boiling in a glazed vessel, with water, 4 ounces of gall-nuts, 1 ounce 
of logwood chips, 1/2 ounce of green vitriol, and 1/2,ounce of 
crystallized verdigris, these being filtered while warmand the wood 
brushed a number of times with the hot solution.

> Thus stained black, the wood is then coated two or three times (being 
> allowed to dry completely after each coating) with a solution of one 
> ounce of iron filings in a quart of good wine- vinegar. This to be 
> prepared hot and allowed to cool before it is used.

  This is actually the same recipe. Or probably the original recipe of 
how the tannic acid/iron oxide formula came to be.  Also the recipe for 
genuine old fashioned ink.

  Oak galls are the gall nuts (I have a stash outside my bathroom window 
growing on a black oak if anybody wants to try some), with logwood 
probably also rich in tannic acid (I have tan oak trees they actaully 
tanned hydes with the bark of, also growing down the hill, again, 
available for the asking),  and the vitriol is some acid concoction if I 
am remembering right, which would free the tannic into solution.    Not 
sure what verdigris is besides the natural corrosion that grows on 
bronze, copper and brass gathered up and why it would be good?

   One thing I've personally found is that the 1 oz of iron filings in 
vinegar part of the recipe, can be improved.  I guess boiling could help 
but I use a lot more iron filings in slightly stronger acid than vinegar 
and soaked for longer before use.  

 I accidently ebonized my hands a while back and it took days to wear off.
  yours, Scott

Scott Grandstaff, Box 409, Happy Camp, CA  96039
scottg@s...

Tools <http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/>
Tools <http://oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/sGrandstaff/>
Kitty's PageWorks <http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/>
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having tried a number of these methods, including India ink, in an
attempt to re-ebonize an old Norris smoother, I have had very poor
results. The wood appears to be beech and has a relatively strong ray
pattern. Using any of these methods I get good color on most of the
wood, but the ways distinctly show with a lighter color and more
glossy sheen.

Has anyone had similar experience? Maybe more important, does anyone
have any suggestions to get a uniform appearance?

Thanks,

Sean in Seattle

In-laws are arriving from Montreal today for two weeks, I think I will
be getting quite a bit of shop time!

________________________________

From: oldtools-bounces@r... on behalf of paul womack Sent: Wed 8/9/2006
6:59 AM To: scott grandstaff; oldtools Subject: Re: [OldTools] ebonising
(or ebonizing) formula from 1878

scott grandstaff wrote:
>  This is actually the same recipe. Or probably the original recipe of
>  how the tannic acid/iron oxide formula came to be. Also the recipe
>  for genuine old fashioned ink.
>
>  Oak galls are the gall nuts (I have a stash outside my bathroom
>  window growing on a black oak if anybody wants to try some),

Yep - super-rich source of tannin.

 > with logwood probably also rich in tannic acid

Logwood is a dyestuff: http://www.aurorasilk.com/info/natural-dye-
colors.shtml

The colours vary with application and mordant The site gives

blue-violet purple blue-black silver, gray, black gray

as the colours, which sounds "helpful" in our quest for ebony.

 > (I have tan oak trees they actaully tanned hydes with the bark of,
 > also growing down the hill, again, available for the asking), and the
 > vitriol is some acid concoction if I

Wikipedia to the rescue!

Quote: "Vitriol is the name that alchemists gave to sulfuric acid."

but...

"The name was also used for various sulfate salts:" "iron(II) sulfate,
or ferrous sulfate (green vitriol)"

Ferrous Sulphate!

And here's a whole thread about improving Jim recipe with ...
Ferrous Sulphate!

In short, it's a similar recipe, with 2 added dyes, and the "ferrous
sulphate variation", although Blake was adding the ferrous sulphate in
the second pass, as opposed to mixing it in.

   BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jim B. writes:
> Are any of these as effective as black India ink on holly as an
> ebony replacement? Seems like the formulations are not terribly
> far from "produce black ink on the surface of a piece of wood
> rather than in a pot, and instead of having a pot of black ink
> you'll have a piece of black wood."

Near as I can tell, Logwood is just a source of tannins (like cheap
black tea or galls), so these recipes are variations on what Jim and
others have suggested previously.  Seeing these ideas in old magazines
kinda makes me wonder if Jim is really only 70...

