Restoring Fine Tools


Ebonizing Wood - The Manufacturer and Builder, 10/1894

 

To make woods, such as cherry, mahogany, etc., look like ebony is often desirable.  A correspondent gives the following directions:

  • To imitate black ebony, first wet the wood with a solution of logwood and copperas, boiled together, and laid on hot.  For this purpose 2 ounces of logwood chips, with 1 1/2 ounces of copperas, to a quart of water, will be required.

  • When the work has become dry, wet the surface again with a mixture of vinegar and steel filings. This mixture may be made by dissolving 2 ounces of steel filings in one half-pint of vinegar.

  • When the work has become dry again, sand-paper down until quite smooth.

  • Then oil and fill in with powdered drop-black mixed in the filler.

Work to be ebonized should be smooth and free from holes, etc.  The work may receive a light coat of quick-drying varnish, and should then be rubbed with finely-pulverized pumice stone and linseed oil until very smooth.



 
 

   
   
 

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