Home made Japaning
May 23, 2007 5 Comments
Here are my Stanley No 5, 6 & 7 all Japaned in the Aga 
Number 5 was a learning curve and really could do to be done again.
Number 6 was pretty good for the second attempt, even though I say it myself.
Number 7 perfection 
Better job than Stanley ever did.
How did I do it? Well I started Here I found it a pretty good guide of how to do it.
A recipe…
asphaltum, 2 lbs.
boiled linseed oil, 1/2 pint
spirits of turpentine, 1 gallon;
Mix the ashhaltum & boiled linseed oil first in an iron pot, boil slowly until the asphaltum is melted, then take it some distance from the fire, cool a little, and add the turpentine (avoiding ignition) before it cools too much, and it is finished. It might look quite brown at first but it will darken with age and when more coats that are applied.
Asphaltum Suppliers
Early history of Japaning
Click Here
More good guides on “How to do it” Click Here
and Click Here
An excellent start to finish very descriptive account of how Monty tackled japaning his Stanley #7 Click Here
Free book on Japaning
Project Gutenberg’s Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition, by William N. Brown
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Click Here to go to download site
IF the book is not enough there are also five or six YouTube video’s by “Itsnotmuch” all worth watching Click Here to watch video
About Lord Nibbo
where did you get the lever caps for these planes or were they new to start with? incombadaniels@yahoo.com
Hello,
I’m for a source for small quantities of Asphaltum here in the U.S.. I rebuild pianos, and this is what I would use for coloring the sharps.
Thanks,
Dave Arnold
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
Dave Arnold, how do we get in touch?
Thanks mate
Will have to give this a go …but in a smaller volume. I presume the asphaltum is the powdered form.
Great work