How to Easily Ebonize Wood

Learn how to easily ebonize wood for your next project! The chemical reaction that occurs when you apply the iron acetate to wood creates a beautiful and durable black finish, a similar look to ebony (hence the name).
➤Materials List:
Wood (Duh)
0000 Steel Wool
White Vinegar
Quart Jar
Coffee filter
Funnel
Small jar
Sponge Brush
Black Tea
➤Follow Me on Social Media:
/ crowhollowwoodworks

[@jameslouder]

You will get an even deeper and more convincing black when you use this on white oak, whose tannin content is a lot higher than red oak's. On white oak you probably won't need the tea, though you can use it to balance the color on an uneven board. Black walnut also responds super well to this treatment.

[@MrSlyQue]

Many videos out there with this method, but you actually took the time to show the how-to of the acetate. I thank you for the thoroughness!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you Andrew, happy to help.

[@robertthomas1286]

You can speed up the process by adding hydrogen peroxide to the vinegar. I still waited about a week to use it though.

[@mgeorge4347]

Interesting... and thanks.

[@Tiny_Island_Designs]

This is so brilliant - previously I was told this trick only worked on white oak because of its tannins but adding your own tannin with the black tea is such a no brainer. Thank you for sharing!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

No problem at all, happy to help!

[@Wolf_Avery]

Your video is very well laid out, concise and informative. Thank you.

[@ronniebrummett4995]

New to the channel. But you laid everything out and made everything known. I’ve seen a few videos. But never anything about the black tea. Subscribed. Thank you sir.

[@sarahwilson1102]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@suzannewinz1099]

Thanks for the detailed tutorial

[@Bjornarp]

pressed subscribe the moment i saw that double clamp funnel holding solution. so simple so smart! Ebonizing oak is the only "staining" of oak acceptable imo!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Thanks! Looking forward to trying this!

[@mgeorge4347]

Kick ass video. Deep yet simplistic.

[@738polarbear]

Thanks very much I need to do this as I am making a red oak campaign chest with ebonitzed accents . Very appreciated.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Awesome, glad I could help. Good luck with the chest, I love campaign furniture👍🏻

[@cwsgt2806]

Well done thanks

[@lecobra418]

Nice, I'll try this with the black tea between each layer. I have to make a new pommel for my car and with its black and plastic interior any plain wooden pommel would look silly. This finish would keep the character of the wood and would fit perfectly into my car! Thanks a lot for the precious informations!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Awesome!

[@michebre]

Thanks so much for this video, very informational.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thanks!

[@saraking9662]

I'll definitely be using the black tea treatments inbetween from now on. Is there a shelf life on the iron acetate? Meaning after the 7 days it takes to make it? Awesome video

[@Pressingontoperfection]

That was rad!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@rhykko77]

Thank you !

[@MoscaWoodworking]

by far better than the black stain I used in the past. I've got to give it a try

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Great to hear! I’ve used a homemade walnut stain in the past also, it darkened the wood but it just sort of looked dirty haha

[@MoscaWoodworking]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks Yes, I've heard that another alternatve is india ink. but I find this better at first sight

[@samr4868]

Love this video - super helpful! I’ve found trying this out, you make make the solution much quicker if you use strong 20% vinegar - sometimes referred to as ‘cleaning vinegar’ Hope it helps - keep up the good stuff!

[@mgeorge4347]

When I was looked into cleaning vinegar it was full of chemicals. Strange as I was, corn wasn't one of the ingredients listed.

[@chefgarrin]

Brilliant, can you do this to golden oak cabinets or does it only work on plain not previously stained oak. Tks

[@pas0003]

Brilliant! Does it wear well? I assume so as the colour is under the surface as well?

[@shyannerobberson9217]

if you were using this on a chair how would you recommend sealing the stain in? do you need to worry about transfer of iron onto white clothing and would it help prolong the life of the color?

[@emompong05]

Awesome info. Will this only work on specific wood types? Lets say doing this on brazillian rosewood having much denser characteristics. do you think this will work?

[@Dragondezznuts]

Tip: if you flip the lid upside down it will allow the gas to escape and keep the lid for canning later.

