Jeff Schmidt is the latest to privately enquire ..

>What exactly is van Dyke stain?

so I hope he won't mind me copying the porch, for I've had a few
questions on similar lines.

IIRC Van Dyke crystals are the concentrated remains of an alchemical
process which starts with walnut husks. This makes it a very friendly
stuff to use, as it comes as dry crumbly powder, and you just mix with
water. Roughly speaking, owt you dip in, or smear it over, goes a
tasteful brown shade. Adjust the concentration to suit the colour you
want. It lasts the best part of fortnight on hands, and probably forever
on clothing.

The original answer involved applying some blonde shellac to a piece to
control subsequent penetration of stain, then using this water based
stuff to apply colour.

Now, the cunning part of the plan is using a water miscible product over
a spirit miscible product. They don't mix. You can slather on the water
stuff until you're happy, then, when you discover you aren't happy, wipe
it off with a wet cloth. The underlying item hasn't been irretrievably
coloured (colored, Paddy) Naturally, this is a bit of an
oversimplification - do some tests boards as usual etc etc.

I'm given to understand that acrylic colours work in this manner too,
but I suspect that, when dry, they won't come off, but I haven't tried
them, so if someone does, I'm one porchster who'd appreciate a report.

Back to the plot - when you're happy, or nearly happy, seal in the
colour with another dose of shellac, and voila! you have a fresh clean
surface to apply any further colour details, or stipple in some extra
colour to the detail moulding etc, and again you are able to reverse out
of mistakes. finally of course you seal in the last layer, then go to
final finishing.

As I say, a bit of oversimplification. In the case of my pole lathe I
just brushed on some dilute Van Dyke onto Borg pine and it all came down
to a pleasing tone not unlike wood. I didn't seal it, and was affrighted
when it got rained on half an hour later, and droplet marks appeared,
but after more time outdoors and some more moisture all that's
disappeared, and the colour is still the same, now toned down and evened
out to look like an old pole lathe that lives outdoors and gets dinged.
Quite pleasing.

Or again, on a joint stool, with turned legs verging into sapwood, the
technique allowed me to control the colour across the end grain / side
grain / sapwood parts of the turning and end up with an even colour. I
was pleased with this.

ymmv

I know only of Liberon as a supplier in the US of A, though as a time
served traditional finish in the land of the walnut tree I'm sure there
must be others. Google for Van Dyke Crystals Hey! I just did that and
turned up http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/article039.htm which gives a
good run down on stains and staining.

quote "










    Vandyke crystals give a lovely colour on oak, especially with the
    addition of a little water black and washing soda. Tone orangey pine
    boards down with a walnut stain with a little added green to kill
    the warmth. "






 Richard Wilson Yorkshireman Galoot.





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