Ebonizing A Trashed Desk With Vinegar & Steel Wool | Furniture Refinishing & Repair

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

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[@georgeroman165]

Using the rounded edge board for sticking the veneer is much better than a J-roller as one can apply more pressure to ensure a tight adhesion. You can also use a common bakers rolling pin. As for the excess veneer, I've used common razor knives, but use a regular metal file to clean the edges. Good job with viniger/steel wool for blackening the oak. If you bleach the wood before applying the darkening agent you'll find it makes the grain visibility pop when the finish is applied. Nonetheless, a great job overall!!

[@poshko41]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that we have channels like this featuring professional, but accessible techniques for achieving really amazing results? I remember watching the New Yankee Workshop as a kid and listening to my uncle grumbling about how no one has the tens of thousands of dollars in tools that he has lol.

[@Titanicman]

Indeed

[@KingNast]

I used to say that about Norm too.. then I discovered Roy Underhill

[@snoopu2601]

It takes some tool's but also a good imaginations. If you were a kid from the 1970's on back chances you had to build and fix stuff as a kid. Fort's, mini bikes Go karts, tire on a rope swing.

[@peggystutz8522]

I, watched it too!

[@bc4yt]

Moment taken 👍💪

[@TheUncleRuckus]

Turned out great! 👍👍 Been using Rust Vinegar in combination with a powdered Tannic Acid & Water solution for Ebonizing for years and I love it, bc one it's way cheaper than gel stains, dyes and glazes and two even if you're going for a Jet Black look by doing multiple coats you can still see the grain of the Wood. Edit: Your solution wasn't strong enough, the idea is to let the White Vinegar _completely dissolve_ the Steel Wool, which takes about 1 to 2 weeks or more depending how much Vinegar and Steel Wool you're using and the temperature. For reference you'll know the solution is ready when there is no Steel Wool visibly left in the container beyond small particles in the sludge at the bottom and it should look basically like Liquid Rust in a bottle and there should be a large foamy froth at the top of the container. That's how you know it's ready to use. At that strength on White Oak almost immediately you'd see a shift in color to Black rather than Grey.👌 If anyone is curious about the Tannic Acid solution and what it's for, it's so you can Ebonize any species of Wood. Normally you can't Ebonize Woods like Pine, Poplar, Maple, Ash, Birch, Cherry, Alder, Bamboo etc. with Rust Vinegar, bc they are really low in Tannin content. But if you apply a Tannic Acid solution to the Wood first and let it Absorb in then apply the Rust Vinegar the Wood will Ebonize.

[@loverlyme]

That's so helpful for those of us thinking of trying this method. Thank you.

[@loverlyme]

Just to follow up: Should you leave the lid off whilst waiting for the steel wool to 'melt?' Is it okay to use the plastic container the vinegar came in?

[@juliomarin83]

@@loverlyme the reaction produces some gases, so it's better to leave some vent.

[@lhanso20]

Great tip!

[@tufelhunden5795]

Do you suggest using grocery store vinegar or have you tried the 30% vinegar from hardware stores used to kill weeds?

[@joeesposito5101]

Repurposing an old desk. Using naptha because it's what's on hand. Using your fingers to apply the finish to the drawer pulls and applying the filler. It's all so real. The vinegar/steel wool trick is a real chemistry lesson in itself. Thanks for this presentation, it's just perfect. And the results are spectacular.

[@FenceThis]

you should never do that, naphtha is extremely toxic - you should never get in contact with it !

[@MalteEgon]

@@FenceThis He wore gloves!

[@StrongopinionsRus]

I love it when people save things from the trash! That ebonizing technique is fascinating-and economical.

[@ScissorsRuns]

I admire people who have the patience to learn these skills. Beautiful work. If I had the space I'd probably try wood carving.

[@gtv6chuck]

When you said you'd never done ebonizing I thought. "Yes you have! I learned this from you." I swore I made my desktop from oak plywood and ebonized it like this after watching your video. Then you said you were going back to an old project and I realized I hadn't gone crazy.

[@MalteEgon]

Me too! I thought I had some sort of deja vu...

[@cdow68]

Gorgeous! Best renovation I’ve seen in years!!! Wow I have never seen this stain technique. Really amazing. Ty for sharing 💯

[@cdd4248]

You exhibit high levels of woodworking skill and knowledge but I love how you just go with the flow. You often use phrases like, 'well, lets just see, I didn't really know what it would do, I wanted to try something, or this was handy, so I used it' all of which, demonstrate creative curiousity and a relaxing attitude, I really appreciate.

