Thread: How to ebonise box sides

If its a hardwood, You can always do the steelwool in vinegar trick.
You'll find a good WIP on ebonising with it. I have a jar now where I can just paint it on and its black in 30 seconds.

And because its nothing nasty you can put whatever finish you want over it.,

Hi Jill, see my post asking a similar question, in the Stains & Finishes forum. Black Prooftint gives a good solid black, but if you use shellac over it before the oil, it can run.
Mic-D has suggested nigrosine (available from Woodworks Book & Tool Co.) and I have a jar of Liquid Nightmare brewing, so I'll try them both. Seems to depend a bit on the timber you're working with.

Thanks for these replies, Alex and _fly_ - looks like ebonising really is a black art

I think I have opened a can of worms for myself here

Jill

potasium permangenate (condies chrystals?) will stain many timbers black

ammonia fuming is said to also work

How long are the sides, how wide, how thick?
maybe someone has a cut-off piece of purpleheart or paduk of the right size

Hi Jill,

If you can get some, you could use Black Ebony timber. I have a piece you could have, but I'm not sure it would be big enough. Looks like this. The whole box is finished with Wattyl Oil and Trad wax. The first two pics are the finished box, the third is the box sanded only.

Regards,

Rob

Feast Watson 'Black Japan', over black prooftint gives a good, solid black with a great finish. The down side is that it must be sealed with shellac to avoid bleeding, as with black prooftint alone.

I just dug up a link: Feast Watson - Interior Woodstains - Black Japan

Having said this, my vote is with iron and vinegar ebonising. Your Jarrah will blacken up nicely.

- Hump

Thanks Humphrey9999 for the link to the FW products - they sound interesting too.

Rather than seal with shellac, do you thing Tung oil or Scandinavian oil would seal it just as well, and stop any future bleeding?

I don't think I would be staining valuable jarrah black, probably use some merbau /kwila or even pine. I would do this for the sides of the box, and use the jarrah for the front, back and lid.

you could use Black Ebony timber

I have never seen this raw timber Rob, I thought it would be quite rare, very valuable and difficult to get. Do you know where I might be able to get some commercially?


Thanks for the offer of some of yours, but I must decline - keep it and use it, it is too valuable and beautiful. Your boxes look terrific with it

Originally Posted by JillB

Rather than seal with shellac, do you thing Tung oil or Scandinavian oil would seal it just as well, and stop any future bleeding?

I couldn't say for sure, but I suspect that it would still bleed with an oil finish. Polyurethane would probably be OK. You could possibly try emailing Feast Watson.

Originally Posted by Humphrey9999

I couldn't say for sure, but I suspect that it would still bleed with an oil finish. Polyurethane would probably be OK. You could possibly try emailing Feast Watson.

Response from FW - they were nice and quick:

The actual Black Japan product is no longer available. However, we do make the Prooftint in a Black Japan colour which you can stain the timber with first and then apply the Tung Oil over the top. The Prooftint washes up in Metho and the Tung Oil washed up in Turps

If you are wanting to finish with a wax, you can stain first and seal with one coat of Clear Varnish Matt. You will need to wait a minimum of 7 days before applying Wax. You cannot apply Wax over Tung Oil.

Originally Posted by JillB

Response from FW - they were nice and quick:

The actual Black Japan product is no longer available. However, we do make the Prooftint in a Black Japan colour which you can stain the timber with first and then apply the Tung Oil over the top. The Prooftint washes up in Metho and the Tung Oil washed up in Turps

If you are wanting to finish with a wax, you can stain first and seal with one coat of Clear Varnish Matt. You will need to wait a minimum of 7 days before applying Wax. You cannot apply Wax over Tung Oil.

They were quick. No more Black Japan. Boo hoo.
Still, the alternative sounds OK.

Thanks for posting their reply, Jill. I'm saving it for reference.

- Hump

Some more information from FW following my questions about compatibility of the Prooftint and the Tung Oil:

Yes, they are compatible. I would recommend you leave for 24 hours between coats, this will allow the stain to fully penetrate prior to overcoating with Tung Oil.

Originally Posted by JillB

Some more information from FW following my questions about compatibility of the Prooftint and the Tung Oil:

Yes, they are compatible. I would recommend you leave for 24 hours between coats, this will allow the stain to fully penetrate prior to overcoating with Tung Oil.

That's good to know. Added to my earlier notes.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Hi Jill, see my post asking a similar question, in the Stains & Finishes forum. Black Prooftint gives a good solid black, but if you use shellac over it before the oil, it can run.

Alex, is your 2nd sentence correct? Should it be " if you don't use shellac over it......" ?