)

This is a pdf file with pictures and instructions! Stabilizing wood with Polyurethane and a vacuum

Resolute by Cue Components

Resolute is a product offered by Cue Components to replace Nelsonite.  It is said to produce the same results as Nelsonite with less danger and less odor and best of all less cost! Here’s a link to the Wood Stabilizing page at Cue Components

Polycryl by Preservation Solutions

Polycryl is a wood fortifier that fills and strengthens the cells in soft, punky, or spalted wood.  It drys clear and will not yellow. This makes turning spalted wood a little easier. After treating your wood with Polycryl the wood must be finished as this is a water-soluble product. All types of finishes and glues can be used once Polycryl has dried into the wood.

This product is water-soluble and penetrates best when the wood is wet. It remains water soluble after it has dried into the wood and should not be used for outside projects.

Polycryl is available directly through Preservation Solutions
for about $17.00 32oz bottle.

Acryloid B-72

Also called paraloid B-72 at times, is a soluble methacrylate copolymer used in the art restoration business. Some knifemakers have used it as a stabilizer for wood, bone, etc.  I didn’t have any luck finding information on how to use this product, but did find several references to it in the knife forums saying that it’s a good product for stabilizing knife scales.

Acryloid B-72 is available as a 100% resin in the form of beads.

Professional Stabilizing Service

If you are in need of professionally stabilized wood, visit Wood Stabilizer They sell acrylic stabilized wood for knife handles, knife scales, pistol grips, pen blanks and a variety of other applications including reel seats and butts.

NOTE: If you are contemplating trying out any of the above products, please be sure to follow the manufacturers directions and safety precautions.

We hope you’ll find this information and the links helpful.  If you know of a stabilizing technique that’s not on our list, or would like to add to one of the above techniques, please leave a comment or contact us!