At any rate, I was making a frame for a print (anniversary gift), and
took in some QSWO* I'd ebonized in this way, as well as some treated
with 3in1 (wax, BLO and turp) to see how they looked with the print. 
The gallery owner asked me what I'd used, and said he used simple india
ink to ebonize wood (Higgins is actually black; some are really blue or
purple in thin coats).

The various cell types that are exposed in quarter sawn oak seem to
accept  the iron solution (iron acetate, probably) to different degrees,
so the ray pattern is still visible after this treatment.  The first
piece I did turned out deep black with gold flecks.  I'd love to repeat
that!

* That was all I had on hand at the time, aside from warped elm and some
2x4s.

cur d'curVallis, where overcast counts as sunny if shadows are seen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great, and logwood is available at any trappers supply.  Cheap stuff.

Mike

paul womack wrote:
> Whilst checking the other search hits, I discovered
> there was much repitition;
> in short there are only 3 recipes in the archive.
> 
> I've presented the first, herewith the other 2:
> 
> ============================================== 
> Ebonizing.
> To make woods, such as cherry, mahogany, etc.,
> look like ebony is often desirable. A correspond-
> ent gives the following directions:
> 
>   To imitate black ebony, first wet the wood with
> a solution of logwood and copperas, boiled togeth-
> er, and -laid on hot. For this purpose 2 ounces
> of logwood chips, with 1 1/2 ounces of copperas, to
> a quart of water, will be required.
> 
>   When the work has become dry, wet the sur-
> face again with a mixture of vinegar and steel
> filings. This mixture may be made by dissolving
> 2 ounces of steel filings in one half-pint of vinegar.
> 
>   When the work has become dry again, sand-
> paper down until quite smooth. Then oil and fill
> in with powdered drop-black mixed in the filler.
> 
>   Work to be ebonized should be smooth and free
> from holes, etc. The work may receive a light
> coat of quick-drying varnish, and should then be
> rubbed with finely-pulverized pumice stone and
> linseed oil until very smooth.
> 
> =============================================== 
> 
> This one doesn't have the verdigris,
> but a quick google on "copperas"
> reveals it to be ...
> 
> ... Ferrous sulphate.
> 
> So same as recipe number one, less the (green) verdigris
> 
> And finally, a much simpler one:
> 
> ============================================ 
> Ebonized Wood,
> A very simple process for ebonizing wood is given
> in the Art Interchange, as follows: “The wood is first
> stained with a decoction of logwood, which may be
> purchased from any druggist. It is dissolved in warm
> water until all has been taken up that the water will
> hold. Application to the wood is made freely with a
> large soft bristle brush, and the surface is rubbed with
> a cloth to prevent the formation of a gummy coat
> thereon. After the article has been left to dry for a
> few hours, the second application, which consists of
> vinegar in which a quantity of nails or clean filings
> have been soaked for several days, is also freely laid
> on witir a brush. The moment the vinegar touches
> the wood it combine with the logwood solution in the
> pores making an ink which is a permanent jet black
> stain. The influence of the iron in the vimmegar is all-
> important. If any tendency to grayness is noticed, a
> second treatment is neecessary; but this seldom hap-
> pens. When perfectly dry, the article is varnished
> and rubbed down, or finished with furniture oil well
> rubbed in. Cherrv is considered the best wood for
> ebonizing. Whitewood, maple and beech are used
> with good effect. Any close grained, dense wood will
> answer — ash, cimestuirt and oak are not suitable. This
> process, it is said, is used for fine ebony and gold fur-
> niture.”
> 
> ================================================== 
> 
> In short, logwood, followed by iron-in-vinegar
> 
>    BugBear
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
> 
> To change your subscription options:
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
> 
> To read the FAQ:
> http://www.frontier.iarc.uaf.edu/~cswingle/archive/faq.html
> 
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> 
> OldTools@r...
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
> 
> 
> 
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Logwood is also a dye (red)  and has tannic acid. Verdigris is copper 
acetate (not sure how it reacts with the tannic acid--may be more of a 
mordant to change the red logwood) and green vitrol is a form of iron 
sulfate (a mineral)--more iron to make things black

tim 

scott grandstaff  
Sent by: oldtools-bounces@r...
08/09/2006 09:35 AM

To
porch 
cc

Subject
Re: [OldTools] ebonising (or ebonizing) formula from 1878

boiling in a glazed vessel, with water, 4 ounces of gall-nuts, 1 ounce 
of logwood chips, 1/2 ounce of green vitriol, and 1/2,ounce of 
crystallized verdigris, these being filtered while warmand the wood 
brushed a number of times with the hot solution.

