Lampblack question

[jmbyrnes]

I'm doing some research on sources of lampblack pigment to make a more period paint. I used the search function and found sites where lampblack can be purchased. One forum member reported finding good prices for lampblack on ebay. I wasn't able to find anything "lampblack" on ebay but was able to find carbon black powder pigment (http://cgi.ebay.com/1lb-Carbon-Black...item3f0115e006)

I did some reading on a website that was dedicated to the paint making process. The author of the website www.paintmaking.org lists carbon black as a historical black:

"Other blacks Mostly specialized or historic
Furnace Black also called Carbon Black
Almost pure carbon making a dense and intense black used in industrial coatings but less commonly for artist's paint due to a tendency to make 'streaky' tints. Produced by burning Natural Gas"

My question to those with more experience in making period paints is this: Would the carbon black powder listed on ebay be a suitable source for making a period paint receipe?

[Brandon]

Re: Lampblack question

I recently made up a batch of painted cloth using the "period" recipe. I was able to buy lampblack at a local craft store in the paint section. It is used by artist that mixing their own paint, who would have guessed. As far as powdered black pigment goes, I'm not sure.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Lampblack question

...It is used by artist that mixing their own paint, who would have guessed...

I'm not sure why that is surprising. Historically (or perhaps more accurately pre-historically), black pigment is derived from oil distillates, fat soot, charred bone, charred wood or a combination of them. Lamp black from oil distillates (oil, pitch, rosin or tar) would be the most modern of the types accepted for our period of interest.

Channel or Furnace black is late (later) 19th century stuff. It is made using acetylene and not natural gas per se.

Too bad this isn't an Egyptian Brown thread. There are several morbid tales surrounding that rare pigment

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Lampblack question

I've used this with good results. http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?m...roducts_id=150

[Clsinclair]

Re: Lampblack question

You can also use black carbon from copiers. There's a tray that you can remove that has the used powder.

[Brandon]

Re: Lampblack question

I'm not sure why that is surprising.

It was sarcasim. : C ]

[10TnVI]

Re: Lampblack question

Chemically-the commercial carbon black is chemically identical to the lampblack product used in period-essentially pure carbon particles and will work just fine for period formulations. Likewise, the carbon black used in paint pigments is also identical. The only possible difference from a period produced lampblack would be the modern would likely contain a slightly smaller percentage of impurities due to improvements is the manufacturing process.
The other black pigments mentioned-bone black, charcoal, etc. would have had limited use as pigments but suffer from deficiencies due to the particle size and impurities. There use in CW period paint formulations for military use would have been as a substandard filler to by unscrupulous contractors to increase their profit margin.