Ebonizng and Watco

[wndopdlr]

Just finished turning a nice oak salad bowl that I want to put an ebonized treatment on. I make my own solution with vinegar/steel wool. Because this is a salad bowl, I would like to put an oil finish on it and my go to is Watco natural. I understand the ebonizing solution needs to dry completely, but I have never tried this combination.

Is this going to work? I don't want to end up with a gummy mess. Thanks for looking.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I've done a lot of ebonizing. The vinegar is water based and will evaporate. The liquified iron won't block the Watco oil from penetrating the wood fibers. Let the ebonizing solution dry overnight indoors (lower humidity), and you'll be fine.

 

[wsrhue]

Watco will work fine with the vinegar/ steel wool. Any food safe oil will work as well. It is possible though that acids like lemon juice or vinegar may effect the the color over time.