Ebonising Oak With Vinegar and Steel Wool.

[@Mohammad927]

Reverse Michael Jackson gotta be the funniest way to describe it

[@Paddyman8869]

Its called an Uncle Ruckus

[@user-ug5xr2gb6j]

@@Paddyman8869No relation.

[@brandtmoore9427]

It’s called the sunwalk

[@scotginger4690]

The Jichael Mackson.

[@whitecoffee1427]

by gaw it worked though

[@tekkorb778]

I thought it'd just deepen the wood color like varnish but then you showed the finished board. That's a mind blowing change

[@OnlyGcontent]

Its called buying a black board not that mind blowing

[@keegans5695]

​@@OnlyGcontentif you're thinking this is fake or something, it's not. It's a reaction with the iron oxides in the steel wool and the gallic acid in the vinegar, and the reason it works best with oak is the natural tannins present. It also works really well with chestnut, but other woods tend to have lower tannin content. Tannin is why aging barrels are made of oak btw. It's the same chemical compound used to make iron gall ink, essentially. The reaction also makes the oxidized compounds more stable, so it's not going to change much after it sets, either.

[@coenduda7746]

@@OnlyGcontentyou should look shit up before you say stupid shit

[@Aurosteel]

@@OnlyGcontent numbskull alert

[@Tao_Tology]

​@@keegans5695There was a biiiiiiiig step darker between what you could see being painted on at the start and then the _entirely slate black_ surface at the end.

[@FracturedEquality]

Did this in high school, blew my teachers mind. Did it with walnut too, turned kinda purple.

[@Alex-zq9zm]

itll turn white oak purple too if you do a strong mix

[@mebenn15]

Quick question is there a vinegar smell afterwards?

[@randommodnar7141]

​@@Alex-zq9zma strong mix being more steel wool?

[@Alex-zq9zm]

@@randommodnar7141 yes

[@madamsloth]

Yo, that's so cool.

[@desvexel840]

As a kid I said, "once you go black, you never go back" in art class, not realizing what I was saying. My art teacher asked me why I kept saying it and I told her it was because when you color over a black marker line with a yellow one, it stays black and isn't yellow anymore. 😂

[@thepenguin9]

Guarantee that got retold in the teachers lounge a few times

[@alZiiHardstylez]

That's adorable.

[@rachellobello]

I think I sat at the same table as you, like that day you were shocked Freddie Mercury wasn't straight. Those weren't the words you used though 😬

[@fuzzyfurrymonster]

for me it was the greysooop that cleaning up brushes always produced when I was at school. For some reason 7 year old me always got the brush cleaning, or was it that I actually cleaned them til they were.. clean? But miss, it's still grey soup... An an adult I saw this same colour on steering wheels of trucks. And somewhere in a completely different timeline, at the same age, I found myself staring at pencils. It's always grey. what colour is grey soup? Maybe I can sneak a pencil into paint washing.. Same awkward kid. - but.. the greenhouse effect, miss. When the hot water from the power plant goes in the sea.... If we had loads of calculators we could power a giant R/C car.... *starts collecting dead calculators* *which my mother stole*

[@RatRhapsody]

@@fuzzyfurrymonsterare you at an institution my friend?

[@samuelmellars7855]

For those wondering! Any vinegar works! Acetic acid in vinegar reacts with the iron to make iron acetate (I think). This will dissolve in water. It soaks into the wood and reacts with tannins in the wood, and becomes a different iron compound. This is non-soluble, so the black stain won't wash out! If your wood or other material doesn't have enough tannins, you can soak it in tea or something else with tannins (acorns work apparently) and then dry it out. Once it has dried out, apply the vinegar/iron mix. Veg-tanned leather also works with this stuff. Because it is tanned with tannins. I believe the solution is also called vinageroon? Maybe? Or something like that.

[@EoinReardon]

That’s so cool! Thanks for your comment. Gonna try this tea trick on ash.