> Thus stained black, the wood is then coated two or three times (being 
> allowed to dry completely after each coating) with a solution of one 
> ounce of iron filings in a quart of good wine- vinegar. This to be 
> prepared hot and allowed to cool before it is used.

  This is actually the same recipe. Or probably the original recipe of 
how the tannic acid/iron oxide formula came to be.  Also the recipe for 
genuine old fashioned ink.

  Oak galls are the gall nuts (I have a stash outside my bathroom window 
growing on a black oak if anybody wants to try some), with logwood 
probably also rich in tannic acid (I have tan oak trees they actaully 
tanned hydes with the bark of, also growing down the hill, again, 
available for the asking),  and the vitriol is some acid concoction if I 
am remembering right, which would free the tannic into solution.    Not 
sure what verdigris is besides the natural corrosion that grows on 
bronze, copper and brass gathered up and why it would be good?

   One thing I've personally found is that the 1 oz of iron filings in 
vinegar part of the recipe, can be improved.  I guess boiling could help 
but I use a lot more iron filings in slightly stronger acid than vinegar 
and soaked for longer before use. 

 I accidently ebonized my hands a while back and it took days to wear off.
  yours, Scott

Scott Grandstaff, Box 409, Happy Camp, CA  96039
scottg@s...

Tools <http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/>
Tools <http://oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/sGrandstaff/>
Kitty's PageWorks <http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/>
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

In "The Natural Paint Book", ISBN 0-87596-914-3, the authors
say: To obtain tannins, boil 1/3 cup of Indian tea leaves in
1/2 liter of water, let it steep for a couple hours and strain.
To make iron acetate, put a large ball of steel wool in a jar
and cover with malt vinegar.  Leave it a day or two, then strain.

To use, flood the wood with the tea, wipe off excess after
a few minutes then let the wood dry.  Apply the iron acetate
solution with a brush or rag, and wipe off excess after a few
minutes.  The wood will start to darken immediately and may
continue to darken for up to half an hour.

If the color photos in the book are any indication, a full
Black color can be achieved.

This recipe sounds familiar - isn't this what the old millrat
Uses? Jim???  Just another data point. 

Charlie Rodgers, periously close to finishing a 3-year-long 
project.  I put the first coat of BLO on the Shaker stepstool
I'm making from some of the air dried black walnut Jon Vetterlein
gave me back in 1999 (see msg # 63996 in the archives).  Pictures
will eventually follow at GIC if I can adequately disguise the
lousy dovetails ;-(
in Clinton, Maryland

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clay wrote:

> The vinegar-iron gave a very good black but it left the pore structure 
> visibly lighter, so that I got a 'black-with-tan-grain' effect. 

Could this be a surface tension problem, where the mix doesn't wick into 
the pores?  Would adding a surfactant help this?

Curious, since I was thinking of ebonizing a piece for contrast.

-- 
Kirk Eppler
Process Development Engineering
Eppler.Kirk@g...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I read somewhere that Miss Clairol jet-black hair dye works, so I tried
it. It worked very well, but haven't used it extensively, so don't know
how it works on varied species of woods. For those who don't know, it is
a two-part solution that must be mixed prior to use. -wayne

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are any of these as effective as black India ink on holly as an ebony
replacement? Seems like the formulations are not terribly far from "produce
black ink on the surface of a piece of wood rather than in a pot, and
instead of having a pot of black ink you'll have a piece of black wood."

No intention of knocking the historical info as I find it endlessly
fascinating and appreciate the work everyone has put into sorting, culling
and presenting the info. I'm just trying to figure out if I should explore
actually using these approaches.

Jim

------------------------------------------------------------------------

wayne@a... wrote:

>I read somewhere that Miss Clairol jet-black hair dye works, so I tried
>it. It worked very well, but haven't used it extensively, so don't know
>how it works on varied species of woods. 
>  
>
Does the wood develop light roots after a few weeks?  That skunk look is 
so over rated, and so evident around here.

