Ebonizing Wood with home made Iron Acetate and Bark Tannin

[@duncanjames914]

Hi Jeremy! Thank you for this excellent tutorial. I learned a lot.

[@Reign_In_Blood_963]

Nice video. You should consider adding the recipes for the tannin and iron acetate solution to the description.

[@Reign_In_Blood_963]

@Colten Griffin Try this simple trick: \/ \/ \/ \/ Scroll down to see

[@mikeh1866]

Good instructive video. Many thanks.

[@geoffb108]

It doesn't have to be so complicated. I just finished a ebonizing job today. In an old rusty can I put a handful rusty nails nuts and bolts. Half filled that can with plain old white vinegar. I left if for 2 hours. Boiled the kettle and made a cup tea with 2 tea bags. When tea is cold paint it on the clean sanded wood. When tea has soaked into wood paint it with rusty vinegar. Watch it go black.

[@xandoo1962]

Thats great

[@TuckerDale89]

I just learned about this process the other day and gonna try it on one of my coasters if it works well then I may try it on a grip of gun grips

[@americanpancakelive]

does ebonizing work on outside decks and help protect the wood??

[@MrPod15]

I would like to see the process used on end grain. Thank you.

[@xandoo1962]

As with all wood pretty much anything applied to end grain will come out darker than face grain. This process is chemical and therefore works on end grain.

[@jedgurley]

This seems to enhance the soft grain and not the hard grain or summer grain. It's kinda like a stain but contrasting stain. It's interesting but not what I'm looking for but good information

[@diegoibarrabasurto9424]

Amazing video, thansl for uploading it, i just have a question, what kind of bark would be the best for it? I think i can get tepezcohuite or Quebracho but can i use cinnamon? Technically it's kind of bark

[@xandoo1962]

Thanks. I am glad you found it informative. As for what barks are best - I really don't know enough about this. What I do know is the bark that is best will also be the most ideal bark for leather tanning. So if you search this you will find options. Sumac, Alder, Oak, Hemlock and some of the pines are good that I know of. Easiest way would be to search "tannins". They mostly all will be OK. Some are just more potent that others. Tannins are just polyphenols in the plant. They must be tart or astringent. In other words the solution will make your mouth want to pucker when you taste it.

[@diegoibarrabasurto9424]

@@xandoo1962 thanks for the advice, I waited a week on my acetate to work but today I tried it on some cedar and mahogany and it works really well

[@xandoo1962]

Glad it worked for you. @@diegoibarrabasurto9424

[@ScalesOfaRam]

I'm wondering, now that I've successfully dissolved 1lb of steel whool, what are the risks of "metal fume fever"?

[@Sweet_T4u]

So is this food safe? Can I use it on a cutting board?

[@pamelagoldman7613]

I would think that once it dried it would be food safe, but the ebonizing doesn't go very deep and if you were to cut on the board the lighter color would come through

[@HibikiKano]

How long does the solution hold for ? Can I make a batch and just keep it for a year ? Or is it best to prepare just a few days ahead of use ?

[@xandoo1962]

Leave it in the fridge. It will last almost indefinitely. We do the same with cyanoacrylate glues (well sealed) and hide glues.

[@HibikiKano]

@@xandoo1962 Not sure how well my partner will take storage of my tinctures in her fridge, not my mum in hers for that matter 😂, but as long as I can keep it unrefrigerated in my basement shop for a few months its all good. Loved the video btw, was the most informative I have seen on the subject 😊

[@robertoconnell8153]

What type of clear/top coat would you recommend over this ebonizing treatment?

[@xandoo1962]

Interesting question Robert and never a simple answer. Given the process is a chemical one unlike a stain, it renders the wood virtually unchanged at its surface so you can add any topcoat you please. I wouldn’t want to say “I suggest” anything in terms of a top coat since it can be so subjective, however if you wanted the least noticeable finish then a clear water based flat or satin resin is your choice. Anything with an oil base will change the look more with a darkening and even a sheen. Same for an oil based resin like a varnish etc. The water based products will raise the grain so will require careful sanding so that you don’t sand through the color. Oil or oil based finishes wont raise the grain. Fuming with ammonium hydroxide (dangerous) however will colour very deep (as much as an 1/8” or more but a very different color. I should try both sometime.

[@davezielinski3318]

I've been having a bit of issues getting the iron acetate solution to get into the pores of the oak. Have you had issues with this and any suggestions how to overcome it?

[@xandoo1962]

Dave. Thanks for looking and your question. I cant report such difficulty, no however i can imagine it. Have you raised the grain and resanded? If so to what grit?. I just wonder if the surface is too burnished? You could try warming the solution.

[@evelyncarr6421]

What grit are you sanding thr surface down to? 220 or so is the finest you should go to or you risk the sawdust filling the pores of the wood, preventing penetration of the stain.

[@geoffb108]

The wood needs to be freshly planed or sanded making sure there is no oil or other sealing cost on it

[@runifuceeme406]

THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE MIXTURE, IS THAT IT KINDA HAS AN ODOR AFTER ALL IS DONE WITH THE WOOD..

[@tac4bravo]

If you seal it with a varnish or polyurethane you won’t smell a thing

[@dorynwallach5294]

Does the wood need to be sanded prior?

[@xandoo1962]

While I have not tried it I cannot see why it wouldn’t work on any smooth or rough wood. Just wood with maybe heavy surface oxidation and or rot might not behave normally (chemically speaking).

[@pamelagoldman7613]

You should not sand past 320 grit and be sure to change your sandpaper ofter so you don't burnish the surface. The sweet spot for getting good absorption is said to be between 220 and 320. I am working on some sample boards on Ash, which has no tannin. I used the bark tea first, then the iron acetate, Let it dry for an hour, then the bark tea again. The color is a really deep brown/black. I did samples of shellac and wax for a finish and a water base finish. My only issue was that I sanded through the color on the edges between coats. I need to be more careful. Hope this helps.

[@Stormcloakvictory]

​@@pamelagoldman7613I use iron acetate on my white ash axe handles and it does work fine without bark tea to be honest. I get a nice dark walnut stain, though it does take a while for it to work/darken.

[@rschiwal]

The gas produced is hydrogen. Hydrogen goes boom. I know from experience.

[@xandoo1962]

Sure yes BUT you won’t get to an unstable H2 to O2 ratio. Neither would you be able to in a regular shop environment as the H2 concentration would dissipate fast being about 1/16 the mass of O2.

[@user-qm7nw7vd5s]

Here is a hack for you: Black leather dye. Yep.

[@wadefinch2664]

Guess you missed the part where he talked about the black leather dye looking more blue?

[@yellowcat1310]

4 ot not 4 zero