Ebonizing Question

[Dick Wilson]

I am ebonizing some cherry. I sanded down to 400 grit. I used black shoe dye. I flooded the wood and kept it wet for 4-5 minutes before I wiped off the excess. I can still see some of the cherry color coming through. Never having done this I don't know if it will all blend in when I put a finish on it. Should I wait until it is dry and flood it again??? Or should I flood it again while the first coat is still wet??? Thanks

[Peter Elliott]

typically, I wait till dry.. this shouldn't be more than 2hrs.. next time, used water-based pen ink (sold in little dropper bottles) or GF Ebony die stain.. The pen ink can be had at staples, office max, etc. woodcraft has GF stuff. I never had great luck with shoe polish or the steel wool trick. I ebonize a lot of flat work, including using cherry/maple. If you have a scrap, try a few coats of black then top coat to see if you like the darkness. For cherry, 3 coats should be very dark.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dick - I have not used shoe dyes but have used clothing dyes and TransTint dyes. Have found that sanding to higher grits before dyeing requires additional coats of dye to get the depth of color I am looking for. I figure the dye is absorbed through end grain - and the finer the sanding grit used - the smaller the end grain area available for the dye to absorb into. I wait for the dye to dry - then reapply - sometimes 2 or 3 times to get the level of color I am after.

[Dick Wilson]

Thanks guys. I will wait until it drys, apply another coat, and evaluate.

[David DeCristoforo]

Whatever you see will typically be made more prominent after a finish coat is applied. So if you are after "dead black", more dye is in order. I have found that it is best to apply the final application of dye and not do any sanding or even ragging afterwards. Just go straight to finishing. Build up a few coats of finish and then do your fine sanding so that you are sanding finish and not dyed wood. I just bought a bottle of black sumi ink. Haven't used it yet so I don't know if it will be any more penetrating than leather dye or anything else. I'll try it out soon and let you know...

[Gary Max]

Heck you could of just started with Black Walnut and saved yourself a lot of work-------

[Dan Forman]

Fiebing's leather dye has gotten good reviews for ebonizing, USMC black is the one you want.

Dan

[Dick Wilson]

Fiebing's leather dye has gotten good reviews for ebonizing, USMC black is the one you want.

Dan

Dan, That is what I used.

[Jim Burr]

Dan, That is what I used.

I have a friend on another forum try that a couple times with less than satisfactory results. India ink or pen ink still remains somewhat standard. Sharpie leaves a bluish hue until finished and bubbed out a bit

[Roger Chandler]

Fiebing's leather dye has gotten good reviews for ebonizing, USMC black is the one you want.

Dan

I have gotten real good results with Fiebings leather dye..........on finials. A couple of coats has covered real well........I apply on the lathe turning at about 125 rpm, and let soak in for a couple of minutes then apply another coat, maybe two.........black as can be and the alcohol base makes it dry fairly quickly.........then when good and dry a shot or two of WOP or lacquer will put the shine on it.

[Bob Espy]

Ditto on what Dan sez-Fiebing's leather dye has gotten good reviews for ebonizing, USMC black is the one you want.
If you want Black, it's the only way to go.

[Adam Alloway]

People in my tuning club say they ebonize by using different colors like blue, purple then a black.

[Dan Forman]

I haven't used mine on wood yet, have you tried a second coat?

Dan