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Ebonising wood - Steel wool / Vinegar or Chestnut spray on stuff ?

PhillH

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So, if I decide to have a bash at ebonising my lump of Ash, do I go down the Vinegar and steel wool route or buy Chesnuts ebonising lacquer ?

I'm assuming that the Chesnut stuff is a surface coat (paint almost) rather than staining into the wood, therfore if I wanted to maybe do some gilding cream on it, I couldn't. Right or wrong ?

So would I be better going for the vinegar / wool method ?

From what I read there seems to be some opinion that to apply a coat of stewed tea first helps ?

I assume with this method that a light coat then sand it as the grain will lift surely ? Then repeat until you get a colour you're happy with ?

Any help and advice would be much appreciated.
 

Grump

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Not sure that method will work on Ash, I know it does on Oak but not all woods init?
Ebonising lacquer would be the way to go but why colour a nice piece o wood let the grain be the art?
 

Twister

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I will try and get a pic of an oak bowl i used black spirit stain on

it will just be from iphone but may give u idea
the open grain on the ash should show gilting better

Steve
 

Walter

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I'm assuming that the Chesnut stuff is a surface coat (paint almost) rather than staining into the wood, therfore if I wanted to maybe do some gilding cream on it, I couldn't. Right or wrong ?

Yes and No. Yes it is pretty much the same as paint (and satin black paint will work just as well), but that doesn't stop you using gilt cream over it especially on open-grained wood like ash. I have seen both Mark Raby and Mark Baker demonstrate the technique and it makes an attractive finish.

Edit: And far easier than ar$ing about with wire wool and tea.
 

Woody

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I have obonised a lot of Oak with Vinegar and wire wool but it dont work as well on ash as there is less tannic acid in ash if you only want to darken some of the wood then you will need to burn a line in the wood to stop the black bleeding across the best way on ash is to put some wire wool in vinegar and let it turn black then it will it stain the wood but if you dont burn a groove on each side it will bleed across
But spray may be your easiest way forward cut your recess first then spray then cut the rest of your platter to remove unwanted over spray
Ebonized oak with vinigar & wire wool and gold gilding cream
15.jpg
 

Twister

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prob not best example

i will do a bit of ash so u can see better

I just see Woody's post so..there u go

Steve
 

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Buckeye

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I tried putting tea bags in with the mix of vinegar and wire wool and left it for about a week, it darkened the ash lovely, but it was a very dark brown 6 more tea bags and it made the ash blackish after several coats. Oak was black straight off. I don't know which I would use, are there any long term examples of the Chestnut product ie does it start to flake or is it stable. I have used watered down acrylic paint as well as normal emulsion paints (not black though) and they allow the grain to show through.

Peter
 

stevenw1963

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Phil, Chestnuts ebonising spray is a paint, spray it on the wood then wipe off with a cloth.
The harder you press the more paint comes off. Let the rest dry then put your gilding cream on.
I have done a couple of these in Ash and the grain shows through quite nicely.
Woody has the first one I did if you've been to his.
Will have a look later to see if I can find some photos on my pc at home.
 

Grump

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it dont work as well on ash as there is less tannic acid in ash
That's the reason for using tea, the tannin in the tea adds the tannic acid to the wood, tea bags are not as good as a proper goodly strong brew in a pot and leave it till the surface is a rainbow colour to get the tannin.
All this messing about is a pain in the arse and paints can be costly and artificial,
All I would do is throw a couple of ink cartridges at it and let them leach into the wood.
 

Dalboy

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Personally I would not go the vinegar and wire wool route on Ash. Either the spray or a spirit stain let dry then rub in the cream, finally gently wipe off with danish oil on a rag to clean up the gold over fill.

That is how I did the bangle below which is also made from Ash
 

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Twister

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Personally I would not go the vinegar and wire wool route on Ash. Either the spray or a spirit stain let dry then rub in the cream, finally gently wipe off with danish oil on a rag to clean up the gold over fill.

That is how I did the bangle below which is also made from Ash

u should have entered that one in competition Derek:funny:
the student would not have become the master:banana:

Steve
 

PhillH

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Well I have to say a HUGE thank you to you all for the ideas and pics.

Some great inspiration there for sure.

But................ SWMBO has just said "why would you want to spoil a nice piece of wood" :funny::funny::funny:

Looks like I'll be trying this out on something else :ciggrin:
 

Buckeye

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Personally I would not go the vinegar and wire wool route on Ash. Either the spray or a spirit stain let dry then rub in the cream, finally gently wipe off with danish oil on a rag to clean up the gold over fill.

That is how I did the bangle below which is also made from Ash

Yes, that is great:thumbs: Very nice:thumbs:

Peter
 

stevenw1963

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Phil

For some reason I can't add photos to this thread but have a look in my gallery on the forum there is another view of the one Woody posted of mine, cheers Woody.
They do really look the dogs danglies like this ( finished another one last night on spalted sycamore).
 

Buckeye

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Been meaning to try this Ebonising lark, I have a big box of steel wool in the shed.:thinks:

I don't know about your steel wool over there, but here it has a protective coating of was on it, pour boiling water over the wire wool and it will react quicker with the vinegar.

Peter
 

Penpal

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Finishes on wood for various results is a special project restoration and turners all have developed their versions, the term ebonising comes to mind some methods do succeed more than others, many a witches brew. This post could expand however libraries in forums have exhausted this subjectively. Whatever it takes IMHO.

Peter.
 


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