[Woodcarver] Re: Ebonizing Question

[Bill]

I've tried using the vinegar and steel wool on a couple of items and it worked pretty well.. but there were a couple of projects that it didn't work well on.  This is a process of chemical oxidation and it can be less than stable, IMO.  Similar to taking baking soda and applying to redwood to give it that aged look.  The baking soda and the acids in the redwood will gray the wood.. but it can be significantly reduced if it gets wet.

That said.. I was watching a woodworking show on DIY network the other day and the guy building the table top used a dye to come up with a beautiful ebony color.  He showed the difference between some stains and some dyes.. and what a difference.  The project was completed with an analine dye and the result was excellent.

The wood he used was a very fine grain.. ebony is a very fine grain.. I think if one were to use it on a pine, for instance, the results would not be akin.  One suggestion he had during the show was to make trial strips out of scrap wood from the project.. and try different products on them.. good idea before compromising a nice carving that took many hours to complete.

Bill Splaine, Healdsburg, CA
Woodcarvings: www.picturetrail.com/chips
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