-- 
Kirk Eppler ducking and running in Half Moon Bay, CA
Process Development Engineering
Eppler.Kirk@g...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Or then again, with apologies, there is the:  Several applications of 
permanent black magic marker, followed by a couple of coats of Butcher 
Bowling Alley wax. Buff well, and walk away.  I know...heresy; but it's an 
effective where a quick easy repair is needed.

    Disclaimer, as per Jim:
> No intention of knocking the historical info as I find it endlessly
> fascinating and appreciate the work everyone has put into sorting, 
> culling
> and presenting the info.

Dan, just stirring the Oldtools pot

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Bellina" 
To: "'paul womack'" ; "'scott grandstaff'" 

Cc: "'porch'" 
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 11:48 AM
Subject: RE: [OldTools] ebonising (or ebonizing) formula from 1878

> Are any of these as effective as black India ink on holly as an ebony
> replacement?
> Jim
>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Aug 9, 2006, at 9:07 AM, mimulus@p... wrote:
> Near as I can tell, Logwood is just a source of tannins (like cheap
> black tea or galls), so these recipes are variations on what Jim and
> others have suggested previously.  Seeing these ideas in old magazines
> kinda makes me wonder if Jim is really only 70...

I'll never tell! :>)

I failed to include this in my OldToolsShop article, and I haven't seen 
this mentioned so I will bring now it up before this thread dies. There 
is such a thing as black shellac. You simply obtain some alcohol 
soluble black analine dye and add it to clear shellac to get black 
shellac. (Do not believe the stories about dissolving old phonograph 
records. There may be such a thing as a black shellac phonograph 
record, but I ain't never seen one.)

If you didn't get a black that was black enough using the mordant and 
dye method, simply add one or more coats of black shellac. This will 
eliminate most of the residual highlight color some have asked about.

  Jim Thompson, the old millrat in Riverside, CA.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jim Bellina asked:

"Are any of these (vinegar/iron/mordant/etc formulas) as effective as black 
India ink on holly as an ebony replacement?"

I haven't tried them both on holly, but on white oak they do behave somewhat 
differently.  The vinegar-iron gave a very good black but it left the pore 
structure visibly lighter, so that I got a 'black-with-tan-grain' effect. 
The India ink produced a much flatter, more opaque look that wasn't right 
for my usage.  But where the intent is to emulate the almost-grainless 
uniformity of ebony, from what I saw, India ink might serve better.

I was uniformly dying a whole set of oak bookcases, so the question didn't 
come up, but if the intended usage was for ebony accents/inlays or the like, 
abutting a lighter wood, it is also possible that one or the other would be 
preferred for colorfastness through further finishing steps.  That is, 
having the tannin/iron reaction take place 'in the wood' rather than 'in the 
bottle' might make the black color less (or more!) likely to bleed over into 
any adjoining woods, when further finishing is done.  (This would presumably 
also depend on what subsequent finsh[es] were used, whether [and how] the 
lighter-colored 'field' or the ebonized bits [or both] were sealed before 
inlaying, etc.)

I'd also be interested in hearing any experiences or ink/iron comparisons, 
especially as to this bleed-over issue.  I've about decided that my current 
project wants some inlaid 'ebony' stringing, so I'll be facing this question 
fairly soon.

Clay C 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

With deference to Jim Thompson's favourite technique:

http://www.oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/jThompson/projects/ebonizingWood/

I was browsing an October 1878 issue of "The Carpenter
and Builder", graciously provided by Cornell U.
http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/moa_browse.html

when I found the following from their Notes and Queries column:
(all the questions are in one block, the answers in another,
but I've edited)

============================ 

QUESTIONS:
(2211) EBONIZING Wood—What is the most improved me-
thod to imitate ebony? Please answer and oblige.—W. B. L.,
Freehold, N. J.

ANSWERS:
(2211) Ebonizing Wood — Apple, pear, and walnut woods,
especially the fine-grained sorts, may be satisfactorily ebonized
by first boiling in a glazed vessel, with water, 4 ounces of gall-
nuts, 1 ounce of logwood chips, 1/2 ounce of green vitriol, and 1/2,
ounce of crystallized verdigris, these being filtered while warm
and the wood brushed a number of times with the hot solution.

Thus stained black, the wood is then coated two or three times
(being allowed to dry completely after each coating) with a
solution of one ounce of iron filings in a quart of good wine-
vinegar. This to be prepared hot and allowed to cool before
it is used.

