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I have finally found a japanning recipe that I am happy with!  Let me take you on a sensual narrated journey through the top 4 recipes I have found and see how to finish a hand plane in the original black japanning.

This video needed to be made, so that we can use the power of the internet to further refine this recipe and technique!

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Best Japanning Recipe

I test out the top recipes for recreating an antique japanning finish while letting you know what in the world japanning is. I also show you how to japan a hand plane. Recipe: 50% Turpentine 30% Asphaltum/Gilsonite 20% Boiled Linseed Oil Mix together and set aside for at least 24 hours. Check if consistency is like molasses/nutella, and add more turpentine if too thick or more asphaltum if too thin. Wait at least 24 hours after the addition of any further ingredients before use. Once ready to paint, do not stir or shake the japanning as undissolved particles will be at the bottom of the container. Paint on one thin coat and let sit for a few hours before baking. Place painted item in cold oven and set it to 200F for 1hr then let cool. Bake it again at 300F for 1 hr and let cool in the oven. Then bake at 350F and finally 400F for 30 min each, cooling in between steps. If japanning is still not hard after 400F, you can bake at 425F for 1 hr. Once fully hard, you can smooth out the first coat with sandpaper and apply further coats. You can also apply further coats before you bake past 300F, if you think your first coat is smooth enough. You can also choose to not bake this finish at all, but you will have to wait at least 90 days for it to cure. Addition of japan drier to the recipe may make it cure faster. Keep the unused japanning in a container with a tight lid. If the japanning starts to get too thick or hardens, you can always add more turpentine to bring it back to life. I hope to put this out there so more people try the recipe and experiment with it so that we can all get as close as possible to a working recipe. You can find more details on Japanning here: http://www.cranialstorage.com/Wood/japanning.html#Japan-Metal http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRestorations/ColdCureJapanning.html https://www.lumberjocks.com/JayT/blog/32704 https://books.google.ca/books?id=gZgXTVwhRvIC&pg=PA2&dq=japanning&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiV2tTC8N_jAhWGct8KHUCNBnMQuwUIKjAA https://www.2ndusss.com/uniforms-and-gear/an-actual-japanning-how-to-yes Help secure more tools for future videos (if you want): https://www.patreon.com/handtoolrescue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtoolrescue Facebook Group - Share your restorations https://www.facebook.com/groups/handtoolrescue Reddit - Share your restorations https://www.reddit.com/r/HandToolRescue/

Comments

Jarred Foster

Yesss! I'm gonna try and do my wrench

ip

"Paint thinnery stuff" Nice and scientific =P

Benjamin Fro

“Dark as my soul” would be a hard color to match at the paint store.

handtoolrescue

I want it so dark that it's lighter when I close my eyes.

patrick davis

Very informative! I’ll have to try this!

Marc McKenzie

Been looking forward to this piece. I haven't been able to put the kind of research you have done here (that research Ph.D. is showing through), and want to say this is a bigger contribution to the field of tool and metal goods restoration than many will realize. I can't wait to use this on some pending projects. Would you comment more on why you chose the consistency? Watching this carefully, I wonder if the ATB formula might have gone even better with a higher T:A ratio (i.e. more turpentine or less asphaltum), as you mentioned that it didn't seem like all the asphaltum had dissolved.

Gene Simonalle

In our experiements at home, the more asphaltum the better the finish, if you bake it. My wife the chemist ended up mixing it by feel and got a thick, gooey maple syrup consistency for the mix that worked best.

handtoolrescue

Thank you! Yes, getting it all dissolved is helpful, but too much turpentine thins it out too much. It's just easier not to stir it before use and leave the undissolved asphaltum at the bottom. I chose that consistency based on all the literature. It needs to be thick enough not to run and drip if you were to apply it to vertical surfaces.

JC1166

Just shorten the name Asphaltum Wipe On Poly to...Ass Wipe

David Campbell

Excellent. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to trying this.

Anonymous

Fantastic. Extremely thorough and answered all the questions i had as well! Great work Eric!

Clifton Ballad

Cool! I really want to get a bag of that asphaltum and start mixing it with various things to see what happens... like try and get a cold cure version to work better...

handtoolrescue

Please do! I would try out some japan drier or some rosin for some better cold cure results.

Phil Smith

I'm glad you didn't let out the secret of AMS. (Asphaltum / Maple Syrup) aka Canadianing

John Craig

Thanks for all the research and information.

John Craig

Sorry pushed the wrong button. Was wondering where you got that great price on the asphaltum.

Samuel Hays

I believe you mentioned in this or another video that paint thinner doesn't do a very good job on japanning. Can you please share a method for removing old japanning?

Samuel Hays

OOOO, dont have one... any chemicals? BTW, just got my shipment of asphaltum in! so excited!

handtoolrescue

Every recipe is different. So just throw everything at it as see what works.