help! ive gone too dark with my flame top

**WhiteRabbitz** · 19-09-2015, 09:18 AM

Hey everyone thanks for checking out my thread....so ive been using water based ink dye to stain my flame top.....but ive gone too dark...USED WAY TO MUCH INK AND WATER AND IT WAS STILL WET 12 HRS
Im trying to get the color of the first pic...which was taken with a flash...the second pic is what it looks like currently

I was wondering if any has had this problem aswell and managed to get it lighter...
ive been thinking of using these methods which might lighten it

- Polish with 0000 steel wool
- 1200 - 2000 wet/dry (chance of going through the veneer though)
- wiping with a slightly damo clothe (as their watrr based dye)

Anyone have any ideas which would be safest and most effective

**some.guy** · 19-09-2015, 09:49 AM

i'd be inclined to think some damp steel wool would do the trick. if the dye is really stubborn then i'd try either liquid hand soap or laundry powder to assist. laundry powder just with a litle water into a paste or liquid soap on its own with no water. both of those things help me clean brushes ive accidently not rinsed covered in water colour or acrylic paint, so i imagine they'd work here.

i can't be 100% sure this will work for the exact dye you've used, so maybe wait and see what others say, but if i was in this situation that's what i'd try.

**dingobass** · 19-09-2015, 10:13 AM

Try using a damp rag as a "blotting paper" and see if this will draw off some of the dye.
My biggest concern would be you may end up with a blotchy finish.

The other thing you could try is to leave the body where it will be exposed to UV light, (but take care that it doesnt get too hot) as a lot of these dyes are not very light fast.

**WhiteRabbitz** · 19-09-2015, 10:27 AM

Hey everyone, thanks for your comments.......so I tryed dry 0000 steel wool a little.....and thank god its getting lighter

gonna use a bigger piece to keep it as evan as possible then take a photo with the camera too se what spots ive missed

ill update my progress shortly
thanks again everyone

**WhiteRabbitz** · 19-09-2015, 10:57 AM

Sanded lightly with 1200 to get rid of the darker sections.....then 0000 steelwool to even out the shading

now for a LIGHT coat of blue......then pic when it dries