Black varnish

[Whiskers]

Hi guys
I have tried to no avail to purchase black varnish in Canada. It seems to be an unknown entity here.
I’ve found it to be available in Europe but the shipping charges and postal rules are prohibitive.
I have access to bitumen (tar I guess). Can someone give me a recipe to make my own. I’m sure it’s not overly complicated. Or maybe it is.
Any ideas are welcomed.

Thanks

John

 

[Trevanion]

That's the stuff they put on stoves and other iron stuff, right? Don't they call it Japanning or something like that in the US?

 

[Whiskers]

Yes it is also called Japan black. And Brunswick black.

 

[profchris]

Two minutes web searching found me this:

http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/han ... _117.shtml

It seems fairly simple to do, and I'd guess eBay can get you the asphaltum.

No promises though, particularly that it won't explode, catch fire or poison you!

 

[Whiskers]

Thanks for the lead. It sounds like a mysterious concoction but I’m game.

 

[sunnybob]

is this any use?
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/kryl ... 1584p.html

 

[ED65]

What's this for? There's no end of black paints (conventional enamels and more modern things) available to colour pretty much anything you can name black, with varying degrees of gloss, hardness and heat resistance.

Unless the historical process is what interests you specifically it has never seemed worth the effort to me to experiment and get an unknown quantity, with uncertain ageing characteristics, and I'm someone who would prefer to make than buy if at all possible. I make many of my own finishes, including small quantities of enamel as needed, some coloured varnishes and a few oil stains, all my wax polishes are now homemade and I'm partway through the process of bleaching and ageing linseed oil to take the place of commercial BLO.

 

[Whiskers]

Bob. Thanks. That is black paint. I need a varnish wash.
Ed this is for making an 18th century model ship look old. Like me. Alas I think I have found the answer from a furniture restorer. Thanks for all your help.

 

[ED65]

I need a varnish wash.

I don't know if that's a technical term I'm unfamiliar with, but if it's just what it sounds like you could take any ol' varnish, tint it black and then dilute it as much as needed. No old recipe needed!

Such a mixture will also dry much faster and more reliably than many older formulas that contain non-drying ingredients.

 

[oakmitre]

If you are looking for a wash, then I can confirm that this very inexpensive product :

https://artdiscount.co.uk/products/bria ... 0ml-bottle

Mixes very well up to 10% with Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish ( water borne ). I would assume it also mixes with other water borne PU varnishes.

It produces a very deep black finish at 10%