Tom Storey wrote:

I have the recipe for making this stain

That's the easy bit - watch out for the details too.

To get a good _black_ stain, you must avoid iron oxides in it -
otherwise there's a brown or orange scum that forms. Keep the iron
submerged in the vinegar with a weight on top of it (if you're using
wire wool). Throw it out if it starts to discolour.

I'd like to know from those that have made
it up and used it how satisfied they were with the end product and finsh?

Wouldn't be without it.


Does it actually darken walnut to a near ebony colour?

It's dependent on tannins (or other things) in the timber and I've
never had much luck getting a deep or even stain if I've had to apply
tannins to it myself with a tea, tanbark or persimmon wash. However
walnut works beautifully with it.

how drurable is it?

The same pigment was used in inks that have lasted 1000 years without
any trouble. If you're _really_ worried about durability, then damage
from residual acids is going to be a problem long before you see any
fading.

Does it blotch like some stains?

No.