============================ 

Hoping this is of interest to experimentally minded
galoots, I remain,

    BugBear

------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are looking for an easy, yet modern method of turning wood
black, Behlen makes an alcohol based black dye that works very well.
I've used it on some picture frames and the client (wife) was
completely satisfied.

~Jeff
near Memphis, TN
------------------------------------------------------------------------

paul womack wrote:
> I was browsing an October 1878 issue of "The Carpenter
> and Builder", graciously provided by Cornell U.
> http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/moa_browse.html

Oh darn.

I've now done a proper search of this fine journal.

There are no less than 16 recipes (I think)
for ebonizing.

It was quite the hot topic for a few years!

If I get the time I'll compare and contrast them.

   BugBear

------------------------------------------------------------------------

scott grandstaff wrote:
>  This is actually the same recipe. Or probably the original recipe of 
> how the tannic acid/iron oxide formula came to be.  Also the recipe for 
> genuine old fashioned ink.
> 
>  Oak galls are the gall nuts (I have a stash outside my bathroom window 
> growing on a black oak if anybody wants to try some), 

Yep - super-rich source of tannin.

 > with logwood
> probably also rich in tannic acid 

Logwood is a dyestuff:
http://www.aurorasilk.com/info/natural-dye-colors.shtml

The colours vary with application and mordant
The site gives

blue-violet	purple	blue-black	silver, gray, black	gray

as the colours, which sounds "helpful" in our quest for ebony.

 > (I have tan oak trees they actaully
> tanned hydes with the bark of, also growing down the hill, again, 
> available for the asking),  and the vitriol is some acid concoction if I 

Wikipedia to the rescue!

Quote:
"Vitriol is the name that alchemists gave to sulfuric acid."

but...

"The name was also used for various sulfate salts:"
"iron(II) sulfate, or ferrous sulfate (green vitriol)"

Ferrous Sulphate!

And here's a whole thread about improving
Jim recipe with ... Ferrous Sulphate!

In short, it's a similar recipe, with 2 added dyes, and the "ferrous
sulphate variation", although Blake was adding the ferrous sulphate
in the second pass, as opposed to mixing it in.

   BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whilst checking the other search hits, I discovered
there was much repitition;
in short there are only 3 recipes in the archive.

I've presented the first, herewith the other 2:

============================================== 
Ebonizing.
To make woods, such as cherry, mahogany, etc.,
look like ebony is often desirable. A correspond-
ent gives the following directions:

   To imitate black ebony, first wet the wood with
a solution of logwood and copperas, boiled togeth-
er, and -laid on hot. For this purpose 2 ounces
of logwood chips, with 1 1/2 ounces of copperas, to
a quart of water, will be required.

   When the work has become dry, wet the sur-
face again with a mixture of vinegar and steel
filings. This mixture may be made by dissolving
2 ounces of steel filings in one half-pint of vinegar.

   When the work has become dry again, sand-
paper down until quite smooth. Then oil and fill
in with powdered drop-black mixed in the filler.

   Work to be ebonized should be smooth and free
from holes, etc. The work may receive a light
coat of quick-drying varnish, and should then be
rubbed with finely-pulverized pumice stone and
linseed oil until very smooth.

=============================================== 

This one doesn't have the verdigris,
but a quick google on "copperas"
reveals it to be ...

... Ferrous sulphate.

So same as recipe number one, less the (green) verdigris

And finally, a much simpler one:

============================================ 
Ebonized Wood,
A very simple process for ebonizing wood is given
in the Art Interchange, as follows: “The wood is first
stained with a decoction of logwood, which may be
purchased from any druggist. It is dissolved in warm
water until all has been taken up that the water will
hold. Application to the wood is made freely with a
large soft bristle brush, and the surface is rubbed with
a cloth to prevent the formation of a gummy coat
thereon. After the article has been left to dry for a
few hours, the second application, which consists of
vinegar in which a quantity of nails or clean filings
have been soaked for several days, is also freely laid
on witir a brush. The moment the vinegar touches
the wood it combine with the logwood solution in the
pores making an ink which is a permanent jet black
stain. The influence of the iron in the vimmegar is all-
important. If any tendency to grayness is noticed, a
second treatment is neecessary; but this seldom hap-
pens. When perfectly dry, the article is varnished
and rubbed down, or finished with furniture oil well
rubbed in. Cherrv is considered the best wood for
ebonizing. Whitewood, maple and beech are used
with good effect. Any close grained, dense wood will
answer — ash, cimestuirt and oak are not suitable. This
process, it is said, is used for fine ebony and gold fur-
niture.”

