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


wrote:
Dear woodturners,

I am desperatly looking for a 17th century method for the dyeing of
pearwood for a restauration project.

I can find descriptions saying: boil the pearwood to imitate ebony.
However regular cooking does not help. Probably there needs to be
something in the water, but who knows what?

Can anybody here help me?

Miki