[@lyndseybeaumont7301]

I love what the vinegar and steel wool does. The colour is really beautiful. Not black exactly as you can see every grain in the wood. It looks incredibly natural. X

[@jm7804]

Yes. This looks so much better to me than most shades of brown on oak, which can look really dated. I'm a huge fan of oak on floors, but not so much on stained cabinets or furniture. This turned out amazing.

[@jumar360]

I love all your neighbors talking to you. "Are you making a how-to for KZbin?"

[@technoman9000]

Nosy neighbors 🥸

[@aprilkeli]

And the bike pump 😂

[@bacinthezahab7818]

​@@technoman9000lone wolf🧛‍♂️😂

[@Shirmagedrusclau]

I guess because I'm not a member I can't comment. Because you using that much vinegar the desk doesn't smell of vinegar?

[@randalalansmith9883]

I'm loving the easter-eggs of the onlooker audio at the end of a clip. 🚲

[@normanbott]

That was well worth saving. That's inspired me to try out ebonising . The final result is most attractive and modern.

[@SeorkMaxx]

That is so funny to me because my grandmother had that 30 odd years ago 😁

[@philomenahearn1717]

This desk had good “bones” - love the shape of the legs and it’s simplicity

[@1519Spring]

The things some people throw away!

[@jodirauth8847]

I have watched your channel since the beginning. This desk is my favorite. I like so much that I'm going to do the ebony stain on a tiger grain white oak dresser I'm refinishing right now. I cant wait.

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thanks for watching!

[@nancyanneberg403]

Chicago area? ​@@DashnerDesignRestoration

[@jmd18]

​@@nancyanneberg403 Minneapolis

[@jinoshiosote4049]

That technique with the steel wool and vinegar was neat! The final color was beautiful! Awesome work. 🖖

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thank you!

[@deadiemeyers1661]

I enjoyed seeing you revisit an older project and give it a little "tweaking." The end result to very pleasing. (I also recognized at once that this had to be an older video at the start, from the neighborhood setting, as well as the passersby wearing masks. Aren't we glad THAT chapter is past!)

[@patriciafry8634]

Yes, plus he has done other ebonizing since.

[@paulinebuckles2310]

The drawer pulls really added a lot to the design of the piece.

[@robshamel3210]

It turned out beautiful. Very nice job. Thanks for sharing the video.

[@aixot_3073]

I like this natural color so much - more than using a seize or other lacquers. Great job! 🙂😇

[@sarahrenfrow9795]

Like that ebonizing effect. Turned out pretty. Amazing what people will throw away, isn’t it? Glad you saved this piece from the landfill.

[@kenc2257]

Whoa...a blast from the past, in the old neighborhood! Nicely nostalgic.

[@mirothiel8039]

It’s amazing how a piece of furniture can look like total garbage, but end up being so nice after refurbishing. Nice work. It came out looking beautiful.

[@shirleyannconfer9651]

This really turned out sleek and beautiful. I’m not always a fan of ebonized wood, but it definitely upgrades this desk. I love the wood grain on the top, and the new pulls look great.

[@andreafish9853]

Really lovely job. Your teaching style is quite natural as well. Bravo 👏

[@tavaramirez668]

That turned out stunning. It looks 100% better than it did in the original color. Another project finished to perfection.

[@Sober2003]

Great job and nice tip I just built a birdhouse out of some old oak boards I picked out of a construction dumpster. The guy told me it was from the original kitchen in the house that was over 125 years old. I’m going to try the steel wool and vinegar method!👌🏻🤞🏻👍🏻

[@TeresaOneill-h2m]

I love the style and color of the desk even before you began. After you finished it was WOW!

[@bertroost1675]

At first I thought, no leave the natural wood color. But when it was done I completely changed my mind. It looks very nice.

[@karenbergstrand2772]

Beautiful! I had great luck with this technique on a 10' stretch of oak butcher block. Beefed up the tannins with some strong tea before applying the vinegar solution. Topped with numerous coats of tung oil -- very pleased with the result.