[@adenkyramud5005]

​@@EoinReardonoh that's gonna look great if it works

[@macariusbautista4911]

Huh!!! You NERD!!! nah kidding. Thanks for the info

[@TH3-MONK]

Acorns. Makes sense. Hence why it works so well on Oak. Thanks 👍

[@FellsApprentice]

Does it also harden it like charring it does?

[@Imtimmahler]

“Once you go black, you never go back” tell that to Michael

[@sirtaugs]

He never went black. He'd never knew to go back.

[@ElectricalExistence]

its not that one couldnt go back, its that they and their newly acquired stds are not wanted back.

[@duckflynn3849]

You mean tell that to Macaulay culkin

[@quandarious_gooch]

MATTY CONRAD cut my hair

[@hambor12]

to paraphrase NicePeter, MJ never lost any chocolate, he just added vanilla

[@TheCraftyUser]

The reverse Michael Jackson with no further elaboration was gold 🤣

[@ronthornton6398]

"A reverse Michael Jackson." Ah, you mean an Uncle Ruckus.

[@TheBigSadOne]

The ending really caught me off guard 💀

[@grillsimon4548]

Yea but jackson could do it😂

[@Mb55K]

😂😂😂😂

[@soul-the_argonaut5211]

Lol but did it make you wanna go black...?

[@janet1744]

Lmboff😂

[@JoKrPH]

@@soul-the_argonaut5211😅

[@CeeQuin]

I appreciate that it soaks in a bit. Means a few nicks or scrapes on the final item over time won't stand out like a sore thumb. ^-^

[@vidarr7061]

"reverse Michael Jackson" took me a second lmaoooo

[@brianeddy2011]

That is probably the best woodworking hack I've seen. I have tried searching for a cheap easy quick way to ebonize without chemicals or weeks waiting. I've searched for 4 or 5 years. Now I can move on! Thanks! Keep up the good videos and work. Slainte

[@MissterBest]

“Once you go black, you never go back “when referring to the wood had me rolling.

[@Tim-is-short]

As far as I know that phrase is always referring to the wood...

[@quandarious_gooch]

MATTY CONRAD cut my hair

[@topogigio7031]

Yeesh, you, Zoomies sure are a racist lot.

[@113dmg9]

The saying is true. What does would have to do with anything?

[@GRAYgauss]

@@113dmg9 wood* Considering the whole video was about wood, the double entendre wood is used for, and the colloquial use of OP's quote... ... ... Are you really asking this question?

[@dominikcujko7256]

It doesnt need to be steel wool. Any iron will work. You can use old nails for example. The acid in the vinegar reacts with iron and makes iron acetate. This thrn reacts with tannins in the wood and darkens it. For example you could try it on beech and you would get somewhat silver/gray colour. If you try it on pine it wouldnt even be noticeable. There is a trick with coffee or with black tea where their tannins then react with the acid so it darkens the wood more. Also, similarly to this, you can also darken the wood with ammonia. For example, the wood in old barns is darker than normal wood because of animal manure which is full of ammonia

[@GBOB68]

Your comment is longer than the clip!

[@arnoldmmbb]

Yeah It works with the tannins in the wood a very old technique

[@reddragon771]

Maybe I am mistaken but he never said only steel wool works .

[@keinname7478]

Steel wool probs works better as it has more surface area?

[@Eralen00]

yeah but steel wool works faster becasue it has a lot more surface area to react with the acid. you could use a nail but it would take longer to dissolve the iron

[@asuniqueasthespellingofmyn1124]

I heard what he said about MJ and as he kept talking I didn't hear anything because I was in awe of his creativity😅😂😂 now I gotta rewatch it🤣🤣🤣

[@user_name_redacted]

fun fact: this is how the Germans would blacken their leather in ww1/ww2. they soaked steel wool in vinegar and dabbed it on the leather, then used polish to lock it in and get that super shiny black

[@kamryndunn5610]

Omg I didn't get the reverse Micheal Jackson at first, that's hilarious

[@camilosanchez831]

Omg is blasphemy. Repent and believe the gospel

[@dcasey714]

​@@camilosanchez831lol

[@zonchanch5]

@@camilosanchez831 Deuteronomy 5:11 is talking about how you represent Him by how you bear His name. think of it as frontlet between the eyes of the priest - if you are calling yourself obedient to His word, then you should show it - and not take it in vain by not acting according to His word. Think of it this way - if you are to be a priest, then represent His name well.

