A million years ago, I had fractured/torn whatever both of my Achilles Tendons, as well as spiral fractured left tibia and pressure fractured right ulna.
The bones were no problem, but they weren't doing surgery on tendons yet, so I was in a wheelchair for almost a year, because it was easier to wheel out the 3-5 miles a day across the college then use crutches.
During the later part of my education into those constrained to wheels, a woman tried the same thing to me. (Evidently she had been slowly working her way through the 48 others on campus.... and the three I was with were urging her and me on with.... "yeah, go for it. Maybe this time it will work."
One of the others that the woman couldn't see, also spoke deaf sign language and while the woman did her woo-woo stuff, Debbie told me the story about this woman....... so when she finished, I stumbled out of the chair, grabbed my empty coffee cup and as I walked off asked "if I could get any one else anything"..... totally ignoring this woman.
She was visibly shaking..... it scared the holy heck out of her.... and she never approached another person that we knew of.
There are inert natural pigments that can be cooked/melt into beeswax or carnuba to give alternative depth of color without an out and out stain. Maybe going over to her house and visiting a little, you can get a feel for what they can tolerate for finishes.
Also, I think you will be down to rice starch for hinging and PVA for any other bonding such as backing paper (2-ply rag).
