India Ink - all made equal?

[Mark Gibney]

I ebonized some oak with India ink, and it was not all I expected.
Once dry I rubbed the pieces down and quite a bit of the ink balled up and came away from the wood.

A second coat and it might be fine, but I figured I'd ask as to whether in your experience some brands of ink work better than others for this.
I used Blick Art Supplies own brand ink. It uses shellac as the binder. Do this all use shellac?

thanks, Mark

[Paul F Franklin]

I used speedball super black india ink to "ebonize" all the cherry pulls for my office. 2 coats, although they looked quite good after 1. I then top coated with clear poly. I did not experience any problems with adhesion. I'm pretty sure speedball uses shellac as the carrier for the carbon black.

Given the known issues with old shellac, I wonder if you got an old bottle....although I suppose it could be brand difference.

[John TenEyck]

I use this one from ProArt because it's waterbased but waterproof after drying. Being waterbased I think it penetrates better than shellac based ones. In any case, it does a really good job.

John

https://www.amazon.com/PRO-ART-2-Oun...dDbGljaz10cnVl

[Maurice Mcmurry]

According to a lecture at a turning conference I found on the web, Speed Ball and Dick Blick are archive grade and considered to be the best (fade proof). It is a good talk but the speaker did not talk about torrefication as a method for ebonizing.

[John K Jordan]

According to a lecture at a turning conference I found on the web, Speed Ball and Dick Blick are archive grade and considered to be the best (fade proof). It is a good talk but the speaker did not talk about torrefication as a method for ebonizing.

I'm pleased with other Dick Blick ink. I see they offer these two India Inks, the first quite inexpensive. Perhaps they carry more.

Blick Black Cat Waterproof India Ink
lack Cat India Ink has been the first choice of Blick customers for over 80 years!
Ours is a dense black, opaque, pigmented ink that works well in technical pens and airbrushes. It won't smear and is permanent and fadeless. Made in the USA.

Sennelier India Ink
This intense black indelible ink has exceptional density and is completely lightfast. It is free-flowing, non-clogging, and waterproof. Apply it with a brush, or dip pen to paper, board, and other absorbent surfaces for stunning washes or precise lines.

[Mark Gibney]

That inexpensive Blick Black Cat india ink is the one I used!

Think I'll try something else next time - the Speedball is about $10 for $2 oz, but the ProArt is almost $50 for 2 oz!!!
It's gotta be good at that price.

Previously I've used the steel wool dissolved in vinegar and brushed onto the oak pieces, but the India ink method seems like it should be faster.

[John TenEyck]

I paid less than $10 for the ProArt. The price in the ad is outrageous, for sure.

John

[Stephen Roth]

I use a two-step process starting with Speedball and then Transtint Black. The Speedball does not always fill the pores (especially in Oak), and the Transtint wets better. I have tested out the order-of-operations, but it does not seem to matter.

For the Transtint, I mix 1/2 water and 1/2 Everclear. That mix is suggested by the company for the right blend of wetting and drying time. The alcohol seems to help the burn in over the Speedball. But don't rub too hard if the Transtint is done second.

I find this 2-step process to be VERY black. I believe the transtint adds a blue tinge, which makes it look blacker.

Good luck.

[John TenEyck]

I use a two-step process starting with Speedball and then Transtint Black. The Speedball does not always fill the pores (especially in Oak), and the Transtint wets better. I have tested out the order-of-operations, but it does not seem to matter.

For the Transtint, I mix 1/2 water and 1/2 Everclear. That mix is suggested by the company for the right blend of wetting and drying time. The alcohol seems to help the burn in over the Speedball. But don't rub too hard if the Transtint is done second.

I find this 2-step process to be VERY black. I believe the transtint adds a blue tinge, which makes it look blacker.

Good luck.

I'm pretty sure Speedball uses shellac as the binder, so that's why you need alcohol for the Transtint to penetrate. If you applied the Transtint first, it wouldn't matter if you used water alone or a water/alcohol mix.

John

[roger wiegand]

India ink is lampblack in water with a binder added. Common binders are shellac, gelatin, or hide glue; that are probably others, including more modern materials like acrylic resins. There can be huge differences in the quality of the lampblack, size and uniformity of the particles being big variables, and the binder chosen will also make a big difference in the performance and properties of the ink.

So yes, I'm certain that all India inks are not equal. Unlike fountain pen inks that experimented with extensively over the years, I don't have much experience with different brands of India ink. I'd buy several brands and try them for your application. I'm guessing that the best inks for writing or brush painting aren't necessarily the best for ebonizing wood.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I remember when Fess Parker (playing Daniel Boone) helped Benjamin Franklin make ink out of lamp black mixed with something, milk maybe? It was due to the blockade imposed by the Brits. It sort of worked, at least long enough for the good guys to win the day! Mr. Franklin printed Colonial pound notes and Daniel Boone used them to buy a bunch of guns.

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks for that humorous story Maurice. I enjoyed that.

[Michael Petillo]

How did you finish over this? I’m struggling to use shellac or poly over this as whenever I wipe or brush the finish on it pulls up the dye.

[John TenEyck]

How did you finish over this? I’m struggling to use shellac or poly over this as whenever I wipe or brush the finish on it pulls up the dye.

You should be able to use a WB poly over a ink that uses shellac as the binder, but not over one that only uses water. And you can't use shellac over an ink made with shellac, but it should be fine over one made with water, unless it's also soluble in alcohol. I'm talking about brushing, wiping. If you spray the finish, you should be fine either way.

You should be able to wipe or brush an oil based product over either type of ink w/o problems.

John

[Jim Becker]

I have the Speedball in my shop...$25 for 16 oz and that will likely last for a very long time. I bought it on the recommendation of Jason Bent.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1