[@parkerbond9400]

Same, I was trying to figure out what that backwards walk dance move had to do with this...

[@LUCAS420BLZ]

Re-Vitiligo

[@atomicwinter31]

You can use almost any vinegar, to my knowledge. It's an old method of staining pretty much any fabric or wood you like. Strips the iron 3+ ions off of the steel wool, and produces a clear dye that turns black when exposed to the air. I've done it with rusty nails and distilled white vinegar before.

[@anonymousv4889]

After mixing a but if steel wool with vinegar, can I just keep the jar around for years or do u have to make New one after a while? Does it go bad or stop working?

[@thejoetandy]

​@@anonymousv4889it lasts a long time, can top it up with vinegar if it dries out. best to keep the container full to minimise it oxidising in the jar

[@anonymousv4889]

@@thejoetandy okay thanks! Gonna make me a jar of it then

[@atomicwinter31]

​@@anonymousv4889 a good way to do it is to also do it in a sealed jar! I've been told that the clearer it looks, that means its been oxidized the least (which removes the iron3+ out of solution), the more effective it is, but i'm not too sure about that claim.

[@GGht704]

Reverse Michael Jackson had me dying 😂

[@robertstevens1537]

I used to use cloth dye and shellac thinner to get wood any color I wanted (including Black). Worked like a charm and I still have pieces that have not faded in decades.

[@terrapinjonathan.]

Righteous

[@noblegreen2692]

I do this process for my oak longbows, sometimes it turns them jet black and sometimes it just darkens them slightly

[@k0nanick]

One of the comments in here says that you can treat the wood with tannins from tea or Acorn juice before you apply it, to get darker results 🤙

[@kevenbeene4585]

I'm going to try this on some bodark bows . Great idea

[@ArdentPardy]

Does it depend on sapwood versus heartwood?

[@noblegreen2692]

@@ArdentPardy it's complicated. It depends more on how much tannins are in the woods. Some wood won't turn at all other will go almost ebony black.

[@noblegreen2692]

@@kevenbeene4585 I'm not sure how it would work. I've never tried it on osage

[@The_dislike_guy]

*“Once you go black, you can never go back”* Funny, my wife keeps saying that, not sure why she talks about woodworking so much with her girlfriends, must be taking up a new hobby. Thanks for clearing that up old chap!

[@Novalbz]

Wrong wood

[@monkeyassassin21]

Noooooooo

[@woofy9977]

hurr I’m a cuck lmfao

[@JuniorFigueroaStreet]

Oh hell nah

[@steffinyou9006]

Well Tom we gonna go fishing. Soon

[@hectorgarza5688]

How can you just casually drop the hardest joke without even trying 😂😂😂

[@thepenguin9]

"doing a reverse Micheal Jackson" It's amazing how you precisely know what he means

[@kanalbenenner7830]

its the reaction of iron with tannines, it also happens when you have nails in oak that are exposed to rain, you get black stains over time. Its a ion-catalyzed oxidation. And yes it works best with oak, because of its specific kind of tannines

[@kizzyxmonster1952]

As a carpenter at heart and trained in bench joinery this was one of the first things you had to learn about how iron can cause discoloration on certain woods, so the fact you have just described it adequately and in depth has pleased my OCD to educate people with little facts, so on behalf of bench joiners and carpenter I'd like to thank you. 🙂

[@Metallica4Life92]

the chemist in me was wondering what was at play here, thank you :)

[@pcampbell17]

When I was a teenager I worked for an antique dealer that did this on new wood for repairs. Completely forgot about it until now.

