Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Jan 28, 2004 11:56pm | #1

   For the first time ever, someone has asked a question where I'm not sure I want to know the answer.

   John W.

2. 
   jvs | Jan 29, 2004 01:53am | #2

   I don't have any comparative data, but blood from a large, ox-like animal that frequents my shop has had no long-term adverse effects on the wood, and it comes out fairly well with peroxide and "oxy-clean."

   Q. What's that darker area near the joint?

   A. "Patina"

3. 
   Tao | Jan 29, 2004 06:55pm | #3

   >>>I was told, oxblood staining of precious wood was used in the past times.

   I think somebody is pulling your leg.  Oxblood is the name of a color, not a medium.  There's oxblood leather, ceramics, paint, etc.  I've got a lot of old books that describe finishing techniques back to the 18th Century, and there's no mention of using any kind of blood to color wood.

   Michael R

1. 
   Qara | Jan 29, 2004 07:54pm | #4

   Hi Wodwitz,

   I know that some old red chinese porcelain, Ming porcelain, was called oxblood for it´s color, but has nothing to do with blood. It is rather precious.- I wonder if it the same with woodstaining.

   Kay

2. 
   fertpro | Jan 29, 2004 09:02pm | #5

   Michael R wrote:

   >>>>I think somebody is pulling your leg.  Oxblood is the name of a color, not a medium.  There's oxblood leather, ceramics, paint, etc.  I've got a lot of old books that describe finishing techniques back to the 18th Century, and there's no mention of using any kind of blood to color wood.

   Ox blood was an actual material used in the finishing of woodwork as well as furniture. A number of years ago I was in the painting and wallpapering game and had the opportunity to work with an old world craftsman who was a German immigrant and a furniture finisher by trade. We were on a job where the decorator had specified a crackled finish on all the case work.

   The process began with three foundation coats of gloss white oil base paint. The fourth coat was gloss black and allowed to become tacky [dry knuckle test] then washed with eggwhites that were allowed to dry. The finish crackled and was then knocked down with 100 grit sandpaper the next day. He then wiped on a coat of real Oxblood over the entire area which was also allowed to dry then sealed with four successive coats of gloss varnish followed by two coats of a dull varnish as the final finish. He claimed that this was a common practice as was using the juice of several vegitables and fruits.

   So to answer Kay's question yes it will work.

1. 
   Tao | Jan 30, 2004 12:03am | #8

   >>Ox blood was an actual material used in the finishing of woodwork as well as furniture

   First I've heard of that in thirty years of study and practice.  I lived in Germany for a couple of years, and spent more time all over Europe, too, and never encountered the practice.  Naturally, I've heard of all kinds of vegetable and mineral products used to color wood as well as fabric, but blood is a new one for me.

   Do you remember how this guy procured and prepared this ox blood to apply over oil paint? And how did he keep it from congealing before he used it? Whenever I have dressed game or been around any slaughtering (Germany) the blood congealed pretty fast.  Could it just have been an oxblood colored oil stain? Blood serum has enough protein in it to make a pretty good binder, but I would be leery of it between coats of alkyd resin.

   Kay,

   The Chinese, Japanese, and English all made an oxblood glaze using copper compounds to get that deep, dark red color.  Other nationalities probaly have, too, but my greatest familiarity is with oriental and English ceramics.  As with anything, quality and rarity determine price.  The best oxblood porcelains such as imperial ware from the Ming and Ching dynasties are fairly highly valued, but it's not just the glaze, but rather the overall quality and scarceness.

   Moroccan leather is also famous for its oxblood color.

   Michael R

1. 
   fertpro | Jan 30, 2004 06:09pm | #9

   According to him it was actual ox blood, from a local butcher. At that time there were several small butcher shops in what was the old "German neighborhood". I have no recollection of asking what he used or even if he thinned the material, that stage of the process he performed himself, I sanded and tack ragged the case work ahead of him. I was fortunate to work with him on a few projects but those were certainly not as unusual as this one. The single most important aspect I remember was the fact that he took a great deal of time in preperation and never ever rushed, anything. 

3. 
   BelindaS | Jan 02, 2018 06:49pm | #10

   Oxblood for stain

   Hi There,

   I just spoke to an older member of my family and he says that actual oxblood was used for staining wood...  he heard it was mixed with salt so it won't go "bad"  He said anything done with blood from an ox is very valuable.  I am ready to stain a table top and was going to use beet juice. But I may change my mind if i can get more info on this technique. Your original post is from 2004... so I'm hoping that someone will have an update since then.

4. 
   PlaneWood | Jan 29, 2004 10:11pm | #6

   Hmmm, the Navaho's used sheeps blood on the floors of their hogans.  The fat in the blood mixes with the dirt to make a very hard water proof floor.

   Mixing black paint and cherry stain will produce an oxblood like color.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
   PlaneWood

5. 
   Steinmetz | Jan 29, 2004 11:40pm | #7

   Kay, I don't know about using blood for furniture, but I do know it is great as fertilizer.  My friend, (A butcher) used to save all the blood from his shop (NO! not a wood butcher shop)   

   He would dump it all over his lawn and around his trees and bushes at night  His neighbors never could understand why his lawn and shrubbery was so lush. 

   Another friend saved the ashes from his coal furnace and each spring worked into his vegetable garden and around his fruit trees. (Only food he bought was milk und flour Und Bier)

   Stein

   
   

   ---

   Edited 1/29/2004 3:42:22 PM ET by steinmetz

6. 
   Bobro | May 10, 2018 06:08am | #11

   It is not an urban legend nor is anyone pulling your leg.

   Where I live, in Southeastern Europe (on the southern border of Austria and Slovenia), some very old farmhouses are stained a lovely soft black color on the softwood beams and posts and so on of the interior. This was done with animal blood. Don't know the recipe (no one does it anymore), but I think the guy who told me about it said it is very simple, like, blood and salt or maybe blood and apno (lime). Since heavy metallers are my target audience when building electric guitars, I am thinking that this must surely be the most heavy metal wood stain of them all, and it turns black in a short time. I have some reclaimed antique larch from a 19th century building for guitar bodies and I'm thinking this antique wood stained black with animal blood will surely be attractive to heavy metallers in every way.