sanding and finishing purple heart

[paul wiser]

i know that purple heart brightens when exposed to light. however, i can never get good results with exposure to light and sanding. any help people??? thanks very much

[Tony Bilello]

I find the opposite to be true for me.
When I first mill it, it becomes a bright purple. When I apply a clear finish, the color tones down, but still very purple. After a year or so, the purple begins to turn to a brownish purple. After many years, the purple gets darker and muddled in with the brown. To renew it to the original purple I liked, I just strip it, light sand it and refinish.

[Sean Camarena]

All the purpleheart I have used turned brown when cut or snaded and changed back to purple after a day or so. I have found that once it does turn back to pruple, BLO really makes it look darker purple, and lacquer is a great clearcoat. Tung oil is bad as well as poly, poly turns even the brightest purple to brown. Such has been my experience.