[@java2182]

For anyone needing a hack...I do a lot of ebonizong oak using this type of solution. Just know that not all oaks are created equal and will have different levels of tannin..even among same species. Tannin is what reacts with the vinegar/ iron solution to turn black. A lot depends on the soil the tree comes from, how dry it is when you work with it ( drier wood, lower tannin) etc. So an easy solution...if you're working with multiple boards and not sure if from same tree...make an extremely strong solution of basic black tea (tea has tannins). Then wipe a flood of the tea over entire project to create a base level of tannins. Let it dry to the touch + 3 hours (lightly scuff off any raised burrs) then cover with ebony solution and Presto..a beautiful finish...you might have some variation in boards but not significantly noticeable. Cheers

[@MrThetruthprevails]

❤ watching your videos calms and informs me .Thank you for Sharing

[@nghtwng1572]

I love this lad!! 😂❤ Whatever day you might be having, he always ends up making it a little bit better & brighter!! 😂❤

[@TheTeun1996]

There is a specific kind of acid within the cell walls of oak timber. This reacts to sulfur as well and blackens out the surface of the timber.

[@a_kid_who_games8845]

reverse micheal jackson🤣 bro pulled the “i got black i got white whatchu want”

[@aharris19104]

This short earned a sub from me lad. Cheers from Philadelphia in the US.

[@violetskies14]

That looks so cool! I'd love a table top made of ebonised oak (if I could actually afford one lol).

[@alibobo2009]

Oh, now, there’s an idea!

[@randomcow505]

chief, you can dont buy a slab of oak, it will cost you a fortune instead go look around second hand stores and charrity shops for old furnature most of it is just crap, but every so often youll find something good then you just gotta be creative you might just straight up find an oak table you like that you can restore, or take the table top off and replace the legs I got a beaten up set of oak draws for next to nothing, took the side and top off, glued them all together to give a large surface, then glued and doweled that onto a second cheep pine table top from a super cheep pop up table from argos to give it some more ridgidity, routed the edges to hide the pine, sanded it all down, gave it a coat of varnish and bolted it onto my mothers old sewing table legs its still sat in the kitchen looking great also found a solid oak wardrobe from the 1920's painted white when I was 16 for around £30, had my mam take it home, spent about a week after school just sanding the shit outa that thing with a cheep belt sander then gave it a coat with some danish oil and now we have a nigh indestructable wardrobe that looks beautiful. you can do a lot with very little, you just have to take your time with it all and have a lot of patience so you dont try rush and screw it up

[@topogigio7031]

Yea, just make one

[@duckflynn3849]

nigga Oak?

[@Irishrebel092]

it also looks amazing when you give it a light sanding to bring some of the lighter color back through

[@Stillmrnew]

Wow, this is actually insanely wonderful. Thank you!!

[@FounderOf4]

Your wit is always on point but you had a few extras on here that are top notch!

[@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice]

Not exactly the same, but I remember using vinegar to age cedar to match wood for a repair job. It was bright orange on one side and shining silver on the other.

[@gorillawarrior2495]

I use the same stuff in my leather work. We call it a "vinagaroon" finish. It produces a awesome deep black leather.

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

I bet you do. Vi-oon.

[@thatbitofmoss]

I'll never get enough of this guy

[@brassmule]

It works great on pine, too, if you intend to stain the pine a darker color. It helps ensure an even finish on the pine by letting the whole wood grain get dark. I've used it a few times - even made some shutters this way - and it turned out great.

[@ttrabona8]

My guy has got jokes for days! I love your delivery, keep up the good work!

[@chrisalister2297]

Not exactly original content. 😂

[@Juicysmoolyay7259]

That is absolutely mind blowing especially because of the direction that aesthetics are going. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t have a black floor now with black accents and furniture.