[@amominak2]

I've seen this ebonizing technique used twice this week, on YT videos! I am so inspired to give it a try! The results of your desk are absolutely gorgeous 👍🌞. Thank you for the narrated project/process🤗

[@paintbrushful]

This is a true artist. Thanks for the tip on mixing vinegar and steel wool

[@ComradeStiv]

That's one handsome refurb, buddy. I like that ebonizing doesn't present as dated. It was never a fad (that I know of) so it's not a look we got sick of. Can't wait to try it. I'll probably experiment with another commenter's suggestion of letting steel wool soak in vinegar for a full week until it's dissolved and effect is blacker.

[@marieb9926]

What a beautiful piece. I love the color the ebonizing makes.

[@patriciacrozier7624]

Totally gorgeous! Wish you could see the hand made desk that I have made of plywood! Sooo yucky…square corners ect. Yours for a “roadside” find is marvelous. You are a magician with wood.❤. Love watching

[@dwightl5863]

You built it so you could change/modify the elements you don't like.

[@barbaraives4962]

An impressive result, and very interesting to see the ebonizing technique. Thanks for filming the little tips and tricks and the generous explanations of your decisions and working process.

[@jacobbroe5279]

I throughly enjoy this channel. The calm and seeing how beauty is revealed from within old battered furniture 🙂🤙

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thank you.

[@jeanlanz2344]

The ebonizing stain you used looks great. I like your patience in finishing the top with the oak veneer. You care a lot about details, and it shows. Great look. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.

[@agamemnonahb]

My grandfather used to use a rolling pin to apply veneer. So its technique over tool.

[@br6480]

I love the final look of this piece. Who knew vinegar and steel wool could produce such a stunning effect.

[@mattneillninasmom]

Beautiful looking desk. I love that you can still see the grain.

[@ConnieAcree]

You did an amazing job on the desk. Thank you for rescuing it and keeping it from the landfill. God bless.

[@shanaproctor100]

I enjoyed the video very much as usual. The foliage on the buildings across the street is stunning! What a view!

[@honeybreme5479]

Love the color you really gave that desk a new life ❤

[@thomasc3337]

Hey, that’s a really smart way to like up the veneer for a glue-up.

[@merrygentry8762]

A stunning result! Always love your calm videos showing how you refinish pieces. Maybe one day I'll try this myself.

[@rockadoodoo]

You really brought that desk back to life. It looks great.

[@nopetuber]

I actually liked the two tone look with the natural color top, just personal taste

[@JanetCaterina]

This was an interesting technique. I always enjoy listening to uour soft voice

[@vickiel914]

That ebonizing technique never fails to fasinate me. That turned out very nice!

[@krisaaron5771]

BEAUTIFUL finish! I'm so impressed that I'm stealing your ideas and techniques for an upcoming project. LOVE it!!

[@jodidavis6595]

Did that bicyclist actually randomly ride up and ask if you had a bike pump? 😳😂🤦🏼‍♀️ This tuned out amazing. Wow 😻👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Timhey0912]

I absolutely love the way you finished this desk!!! Beautiful!!

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thank you!

[@jvin248]

When building guitars I tested all manner of 'Ebonizing" techniques including vinegar+iron and leather dye. The top performer was Minwax True Black which performed better than Minwax Ebony.

[@RunarMagnussen]

The original video was the first one of yours that I watched, really enjoying seeing it get completed! This was my introduction to ebonizing, until that point I had only seen oak turning black as a bad thing happening to my kitchen counter. Luckily you showed oxalic acid fixing that in other videos, so I was able to deal with those as well!

[@jennyruiz1952]

I’m not usually fond of black furniture, but you’ve done a great job with the desk! It looks really sleek and modern.

[@bigjoe8922]

Wow that finish is beautiful great job! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us

[@shari5982]

Really like the color created by the ebonizing process! Nice!

[@MrLHabets]

The color is very beautiful. I like this technique much better than using a torch.

[@billmorris2613]

I have my mother’s old rolling pin that she used for rolling out the dough for her awesome pies and cobblers. It works very well for glueing verniers and other thin flat materials with contact cement and regular glue.

[@heyalicia2551]

Thanks so much for showing this technique! Very doable for someone like me with only a minimum of tools and experience.

[@seeingthepattern]

Great project. I sometimes ebonise scraps of oak, just because I love watching the change. I was curious about it filmed at your old place - then I remembered I'd already seen the first part.