================================================== 

In short, logwood, followed by iron-in-vinegar

    BugBear

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thieme wrote:
> If you are looking for an easy, yet modern method of turning wood
> black, Behlen makes an alcohol based black dye that works very well.
> I've used it on some picture frames and the client (wife) was
> completely satisfied.

Fiebings leather dye works well, also (both products are probably
alcohol-base aniline dye).  Musical instrument repairmen sometimes use it
to darken fingerboards on bowed stringed instruments.

-- 
Hal Laurent
Baltimore
------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Aug 9, 2006, at 1:59 PM, Kirk Eppler wrote:

>
>
> Clay wrote:
>
>> The vinegar-iron gave a very good black but it left the pore  
>> structure visibly lighter, so that I got a 'black-with-tan-grain'  
>> effect.
>
> Could this be a surface tension problem, where the mix doesn't wick  
> into the pores?

Hi Kirk -

As I understand from a FWW sidebar from several years ago, it is the  
surface tension issue. I don't recall what surfactant they  
recommended. They did point out that the undyed pore effect could be  
used intentionally; I saw some ebonized ash boxes once that were very  
striking, deep black with white pore flecks.

Best regards,
Greg T.
gstucker@v...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gregory Tucker wrote:
> Hi Kirk -
> 
> As I understand from a FWW sidebar from several years ago, it is the  
> surface tension issue. I don't recall what surfactant they  recommended. 
> They did point out that the undyed pore effect could be  used 
> intentionally; I saw some ebonized ash boxes once that were very  
> striking, deep black with white pore flecks.

George Frank (wood finishing guru) has some
samples where he fill the ash pores
with a colour contrasting filler.

Spactacular effect, although a little
gaudy to be used on large surfaces IMHO.

    BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I checked "Spons mechanics own" from 1905, a reprint
of a lot of earlier stuff.

It lists 12(!) variations of ebonising recipes, all variations
on what we've already seen, under various pseudonyms.

A little web research has revealed the following helpful
information in decoding the old names.

(from wikipedia)

Verdigris
======== 
is the common name for the chemical Cu(CH 3 COO) 2 , or copper(II) acetate.
The vivid green color of verdigris makes it a very common pigment.

ferrous sulfate
============== 
The heptahydrate is also called green vitriol, copperas, or melanterite
It is used in the manufacture of inks, most notably iron gall ink,
which was commonly used during the time of the American Revolution,
in wool dyeing as a mordant,

Iron(II) acetate
=============== 

Iron(II) acetate is manufactured from scrap iron and acetic acid, and
it is used as a mordant by the dye industry.

So - most of the recipes are a dye followed by a mordant.
There's something going on with the tannic acid
I don't yet understand though.

George Franks says that it is usually much better to apply
the mordant and dye separately, although they can be mixed.

The key phrase in the definition of mordant is
"used to fix (or set) dyes".

This is (I think) why the mordant is better not mixed
with the dye. You don't want the dye to "set" outside
the wood; it's a little like an oil finish (I'm guessing).
You want it to penetrate THEN set.

    BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

paul womack wrote:
> So - most of the recipes are a dye followed by a mordant.
> There's something going on with the tannic acid
> I don't yet understand though.

Ah hah. In fabric dyeing both tannin
and iron compounds are used as mordants.

but if you use them togther, something
special happens.

2 mordants make a dye.

Tannin + Iron salt = black.

(historical reference to the age of this recipe:
http://aic.stanford.edu/jaic/articles/jaic39-02-005_2.html
"During the Spring and Autumn Period (722–481 b.c.) and the Warring
States Period (480–222 b.c.), mordant dying with plants containing
tannic acid was widely used to yield black. The mordant employed
was qing fan (iron salt)"

The main use for this reaction at one point was
"iron gall ink" as mentioned by Scott Grandstaff.

So here's more than we woodworkers need
to know about the tannin/iron reaction:

http://www.knaw.nl/ecpa/ink/

   BugBear (exhausted)

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