[@chihuahuajedi]

All the 2005 goth kids can afford furniture now.

[@angelawintering6201]

Thank you, man! This looks so cool! I’m going to try this on a wood frame project this month, so I might come back to this comment and tell people my results!

[@rognvaldrasbjrn3972]

Thanks for your therapeutic videos! I have watched a few, and thought you deserve my subscription. Respect from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@Cobalt...]

haha, I love your videos. always been a passion of mine to do woodwork. I'm glad to see it! :))

[@Captain_Yata]

REVERSE MICHAEL JACKSON NOOO

[@wolfgang1572]

You are the first comment And not said first

[@Captain_Yata]

@@wolfgang1572 Because no one cares if I'm first or not, I just thought the reverse Michael Jackson joke was funny

[@KhalilBillion]

"Once you go black, you can never go back" Subscribed😂😂😂

[@timothylessing4774]

Wow nice tip Wonderful to look at Wonderful to listen to!¡!¡!

[@iesika7387]

The mechanism here is a reaction between the iron and tannins in the wood! That's why it won't rub off - you're binding those iron ions to the natural tannin in the wood. One of the most traditional inks is just mixing something high tannin, like powdered oak gall or acorn water, with iron, or even using an iron stylus as the pen. The reaction between the iron and tannin is what makes the black color. This is also used when dying cloth or yarn using natural materials - iron water or iron vinegar is used to "sadden" colors, or make them darker and greyer. Other metals can be used the same way! I'd be curious what copper acetate (copper in vinegar water) might do. If anybody wants to try this as a dye at home, try heating your (natural cotton, wool, or similar) cloth or yarn in a strong solution of tea, then dip part of it in some vinegar water you put a few rusty nails in.

[@Big_Greg]

this have any benefits besides cosmetics? or will i shtick to the auld blowtorch and linseed oil forthe handles

[@Casterspellproductions]

Well this way no material is burned off

[@EoinReardon]

Yeah charring makes the wood more brittle. This wouldn’t.

[@Big_Greg]

@@EoinReardon sound man👍

[@feuerzeug72]

Hi, german carpenter here. We once did a full kitchen with that technique. To get the same colour for every piece you have to neutralize it after a certain amount of time with caustic sodor something similar. Works so good with oak and walnut because of their concentration of tannic acid. (You can spray it on evenly for bigger pieces)

[@vikerman2]

the reason it ebonizes is because the iron in the wool oxidizes and reacts with the tannins in the wood, turning it black. its the same reason you'll see dark tarnishing on old furniture around their hardware especially if theirs water damage. it works best with oak because oak has a lot of iron in it and its porousness. you can reverse the effect very quickly and easily with wood bleach (oxalic acid). the acid works to deoxidize the rust. vinegar serves nothing more than to strip the steel wool of any oils and coatings. the water in the vinegar is what makes the finish. you can make the same ebonizing product with water and an iron nail.

[@schaind11]

In America, a well proven piece of wisdom is: Once you go black, you're a single mother.

[@zander2190]

I personally prefer the old idiom, “Your dick is probably pretty small if you’re racist.”

[@gv8098]

@@zander2190 That makes sense, east-asians are hella racist.

[@scarab9515]

@@zander2190nah everyone is a racist “Life is a race, so you must be a racist” -master oogway

[@BlueHickory09]

Love the undercover brother reference bro I had no idea you would have seen that movie it’s the best

[@Mr.Deko86]

That was awesome. Thank you for the tip. I will be trying it out on my work table.

[@laurabarber6697]

The results are beautiful!💝

[@jasond9452]

do not soak your own 'wood' in the liquid!!!!!!!!!!! wait 'til it's flaccid. ;)

[@Natasha___.]