[@malcolmharing3744]

Nice job. I would do what you did most of the time in my projects . Use what you've got! That's half the creativity. 😊

[@andrerogers9961]

I've been adhering veneer sheets for 50 years and the rounded wood technique gives you the best pressure. Also 3M spray contact cement is the best contact cement on the market. PS nice job!

[@98Zai]

wow looks really classy! This is the most modern looking piece I've seen you do! Still want it even though I have a penchant for old stuff :)

[@sandrabeck8788]

Love the finish. I like how you use what is hand, the vinegar finish is most interesting., beautiful texture.

[@beeonthyme5760]

Great camera setup and edit. The low shot as you paint edge black with the bright red vine covered building in background was really pretty.

[@tachi98lep]

Nice tricks to make an old dog shine !

[@LisaKessler-o1q]

I'll be honest... I wasn't sure i was going to like this. The ebonizing is absolutely beautiful but I kept thinking it would be way too much to then do the top and the drawer pulls. It was not too much. It came out beautifully!

[@MrPhotodoc]

Nice find. Wish I could find nice stuff like that around our town.

[@kathleennagwak1761]

Nice. I’ve used a stain to give my desk the ebony look. Your technique looks and seems great and a little easier.

[@l1zrdking]

Love dark furniture and this turned out fantastic.

[@jngobngo]

Always a good Saturday when you upload

[@patriciafry8634]

Looking forward to a new one

[@carolbulmer8253]

Another wowser! The desk is gorgeous👏👏👏👏👏

[@salimorton641]

This desk turned out beautiful!

[@mxrugge]

beats the heck out of the look you get from painting it.

[@charlesknight3204]

Outstanding restoration!!! Beautiful job!!! I am most impressed!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!! God bless!!! Chuck Knight from Atascocita, Texas.

[@charitiekbyrd1]

That actually came out better than I thought it was going to, good job on it. I'm going to have to try the ebonizing trick sometime. Keep doing you and stay safe 💯😁

[@cliftonmcnalley8469]

Thanks so much for the detail of applying the veneer to the top. I need to do a laminated dresser top and had no clue. Desk turned out awesome, especially considering the initial price!

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

Prob my favorite job you have done in a long time.

[@jimurrata6785]

If you use a 7° bevel flush trim bit, like used for Formica you can just set it deeper to compensate for the radiused edge. It also doesn't leave a sharp corner that needs softening with a sanding block.

[@Restorology]

Dude that looks SO good now! I can't tell you how many things I have fabricated using leftover oak flooring. It's perfect for everything.

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thanks!

[@65sheilakay]

Love your videos! You did that desk justice. Perfect❤

[@katherineharper-sj4ys]

That’s a nice finish. Enjoyed watching you create.

[@fugueine]

That's an interesting finish technique I"d never seen before. Thanks for sharing!

[@susanj8158]

He has the best voice on KZbin.

[@neon.neutral]

I love ebonizing. I wish i had this desk!! So beautiful.

[@scotth9881]

That looks really awesome. I'm definitely going to try this.

[@kaygee8343]

It's been some time since I've watched any of your videos. It's interesting to see (I think?) that you are still using pretty much the same equipment, not much different than before.

[@mavision6525]

The finish came out great.

[@aceadman]

Beautiful work. I liked the original and wouldn’t have changed it, but what you did is beautiful, and after seeing it, I would have wished that I’d changed it as you did. 😊🤪👍👍

[@dollmm23]

Love the finished product. It came out great! 👍

[@jtripe]

I was uncertain how that would ultimately look but it was amazing, Very nice work.

[@memecats5698]

I love the color and I’ve never seen that messages before with the vinegar in the steel wool. ❤️👍👍

[@larrynelson3329]

Very pretty. Its looks more mid century modern now too. Great job, im gonna have to try this, it would be much easier than restoring blonde oak.

[@jojojo00]

Wow, stunning result!

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thank you.

[@slicedbread9003]

I was having a Deja Vu moment and then I realized that I did see this. The veneer top came out great. The whole desk looks like it came together perfectly.

[@caroltanzi29]

Beautiful job. Very handsome piece. Carol from California

[@leisongivangomo4478]

What an excellent restoration!

[@bluewolfwalking]

What a beautiful finishing job you did! Lovely color…. For me personally, I would need different pulls as I would find it difficult to pinch hard enough to open the drawer, especially when it was filled with items.

[@Flippingdrawers]

Lovely job Steven 👌

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thanks, Jay!