I have a question for owners of older pipes made from lignum vitae.
Does it darken much with age?
I’ve been working on a 3/4 set for myself over the last while and I’m trying to decide whether or not to darken the wood a little bit.
If it darkens naturally itself then I won’t bother.
Tommy
I have an older set in Lignum. I believe my set has darkened/blushed with age. I have been told by my piping friends that the color has changed over the years. Seeing the set every day I personally have not noticed.
I have a lignum vitae chanter that was made approx. 30 years ago.
It has pretty much this colour (maybe a little more brownish), and it hasn’t changed since I have it (~20 years), although I don’t know what colour it was when it was new:
http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/lignum-vitae/
According to this wood-database, Lignum Vitae darkens over age.
Color/Appearance: Heartwood color can range from a pale yellowish olive, to a deeper forest green or dark brown to almost black. Grain has a unique feathered pattern when viewed up close. The color tends to darken with age, especially upon exposure to light. Color of genuine Lignum Vitae tends to be darker than that of Argentine Lignum Vitae.
This is only one source though. Perhaps other people have pipes made of Lignum vitae and can tell you their personal experience.
I’ve got a 40 year old chanter that is roughly milk chocolate brown. I don’t think it has darkened all that much over the years.
I think it’s also the question where you keep/hide the chanter. If you keep it in a dark spot where it doesn’t get exposured to much light, it won’t darken that much.
Isn’t that the same with purpleheart, the colors beautifully purple when you exposure it to light?
Um, purpleheart looses much of its purple color as it is exposed to UV. When it is first harvested it is a light brown and oxidation through exposure to the air turns it purple, from a light brown. UV on the other hand tends to darken it to a purplish chocolate color. I’ve seen older turnings of a more or less uniform chocolate color with no purple highlights. I’ve also seen some very old turnings that turned a very unappealing dishwater gray from exposure to UV.
Bob
I have a couple of peices of true lignum vitae that is at least as old as me (34 years). I would not say they are dark, something like cherry or mahogany(not in tone but darkness). I could send a pic if you like…
I have a memory of when H.M.S Belfast, a famous WW2 UK Cruiser, was (and is still there) moored permenantly upstream of Tower Bridge in London, that some L. Vitae was liberated from the big gun Shell rooms. At least, I think I remember it was L. Vitae. This was to lighten ship, and other reasons, for its mooring in the Thames, rather than a wholesale looting. I saw some… it looked just like the photo above. Don’t know when the Belfast was built, but my view was in 1977 (?), and it would not have seen much daylight until liberated after it’s harvest, seasoning, and installation!
Happy Days
Pwrt
I had a Hunter chanter in Lignum and it darkened. Sam Lawrence would have loads of info on this having built many instruments from this material.
Thanks for all the responces.
I might try darken a scrap piece and see what happens.
I just want to darken it a small bit so it’s more brown than green but with the grain still visible.
I’ll post a few pictures of my results.
Tommy
To darken the wood try brushing on iron acetate which is made by dissolving steel wool in some cider vinegar ,this takes about two weeks. The iron acetate reacts with the tannic acid in the wood and can go from brown to jet black depending on how much tannic acid is in the wood. The grain of the wood will still show through the stain.
RORY
That’s the recipe I use. A teaspoon of iron filings to a pint of apple cider vinegar. I find it’s good to work after a few days but I
l’ll leave the next batch longer and see what happens. The 3rd and important ingredient is sunlight.
I might make a weaker solution and try that first. I just want to darken the lignum a few shades so it will contrast nicely with the boxwood mounts.
Tommy
Bear in mind that the stuff being sold as lignum vitae these days is generally not the same as the old lignum - a totally different timber. Bulnesia sarmientoi is often sold as lignum these days (also known as palo santo,as are other woods). Traditionally the same lignum vitae was reserved for Guiacum officinale.
Bulnesia does darken considerably with age. It tends to be rather green.
I was going to say. Bulnesia sarmientoi is also called verawood. I made a stock cup from that stuff. Frankly it seemed close enough to lignum per se, really hard oily wood that smells like pickles when you turn it. 
Maybe it wouldn’t be quite the thing for ships’ bearings but for musical instruments or truncheons I’d reckon you’re close enough for government work.
Lignum vitae smells a bit like caramel when it is turned…very sweet. Even old junk I find in antique stores smells like caramel if rubbed a bit.
If you want the iron acetate to work properly, it helps to first coat the piece with a tannic acid solution, then the iron
acetate, followed by another of tannic acid. Otherwise, it will develope a rust-like color on the outside over time as it ages,
even if it has been sealed with varnish etc. Black walnut juice, coffee, tea, and even wine can be used. Avoid red wine unless you want a slight red tint.
I usually use several applications of each, making sure to finish with my walnut mixture before sealing when dried. Does a bang-up job!
is there a big difference between an ebony chanter and a lignum vitae one(whether the traditional stuff or the newer one going by that name)?