[@dwightl5863]

Canning is used for preserving food. I don't think I'd be so cheap as to reuse a lid that had been exposed to this solution for canning food. IMHO

[@Dragondezznuts]

@@dwightl5863 you make no sense. The gases in the vinegar and steel wool mixture needs to escape. If you turn the lid upside down the seal of the lid will not block the gases from escaping. When you are done and would like to use the lid for canning you can flip it around. He’s not canning the vinegar and steel wool.

[@dwightl5863]

@@Dragondezznuts I fully understand what you are accomplishing by having the lid upside down so it doesn't seal. Just saying I don't think it is a good idea to use the same lid for preserving food. Why risk the chance of contaminating food with vinegar/steel wool solution. Save the lid and jar for another batch or whatever.

[@Dragondezznuts]

@@dwightl5863 to each his own I guess.

[@jensbarsoe5471]

Nice!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Jens Barsöe thank you!

[@Blenbkuqi]

nice video . do the solution penetrate deep in to the wood or just 1 or 2 mm in surface ?

[@michaelvoytsekhovsky]

Iron(II) sulfate (copperas, green vitriol) gives the same effect without the stench and worries. After staining, the wood must be washed with a soda solution and water.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thanks for the info👍🏻

[@deaultusername]

if you want consistent Tannin source go to a homebrew shop and buy the tanin there, is used to improve wine and add flavor to cider.

[@dekeros-recreationalwoodwo6456]

Very nice color indeed. I get more reddish tone when using this, but I saw a few things I made different. Thanks for sharing! Happy to found your channel! :-)

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Glad I could help! Hopefully I’ll be adding some more content in the near future.

[@TheOrcasRule]

From watching other videos out there, the red-ish stuff should just wipe off. It's the "rust" from the steel wool, which shouldn't soak into the wood. I've never tested this, but, like I said, others have said that who have used this method.

[@crazybobby14]

@@TheOrcasRule yes and the iron smell is strong. If I get it on my fingers it smells all day like pennies.

[@jnelsimpson1190]

Can you please advise on what to seal the finished Ebonized wood with? I have an antique wood table and I want a satin type finish.

[@rsstnnr76]

How deep does the color penetrate? And will this work with African mahogany?

[@manukunama6928]

I just made the mix and it didn't darken right away at all. I think because it is alcohol vinegar. This destilated vinegar that you use is hard to find here in Europe. will it work with this alcohol vinegar? ...we wil see in a week!

[@joshuadunn7140]

Do you wait for the black tea to dry before applying the acetate solution?

[@shokojimhollingsworth3940]

Thanks for the video. How do you recommend sealing the finished ebonized wood? Does this process create a natural seal/durable finish?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Boiled linseed oil, danish oil, or plain wax would work great. A regular varnish finish should work just fine also.

[@shokojimhollingsworth3940]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks Thanks, I'm looking forward to trying it out!

[@johnkearns6523]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks thanks for this vid. Nice to see a video from someone who knows what they are doing (so many have absolutely no clue). Side note from a finishing specialist. Wax in itself is not a finish, it's a finish 'conditioner'. It will dissipate over time. You'll need a sealer/finish. Which finish will depend on how the piece will be used or what you want to bring out in the wood. A shelf (light duty) might only need an oil finish, whereas a kitchen table or chair (heavy duty) would benefit from a more durable finish like urethane or lacquer.

[@maziamini9604]

I made my gun stock black unintentionally, I used steel wool and vinegar and rubbing alcohol to remove the old finish but it turned black, how can I get rid of black stain? Thanks

[@iajhy]

Amazing video, man! Can I finish it with Tung oil?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you! Should be able to.

[@georgebarnes7023]

Would this be good to do on knife handles?

[@dannydiaz1704]

What would you use to give it a clear coat?

[@AdrianDecaux]

Hi, great video, I want to make a guitar fretboard dark but I'm afraid if I use this method I'll get all my fingers stained to the touch, how can I avoid that?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

You could look at sealing it with a flat spray based finish, that should prevent it from coming off. Or a wax maybe.

[@piffpete420]

Will this work on sanded veneer?

