# Ebonize it!



## f00by (May 18, 2010)

I've been doing some science and I thought I would share my new found knowledge with you guys ( coz you are all awesome  )

In my garage, for the past couple of weeks, a glass jar has been sitting. In the jar has been steel wool and vinegar. when brushed onto a high tannin content wood, it reacts with the tannin and causes the wood to turn very dark. Originally (I think originally) it was used to make less expensive woods (oak, walnut) look like ebony.

Ingredients:


Vinegar. In the old days, they used to use apple cider vinegar but white distilled is cheaper 
Steel wool. Washed in soapy water to get the protective coating off it. Make sure its really steel. some stuff ain't (Like faux-dankungs)
Glass jar.

Recipe:


Add steel wool and vinegar to glass jar.
*DO NOT CLOSE LID*. While the vinegar eats away at the steel wool gasses are a bi-product of the reaction.
Let it sit for a couple weeks.
...
profit??!?

The reaction takes a little time (over 30 mins). Let each coat dry before adding another.

The beauty of this over using a stain is that it doesn't hide the grain. The beauty of the wood still shows 

Now the negative side... Every wood has a different tannin content. ****, every piece of wood has a different tannin content so the reaction is not the same on every piece.

To make the reaction more even (and work on less tannin containing wood) you can go to your local brew store and get some tannin in a bag (how convenient!), make a tea and soak the wood in that first. When you brush on the iron acetate (SCIENCE!!) The reaction should be much more even and much stronger.

Word of caution. Do all your sanding and shaping first. The iron acetate solution (SCI-AUNCE) does not soak deep and you might just sand all that beautiful black off! 

This is after 1 coat. Couple more should do it









Im going to go and make this batch stronger.

Good luck!


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

looks good to me nice info

cheers


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

That looks cool, wanted to give a try.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

Good idea.. another method is to use a polymer bitumen mixed with mineral turpentine. . This absorbs and cures within the timber really sealing and enhancing the grain... smells a bit as it is curing, but It really acts as a stronger alternative to the blo and spirit bath. . Either way the difference is visible. Thanks for sharing


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## Jako (Mar 12, 2013)

Wow. that dark wood does look like ebony. this looks like a great way to make a softer and less expensive wood look like real ebony. I might try this on the natural im making. Thanks for sharing this great info.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

f00by said:


> I've been doing some science and I thought I would share my new found knowledge with you guys ( coz you are all awesome  )
> 
> In my garage, for the past couple of weeks, a glass jar has been sitting. In the jar has been steel wool and vinegar. when brushed onto a high tannin content wood, it reacts with the tannin and causes the wood to turn very dark. Originally (I think originally) it was used to make less expensive woods (oak, walnut) look like ebony.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that...I'd forgotten completely about Ferrous Acetate...it does wonderful things to oak

another way is to make a simple fume chamber (just a little tent of plastic ) and place the oak piece inside with a saucer of ammonia for a few hours / days according to how dark you want it to go. It was called 'fuming oak' and used to be a very popular finish in Victorian times.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

bullseyeben! said:


> Good idea.. another method is to use a polymer bitumen mixed with mineral turpentine. . This absorbs and cures within the timber really sealing and enhancing the grain... smells a bit as it is curing, but It really acts as a stronger alternative to the blo and spirit bath. . Either way the difference is visible. Thanks for sharing


That sounds very similar to something that's very popular in this far flung corner of civilisation called BETUN DE JUDEA. I've never come across it anywhere else. Again it's basically pitch or bitumen. It gives a lovely dark finish and I use it a lot as it's quick drying and the laziest finish possible (as you may have noticed in my photos!)


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Awesome info. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for the info. Would this be the same as just soaking some rusty nails & stuff in vinegar?


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## ceedub (Apr 22, 2013)

What great information! It just strengthens my belief that there is no such thing as a true master carpenter.


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## f00by (May 18, 2010)

DH, yeah rusty nails work. Any type of steel that will rust. Because of the surface area involved though it is much faster to make with steel wool


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## f00by (May 18, 2010)

ceedub said:


> What great information! It just strengthens my belief that there is no such thing as a true master carpenter.


No ceedub but we can all aspire


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## f00by (May 18, 2010)

ruthiexxxx said:


> Thanks for that...I'd forgotten completely about Ferrous Acetate...it does wonderful things to oak
> 
> another way is to make a simple fume chamber (just a little tent of plastic ) and place the oak piece inside with a saucer of ammonia for a few hours / days according to how dark you want it to go. It was called 'fuming oak' and used to be a very popular finish in Victorian times.


Thanks Ruthie. I will have to try the ammonia fuming at some point. Traditional / early wood finishs really interest me  I have read that this can be a problem on red oak. Have you had any experience?

I think I am going to do a write up on finishes / traditional staining on a regular basis. It will push me to try funky stuff


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

f00by said:


> ruthiexxxx said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for that...I'd forgotten completely about Ferrous Acetate...it does wonderful things to oak
> ...


Ooooh...I shall look forward to reading your write up on finishes and staining. I had (maybe still do back in the UK) an amazing little book written by a French specialist wood finisher...I think around the beginning of the 20th century. He was a total primadonna and said that the finishers were the real pinnacle of the cabinetmaking workers. Apparently these stars wore fresh starched white linen smocks every day. He described how the inside of a new bank had been completely done out in oak panelling and that buckets of ammonia had been put in every room and the doors and windows sealed up for the requisite time. I wish I had the book here to share snippets. Ego on wheels ! 

I'm afraid I can't be sure about the Red Oak. I've only done it with English and French oak. Wracking my chemically depleted memory but I think I may have tried doing it with pine after first soaking it in strong tea to get the tannin. I seem to recall that it worked OK.


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## hickymick (Feb 23, 2011)

I missed this section before ... I have done loads of crazy cattys .. from bike forks to board cuts to allys and brass fixings but I missed these great idea's on here :/


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Good info, thank you !!


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