# Stabilizing Holly



## Tony G. (Feb 12, 2020)

I was making a dagger with a bone handle. Got the bone years ago at petsmart. I really liked the D shaped cross section of the bone and the flair at the top. To get to the point,I was just about done with the project and I broke the bone handle. I couldn't find a replacement bone anywhere. I remembered that holly was very white and might due if I could stabilize it and polish it up. I ordered some kiln dried holly. It came, it was a nice white, all was good. I took one piece of holly and dried it in the toaster oven at 250 F for about 5 hours, took it out and put in a zip lock bag till it cooled. The heat turned the holly a light gold color with a slightly darker grain. I took this piece, and one that was just kiln dried and was still white, and put them in my container, weighted them down and filled with cactus juice. I put container in vacuum chamber, and pulled a vacuum. Left it in about 12 hours. there were a few small bubbles still coming out, but very few. I let soak overnight. They didn't float anymore. I put in oven at 200 F for 5 or 6 hours. It stabilized all the way to the cented. The problem was that both blanks turned gold. 
Next I did the same test. One pre baked and one not. But this time I added some alumilite white dye. After bubbles stopped, I let soak overnight. It no longer floated, but it didn't take on any dye. I seems the cactus juice penetrated but not the dye, it came out just like the first. The white color was stuck to the surface of the wood, and came right off.
Anybody know how to stabilize Holly and keep it white? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you all.


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## Tony (Feb 12, 2020)

Tony, I have locked this post for now. Please take a minute, read our rules, then go to the Introduction thread and make a post there telling us a but about yourself.


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## Tony (Feb 12, 2020)

This is opened back up, thanks Tony. 
@Steve Smith any pointers?


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## Steve Smith (Feb 13, 2020)

I haven't done any stabilizing, but the drying temp seems too high. I'd probably experiment with drying and curing temps to see how low you could go to get a decent product.


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## Maverick (Feb 13, 2020)

I know just enough about stabilizing to be dangerous. Maybe call or write the folks at TurnTex and see what they recommend.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Tony (Feb 13, 2020)

Maverick said:


> I know just enough about stabilizing to be dangerous. Maybe call or write the folks at TurnTex and see what they recommend.



Curtis is a great guy that's been very helpful to people that call him.


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## Igor (Feb 14, 2020)

Any tree becomes darker after stabilization, white will be golden. White pigment, it does not penetrate the tree


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