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Washability/durability of ebonized surfaces

Joined
Feb 16, 2012
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One of the folks in our club recently did a presentation on ebonizing using iron acetate (hi Steve!), which made me wonder how that coloration holds up on pieces that get washed and used for food. My first concern would be funky flavor or odor, but after that would be whether the color would hold. Got any experience with this? My usual top coat for washable pieces is either walnut or flaxseed oil.
Kalia in Sebastopol
 
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Color seems to up fine as long as there’s enough applied to saturate the surface. Most woods that color well with that mix have a lot of tannins, so nasty tasting. A few good washes with hot water and baking soda will remove the worst of it, but still probably not the best treatment for soup or cereal bowls.
 
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I've made a fair number of ebonized pieces, but never washed any of them. I'll check with my son to whom I gave some little imitation Japanese lacquer bowls. I suspect he's never actually used them, though.
 
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Citric acid and oxalic acid are exceptionally good at removing the black iron rings from oak table tops. Or any other wood that has turned black from iron. Both of these acids are frequently found in salads. If you're not able to isolate the food from the ebonized area the black will disappear. A simple demonstration will be to place a drop of lemon juice on an ebonized area of unfinished wood and watch how quickly it works.
 
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Get washed? You don't see that question asked by turners very often. I do get that at shows a lot and strongly suggest nothing more than a quick wipe with a damp cloth. Any coloring on wood is only as good as the clear coat that goes on top of it. The chemical reaction does not go much deeper than an alcohol dye.
 
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The acid susceptibility is a really good point. Thanks, Terry, for mentioning that. And Richard, my main business is functional bowls that are meant to go in the sink and get a good scrub. They're finished with either walnut or flaxseed oil, sometimes with milk paint as well, and they hold up quite well. Iron acetate ebonizing seemed like a gamble for a functional piece, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. Guess I'll save it for the decorative items :>)
 
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Joined
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I talked to my son and he says he uses the little end grain ebonized walnut bowls for dipping sauces on a periodic basis. He says the finish has held up fine. They have lacquer over the ebonizing.
 
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One of the folks in our club recently did a presentation on ebonizing using iron acetate

I've had far better success with ammonia fuming than with iron acetate. I get a penetration of up to 3mm and it will take most finishes.

The fuming process has to be done very carefully to avoid inhaling the the toxic fumes while it is being done, but (as I understand it) they don't remain in the wood after they have chemically reacted with the wood. After a week or so you don't get any residual ammonia smell off the fumed piece.

Out of interest I tested a fumed piece with some lemon juice before a finish was added to the piece and couldn't detect any change in colour from doing that.

Only woods that are naturally high in tannins are suitable as they are for fuming. Adding tannic acid to other woods is an option.

Whether ammonia fumed pieces are food safe is a separate question on which I don't have any expertise, so won't offer an opinion.
 
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