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Double Bass ebonizing trouble?

#6
Vince_P9 said:
I recently ebonized my rosewood fingerboard with oil dye from stewmac. It looks beautiful, but 5 days later I am still getting an undesirable black residue from simply running my finger along the fingerboard. Do I need to use some sort of finishing oil or sealer?
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I counsel my woodworking students to research wood species and finishing products before they attempt a new finish. In the case of dalbergias like rosewood, characteristics endemic to the species must be taken into account when selecting finishing products, and the techniques used to apply them; the best results usually follow the completion of finishing test pieces before tackling the genuine article.

I would probably scrub the FB with rags and naphtha to remove as much of the oil dye as possible.
 
#7
I'd wipe it thoroughly with lint free dry cloth to get all possible oil off without taking off black color, then give it a few thin coats of spray lacquer satin finish. That can protect it from rubbing off.

For the most trouble free fingerboard, I would go with stripping the black off and letting the natural wood show. Be a little different, have a brown fingerboard if you dare. :^)


For a more durable stain try minwax wood finish in ebony color. If you want the fingerboard very black, strip the oil dye off thoroughly, sand it clean and smooth after using stripping solvent, then it will be ready to stain. Don't sand above 320 grit as the wood may not accept the stain as well.
Takes several coats to get it black but it will get very black in 4 coats. Once it does, it dries hard and has not rubbed off on my hands yet. Follow directions closely to rub off excess within 15 minutes once wiped on. That goes for each coat. And let it dry well, 4-6 hours recommended, between each coat.

Tom
 
#8
T Kerr said:
I'd wipe it thoroughly with lint free dry cloth to get all possible oil off without taking off black color, then give it a few thin coats of spray lacquer satin finish. That can protect it from rubbing off.

For the most trouble free fingerboard, I would go with stripping the black off and letting the natural wood show. Be a little different, have a brown fingerboard if you dare. :^)


For a more durable stain try minwax wood finish in ebony color. If you want the fingerboard very black, strip the oil dye off thoroughly, sand it clean and smooth after using stripping solvent, then it will be ready to stain. Don't sand above 320 grit as the wood may not accept the stain as well.
Takes several coats to get it black but it will get very black in 4 coats. Once it does, it dries hard and has not rubbed off on my hands yet. Follow directions closely to rub off excess within 15 minutes once wiped on. That goes for each coat. And let it dry well, 4-6 hours recommended, between each coat.

Tom
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Hi Tom

Sorry to ask what might seem a silly question, but when you say not to sand "above" 320 - do you mean not to go coarser or finer?

Kev
 
#10
try this..blow drier or heat gun.. warm the dyed area untill the little beads of black oil surface then wipe clean. you can seal it when you're satisfied that you have removed the excess oil (which is what's on your fingers).
this is generaly done about 10 min after the dye application,but it should still be effective for the most part.
the trouble with black dyes, over time and wear, they tend to start turning blue or green depending on what's underneath.
good luck
 

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