Ebonizing plane handles?

[longbarrel50]

How do you ebonize a plane handle? I have a few older planes that have beech handles where the ebonized finish is worn off. I'd like to try and restore that finish if possible. I know it won't make the plane work better, I'd just like it to look better.

Thanks,

Chris

[Admiral]

How do you ebonize a plane handle? I have a few older planes that have beech handles where the ebonized finish is worn off. I'd like to try and restore that finish if possible. I know it won't make the plane work better, I'd just like it to look better.

Thanks,

Chris

I think they just painted them black.

[bandit571]

from Rustoleum..
 

   
Called KONA....

   
Might give it a try...

[Mike Brady]

Ebonizing of wood is achieved in high tannin content woods like white oak by applying water with steel wool (forming iron oxide), which stains the wood black.  The wood can be coated with a clear finish when dry.

[enjuneer]

Beech also has a high tannin content. It responds well to the vinegar/iron dye. Rather than black (ebony), it takes on a pleasing chestnut brown color.

If the wood does not have enough tannin, it can be supplemented by wiping on a solution made by steeping several black tea bags in water until it is very strong. Apply to the wood and let dry. Once dry, apply several coats of the vinegar/iron dye and let dry. It may be necessary to lightly buff with fine steel wool if the grain was raised.

[Lucky Irish]

Black magic marker?

[andrewb]

How do you ebonize a plane handle? I have a few older planes that have beech handles where the ebonized finish is worn off. I'd like to try and restore that finish if possible. I know it won't make the plane work better, I'd just like it to look better.

Thanks,

Chris

I've used the vinegar/steel wool approach and got decent results.  Wasn't black but was pretty dark.  Like enjuneer suggested I pretreated the wood I was staining with a tannic acid solution prior to the vinegar/iron solution.  I believe I used powdered tannic acid that came from a chemical supplier that my father had gotten somewhere years ago.  For homebrew recipe I've also heard that oak galls can be ground up and have a very high tannin count.  Acorns as well.

[Arlin Eastman]

How do you ebonize a plane handle? I have a few older planes that have beech handles where the ebonized finish is worn off. I'd like to try and restore that finish if possible. I know it won't make the plane work better, I'd just like it to look better.

Thanks,

Chris

Yep Painted black and I have two of them like that.  I hope to refinish them and dye them with a rosewood color and then put BLO on them.

[longbarrel50]

How do you ebonize a plane handle? I have a few older planes that have beech handles where the ebonized finish is worn off. I'd like to try and restore that finish if possible. I know it won't make the plane work better, I'd just like it to look better.

Thanks,

Chris

Thanks for all the replies. I will experiment with some and see how they come out. I appreciate the help.
Chris

[Mike Brady]

If I was doing it on a larger scale piece I would probably opt for black analine dye (at Woodcraft or other).  I once did a small oak table using black dye and then later applied white oil-based glaze, which filled the open grain in the oak.  It was a nice accent piece.

As someone pointed out ebonizing is often just black paint, but that should not go beyond use on a plane handle.