[@aliengrey6052]

Is this recommended on guitar fretboards

[@liamzhang8916]

Why is it that when i pour white vinegar onto that steel wool, it doesn’t change color instantly like how it is in the video, and even after a couple of hours the solution is still clear even after I shaked it?

[@normbarrows]

As a guitar builder, I've been looking for ways to ebonize rosewood and maple. Stains, dyes, and inks don't seem to really do the job. Black tea and iron acetate just might.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Hopefully it works for what you are looking for!

[@normbarrows]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks Nothing seems to yield a true ebony look. India ink seems to work best for darkening.

[@justmakeit2616]

Is it possible to finnish it off with some lineseed oil? To protect the black Color and the wood

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Yes, that would be a good finish.

[@herilianeria3735]

my steel wool and vinegar solution didn't get brownish when i combined them, how concentrated is your vinegar?

[@ArdaAslan3172]

At the beginning of the video you can see what brand he uses. I think it’s says 5% acidity.

[@DV0N]

Would I need to add some other finish at the end if the wood will have direct contact with the skin for couple of hours per day?

[@OGSauceDaddy]

Yes. Like a poly finish or varnish

[@cindygalea9238]

🙏

[@fjelstednord3159]

I don't use Black Tea in my solution and I get a Jet Black finish every time. One coat only. I probably mix mine stronger using a higher concentrate vinegar and more steel wool.

[@Jacksteelmachines]

and then oil it?

[@TheOrcasRule]

What's the approximate ratio of steel wool to vinegar? That looked like about 2 "standard" size steel wool pads to one quart vinegar?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

I believe I used. just one pad that was all pulled apart, but you could try it with two. One quart of vinegar will only dissolve so much, and the rest will be filtered out anyway.

[@TheOrcasRule]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks Thanks for clarifying! I guess I need to watch more closely ;-)

[@fatgrubman645]

Would this make the wood poisonous or unsafe in anyway ? Like if something/someone chewed it ?

[@waynemeriwether1739]

I’m curious about this too. For instance, would it be safe to use ebonized wood on a cutting board?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

This is not a food safe finish.

[@keithwinslow]

How long did you wait for each coat to dry?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Just to touch, it’s mostly water so it doesn’t take long to dry.

Is this food safe?

[@CampDweller]

I made 3 glasses of steel wool and vinegar and it doesn’t turn my wood black.

[@jg1019]

Is this safe for spoons?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

I don’t believe so.

[@soso-ee9ut]

Can I use this technique for OBS plywood as well?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Not sure how the glue would affect the color saturation, you might try a smaller piece and see how it turns out.

[@sohapark7875]

Does it smell?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

It does smell like vinegar.

[@lXx_xXl]

Why would you put a hole in a mason jar? The whole point of the design is to let pressure escape all you have to do is not tighten the lid all the way.

[@blowersin5133]

What type of wood is the big piece ?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Red oak, same as the others.

[@blowersin5133]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks Thanks!

[@jackjones3657]

Great video, but honestly, that looks way to dark! It's as if the wood were just painted black. It's really hard to even make out the grain.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

You could vary the amount of times you apply it to the wood, or even vary the concentration of the black tea, to get different levels of dark.

[@syracuse6651]

Vinny Paul........

[@ArianaBauer]

Is this finish food safe?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

It is not.

[@nickkoenig2778]

What you can do to achieve a similar look is the Shou Sugi Ban method. Finish with mineral oil.

[@sonicd57]

Why not use a charcoal color stain instead of this ?

[@rodderz5615]

Why not just use black stain please?

[@CotyWK]

Can you not just add the tea to the solution?

[@auraflood6810]

can i do this 100% northern white birch anyone???

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

You might have to add a lot of black tea to it to get enough tannin for it to change color, and even then I’m not sure how dark it would get.

[@bubblebutt2.1]

Turn up the guitar, i can still hear you!

[@The_Joker_]

How to Fokkerize wood.

[@kerrykrishna]

This is' How to ebonize red oak' not how to ebonize wood. This does not work for many species. I thought I was going to learn something here. One word does make a difference.

[@luckyman1071]

Excellent video! I always wondered how this dark finish was accomplished. Ebonized wood and stone interiors bring out the best in each other. images.app.goo.gl/FsE9UqadQzMPxf7HA