Black stuff used to enhance engravings

[Rubberboy]

I have made a glory box out of Porta Pine and engraved pictures on it and I'm staining it with Cabots Dark Oak stain but I want the pictures to stand out. what is the black stuff that is used on the dents etc found in furniture these days? Also what is the name of the woodworking shop in Auburn Sydney? I want these pics to stand out. HELP!!!

[Woodwould]

The blackening used to fill engravings is called niello ( an alloy of copper, lead, silver and sulphur).
I think what you're refering to is coloured glaze to give furniture an antique effect. It's just oil/varnish and pigments.

[Rubberboy]

Thanks for that . any idea where I can buy it?

[Woodwould]

Bunny's or M10 will have the oil/varnish and if you're not too fussy, they'll probably have some pigment for colouring cement. If you want something a bit better, any art shop should have finely ground artist's pigments.You could even use whiting in the oil/varnish for body and then colour it with a squirt of artist's oil colours.

[ubeaut]

Bit late now I guess but our Walnut Traditional Wax (http://www.ubeaut.com.au/trad.html) is often used for such things as well as putting dirty dark colour into reproduction mouldings, carvings etc.

The wax is a dark black/brown colour and would do the job nicely.

Cheers - Neil :U

[graemet]

Good on ya, Neil.
I have been wondering for some time (years) why you don't promote YOUR excellent products when queries arise on finishing matters. Yeah, I know, you don't want to appear pushy, but after all, it IS your webforum. Lets see more ubeaut bias!
Cheers
Graeme