Ebonized Circles in the Forest - Update

[VisExp]

A while ago I posted a pen where I had ebonized maple. I mentioned that I had trouble getting the aluminum to shine without knocking back the ebonizing.

Well I found the solution and it was pretty simple. Patience . I demonstrated the ebonizing technique to my local chapter on this pen. I couldn't get to the pen for a couple of days after the meeting. Obviously the ebonizing solution had dried completely in that time. I just sanded it lightly with some non-abrasive steel wool. The aluminum shone and I kept the deep, rich color of the ebonized maple

 

[cnirenberg]

Wow. What a difference. Oh by the way, can you send some of that patience to me?

 

[leehljp]

Beautiful Pen Keith!

Love the ebonized method that you wrote up! I have some steel wool dissolving in vinegar now. I don't have access to the tannin solution that you have, but I will be trying something different.

 

[KenV]

Lee -- extra strong tea has the tannins you need for this use -- just not as strong as the bark that Keith used. May take a few extra coats. I have used the technique with flat work quit successfully. As I remember, there is a local oak in Japan -- and oaks have a lot of tannin, so you might want to try that wood also.

 

[rjwolfe3]

Wow!

 

[stolicky]

Looks good.

Just goes to show what we all tend to learn the hard way, if you want a really good (and durable) finish (generalizing here) it takes patience.

Trying to rush finishes rarely works out the way we would like it to.

CA is the only exception in my experience - when it works right.

 

[jleiwig]

Beautiful Pen Keith!

Love the ebonized method that you wrote up! I have some steel wool dissolving in vinegar now. I don't have access to the tannin solution that you have, but I will be trying something different.

You could use India ink as well.

 

[johncrane]

Keith! that's a awesome looking pen.

 

[Dalecamino]

That worked out very well for you Keith ! Beautiful pen !

 

[Paul in OKC]

Oooooohhhhh, aaaahhhhhhhh!

 

[Rick_G]

I get powdered tannin for winemaking at my local winemaking supply store. Haven't tried if for this but it may work.

 

[workinforwood]

I agree Keith, that looks way better now. Well done!

 

[wolftat]

Nice job brother.

 

[Papa Bear]

Very good looking pen,I love those colors together on just about anything!

 

[VisExp]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

I get powdered tannin for winemaking at my local winemaking supply store. Haven't tried if for this but it may work.

Rick, that sounds like it would be worth a try. As Ken mentioned, basically you are just trying to introduce tannin into wood which has a naturally low tannin content. Once you've done that the tannin will form a chemical reaction with the steel wool/vinegar solution.

If you do try it I'd love to see the results. I'd love to sample your wine as well :biggrin:

 

[thewishman]

Beautiful!

 

[kirkfranks]

Any ideas about if the dark color will fade over time/sunlight?

 

[Rick_G]

Thanks for the comments everyone.



Rick, that sounds like it would be worth a try. As Ken mentioned, basically you are just trying to introduce tannin into wood which has a naturally low tannin content. Once you've done that the tannin will form a chemical reaction with the steel wool/vinegar solution.

If you do try it I'd love to see the results. I'd love to sample your wine as well :biggrin:

If you ever get up in this area you will be welcome to try it.

 

[shull]

A beautiful pen and an intriging process. Looks like I have even more things to research...Ah so many things to learn so little time

 

[toolcrazy]

That is cool!!

 

[louisbry]

Great looking pen Keith. I have been meaning to try that with oak to see if it resembled bog oak.

 

[artme]

Makes a HUGE difference! Beautiful.:star::star::star:

 

[GouletPens]

Must be something in the water down there in FL....seems a lotta nice pens come from there....arty: