I like to work with purpleheart. With care and the right tools (to avoid
burning), one can get dramatic contrasts and spectacular pieces. I'm
always in a hurry though. I want to complete the piece, sand it out, and
slap on some finish. The problem is, for those not familiar with this
species of wood, purpleheart when freshly cut is a medium brown - a lot
like mahogany, and only over time develops a deep, rich purple color. How
can I speed this process up? I made a terrible mistake when I first
started working with it. I had carved a really nice rose bud, and in the
final polishing step, I used an abrasive mixed with wax. *sigh* I suppose
by now air may have penetrated and changed the color. How can I speed up
the change? Fuming?