On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 09:22:33 -0800, charlie b
wrote:

If you go with the steel wool and vinegar - get the steel wool to
rust first. It's iron oxide that reacts with the acetic acid, the
result reacting with tanin (sp?) in the wood (naturally
occuring in oak - and, as noted, in tea) to produce a dark blue
to black. It's rust you're after to put in the vinegar - any
old rust - rusty nails, cast iron . . .

You can put shiny new steel wool in the vinegar. It will oxidize
right in there...easier, actually, since the acidic vinegar will etch
the surface of it and make it even more susceptible to rust. It isn't
necessary to pre-rust it, by any means.

I've done it, it works.

Why one would "ebonize" pear wood is a mystery but . . .

I wondered that myself.
--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
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September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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