Thats amazing! I want to take apart and sand some furniture just to give that a shot 😂

[@lindacravens1359]

Love this for floating shelves! Thank you

[@SliceOfRando]

I never laughed so hard 😂 Love your content ❤

[@sethrowley9642]

my jaw just dropped… will definitely be using this. idk what i’ll be using it on but i’ll be using it 👀

[@aquanote2694]

Love your wholesome attitude

[@rentdunko-cc4ml]

You know every single time that I see one of your shorts it always makes me happy😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@fangksantana]

i love that you keep it classic no power tools for the most part. its so much more fascinating how stuff was made back then

[@ScarlettDawnAdventures]

Your vids always make me giggle. That’s such a cool way to darken wood! Thanks

[@Full_Metal_Angel]

That is so cool. Thankyou for teaching me something new today.

[@kristicollett7887]

That's really kool. Love it

[@neeleen]

Subscribed❤❤

[@EricHorchuck]

Hey, from Philadelphia, PA USA.... That was HYSTERICAL!

[@CaLiStaTuZ]

Reverse Michael Jackson 😂😂😂😂😂 LMFAO SHIT HAS ME DEAD

[@teannatrump2622]

I’m black and reversed. Michael Jackson was hilarious.😂😂

[@Hwkman4]

So many levels of entertainment. Science, woodworking, pop culture references, and racial (not racist) humor. Talent

[@moosles1357]

I was not expecting it to look almost burnt that is really good

[@magsj6474]

Regular vinegar works too. You need to put tea on wood that has less tannin in it. Add water to the oxidized vinegar to lighten the effect

[@Sage-Preston]

I love the ending! As always thanks for the good content.

[@fluffy2055]

This is so cool, i never knew it was this easy. Would have been cool if i knew this in the past

[@IronDragonslayer2316]

You had me at reverse Michael Jackson lmfao 😂

[@nathanrogers7652]

This is awesome going to use it.

[@iplayzthegames6968]

Honestly that would look really good on a guitar

[@audreycarroll9146]

Wow! I can think of all kinds of uses for this technique!

[@bogdanshevchenko]

This is the best Screneplickt Lunkerpatch character I've ever seen

[@WorDouglas8]

This is really cool bro!

[@kidkayda9566]

Thats actually really cool. I like hot wax and shellac finishes on unfinished wood

[@DontWorryAboutIt00]

I’ve always wanted to get into woodworking but this ebonizing process right here is why I actually will.

[@michelangelosplinter]

That reverse Michael Jackson got me tho 😂😂😂😂 that’s so funny and true

[@ldcuba]

used it on pine. looks so cool. watching it change as it dries for an hour or so is neat.

[@cale1523]

You just helped me out so much with an axe handle man. I didnt wanna burn it because i was afraid id have to fight my axe to keep it straight. You're a wonderfully helpful man

[@tj-ln2ep]

I did this as a cheap diy for picture frames and such at my wedding. Works like a charm 😊

[@Lout_Like_Trout]

he said “Reverse Michael Jackson” and I sat very confused for a second then in clicked and I love this guy

[@treubaking]

Did this exactly like you did in a middle school project (our teacher handled the alcohol of course.) It’s amazing seeing this happen again.

[@madison.c.ya.later...]

When he said Reverse Michael Jackson, I physically said out loud "eheh? 🤨🤨" 😂😅

[@Amarok1886]

That's actually a really cool trick, I'm gonna have to try that on some projects I have in mind

[@GwaGwaGwa]

Honestly, wanna refinish my desk like this)

[@fnafplayer6447]

Definitely going to use this

[@adriancole3165]

I'm impressed!

[@SpaceShank]

That's a nice look.

[@MrInsaint]

Brilliant, just brilliant👌

[@RuneCarverLLC]

This works great on stressing and aging your projects too... and as a base coat for multi layers of different colored stains and paints! 👍👍👍

[@Lucygoober1169]

*uncle ruckus hears that first part* THATS REVITALIGO

[@___LC___]

Fun! New things to play with!