17th century pearwood dyeing process?

Sounds familiar... ran across a couple of likely-looking recipes. The use of vinegar rings a bell

[quote from ] I have used the steel wool and vinigar approach described here: I found another link to "woodcrafters.ca"; the article is no longer at the sight, apparently, but Google's cached version seems to work:

- essentially you make a rusty-vinegar solution, and use that as the stain. (Hmm, be interesting to see what the actual chemical result of that is)

Anything based on aniline dye would be inappropriate, of course, but they seem to be the only other "ebonizing" links I could find.

My guess would be the standard ebonizing solution, which is vinegar which has had steel wool soaking in it until it dissolves. (Note: this will take probably a week or two.) No doubt shavings from a metal lathe would also work...point is to get the iron dissolved into the acidic vinegar. In my experimentation, I have found that cider vinegar worked significantly better than white vinegar. I don't know as "cooking" would be necessary, except maybe to accelerate the chemical reaction.

This solution will also work, to varying degrees, with most other woods, depending on the amount of tannin found in the wood. Put it on a piece of oak, for instance.

Hi Miki

I have no idea what you are trying to do, other than it seems, dyeing pear wood to look like ebony.

Question is was the old pear wood dyed, or does the old wood now look like ebony and you want to make some new pear wood look like the old pear wood I assume ???

If you use pigments to dye with you can control the final outcome better I think than if you would ebonize the wood as some have suggested.

They might have boiled in peat (TURF) or god knows what in those days, I'm sure you could find out what was used in those days, but it might take some trips to museums or furniture restoration places.

If you want to go the ebonizing way, first of all you will have to find out if pear wood has tannin in the wood, if not than you would have to get that into the wood first, (tea works well).

Then the color you are after, is it like a real dark brown ?? or more a blue black ?, if you use ammonia to fume the wood you would get a more brown color, and with the acid iron you will get a dark blue color.

To use the vinegar and iron (staalwol zonder olie in azyn) just put some vinegar in a jar and ad a ball of steel wool (with no oil on it) in it the the acid will absorb the steel wool, (you will see the vinegar bubble away) some one said to include some copper in it, I have never done that and I don't know if there is a difference, the solution can be used in a few hours, I usually let it sit overnight and than use it, I always just wipe it on with a rag or sponge.

The ammonia fuming uses higher strength ammonia than the household variety, even so that seems to work also, but takes longer, and I don't know if you would get the same color and depth off color.

You should try to get the ammonia that printers use, it's something like

28% ammonia if I do remember right, to use this get a big plastic bag to put your wood into, it has to be setup so that the fumes can get to all the places you want to change color, or you will get places that will be light or not colored at all, then set the ammonia in a shallow glass bowl in the bag (don't use metal !!) and close the bag, (don't breath that stuff its not healthy) if you get a clear bag you are able to see the color change, otherwise you will have to open the bag to find out.

This is all I can think of right now.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

snipped-for-privacy@casema.nl wrote:

Urine was a big component of dyes. Perhaps that and the steel wool.

Man are you in for some experimenting. Please keep us posted!

John

If you go with the steel wool and vinegar - get the steel wool to rust first. It's iron oxide that reacts with the acetic acid, the result reacting with tanin (sp?) in the wood (naturally occuring in oak - and, as noted, in tea) to produce a dark blue to black. It's rust you're after to put in the vinegar - any old rust - rusty nails, cast iron . . .

You might also look into India Ink.

Why one would "ebonize" pear wood is a mystery but . . .

charlie b

I have heard that soluble iron compounds as in fertilizer products used to correct iron deficiency in ornamental plants will work. I tried a product that was labelled 4.50% soluble iron as sulfate. Didn't say ferric or ferrous, but it didn't work for me. Bad chemistry (not the oxide) or just too weak? Probably pure and stronger stuff is available at pharmacies or farm suppliers. I know acetic acid is.

Remember that some steel wools are greasy, so probably best to pre-treat with 50% Kirkland LDD and rinse. Avoid garlic vinegar; probably not a good mix with the fruity smell of pearwood. :)

Maybe like black pearls, ebonized pearwood is prized over the bland. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

You can put shiny new steel wool in the vinegar. It will oxidize right in there...easier, actually, since the acidic vinegar will etch the surface of it and make it even more susceptible to rust. It isn't necessary to pre-rust it, by any means.

I've done it, it works.

I wondered that myself.

I use that, get it from the plant/nursery store. It is a very fine rusty red powder, in a plastic container. I forget how it is labeled but I just call it iron powder. It keeps the copper beaches red and is good for 'burning bushes' too. (no I'm not making a joke) And those red maples. Chelated iron, that's it, I remember now.

John