Potassium dichromate

[Metalshaper]

Anyone experienced in using potassium dichromate as a stain on Maple? Or using it as any kind of wood as a stain..do's, don't, try it or don't??? Problems or cautions???

  trying to relocate the reference I'm thinking of, but was sure it was dichromate stain.. if. Memory serves? And I remember the stock was a beautiful deep Rich brown...

Just wondering as I have access to the chemical in my lab.. and gun friendly managers that would allow a teaspoon or so to be mixed up!

Respect Always
Metalshaper\jonathan

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Don't know about the chemical to which you refer. but am experienced with Chromium Trioxide.  Don't use it.  It will give maple a nice red/brown hue, but it is UV sensitive to the extreme, and will fade to a hideous green/tan...completely hideous and inappropriate.  Ferric Nitrate is so easy to use and acquire - why re=invent the wheel?

Potassium Permanganate is another stain, used in the 70's, that is a good one to avoid.

[B Shipman]

I agree with Taylor. I would say that all these chemical, instant color stains should be avoided.

[Don Steele]

If you have it already in your workplace, I'm going to assume that SOMEONE there already knows what it is and is qualified to be safely handling it. That's good.
I'm a retired Chemist, and have used it in the lab off and on as needed for years.
My suggestion to you is DON'T DO IT. Potassium Dichromate contain hexavalent Chrome, a known carcinogen. I'm not talking about the kind of "known carcinogens" we hear about in the news about once a week...I know..I know..seems like everything causes cancer.
Well this stuff is the REAL DEAL. VERY toxic, not something to be taking home to play with, and I haven't even gotten into discussing it's properties as a strong oxidizer and potential explosive results that can occur from mishandling.
As already suggested...there's a wide variety of well known MUCH safer alternatives. Pick one.

[Maineshops]

I have tried it and am not impressed with it. Went right back to viniger and steel wool w/ heat

[45-110]

Potassium Permanganate
while i am not advocating its general use, i do use it every so often. did a walnut stock restoration yesterday and had to match the color. it worked fine. i still have a 1/2 stock maple plains rifle i stained with it around 1969 and it still looks fine.
a little tub of it will last a life time.

[Nordnecker]

Don Steele- Thanks for the warning. I am at a loss for where I've read about this stuff. Is this what they used to use on veneered furniture with crotch grain panels, etc? It really gave the wood a 3 dimensional look- very pretty. Pretty scary.

[Long John]

Jonathan,

Potassium dichromate is a potassium salt of chromic acid.  When you use the potassium dichromate it decomposes to chromic acid and its the chromic acid that does the chemical oxidation that yields the brown color.

There are two problems with its use.  First and foremost, chromic acid is a form of 'hexavalent chromium" which is quite poisonous.  I won't touch it with some one else's 10-foot pole!

Second, when you apply potassium dichromate to the stock the potassium and the chromium STAY in the stock wood - they don't leave like other stain constituents (nitrate or acetate).  Chromium (1) oxide and chromium (2) oxide are both blue green in color.  Over time you might find your stock taking on a green color due to the slow conversion of the dichromate ion into simple chromium oxides due to migration of atmospheric oxygen into the stock (the finish is oxygen permeable). 

When there are other MUCH BETTER options out there I can't find a reason to mess with potassium dichromate as a stock stain.

Best Regards,

JMC
John Cholin

[Marcruger]

I saw a rifle stained this way a year or so ago. It had turned to a very unpleasant olive green shade. Yech!

[mikeyfirelock]

I will second the above comments on potassium chromate ( also chromium trioxide, or any other similar chemicals.)    I used it on a rifle that I built back in the 1970's and it did turn a most hideous green color.    Using these chemicals calls for great care in handling.   The refinishing process also requires great care in not exposing yourself to the residuals in the finish you are removing.    The stock stains and finishes available from our suppliers now are vastly superior and much more "user friendly."     
Mikeyfirelock (retired pharmacist)

[Joe S.]

Pretty sure this stuff or at least its hexa cousin was one of the main chemicals that caused all those problems for those folks in that Erin Brockavich movie.