<html> <body> Terry, <x-tab>        </x-tab>You might be confusing someone here. The product is either die or stain to the best of my knowledge, not both. The Transtint you speak of is decidedly dye NOT stain. Shoe products are also dyer and NOT stain. I hope that might be some clarification for Jeff. best, Greg At 07:40 AM 9/2/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Lots in the archives on this. Many ways to do it. If you must stain the beautiful natural ebony - use black die stain  -  #6023 Black <a href="http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/TransTint.htm" eudora="autourl"> http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/TransTint.htm</a> Or, go to your local shoe dude and get some black shoe stain. Finish with a clear coat of your choice - I like a nice oil finish - just wipe in on. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Hi First time posting here. Does anyone know if there is a standard procedure for blackening sharps. I have a set which had an ugly finish - shiny and wavy gravy. I stripped them and the ebony is quite "blond" in color - sort of tiger striped. I can't figure out how to get them to take stain. (wood being so extremely dense). I have attempted to "paint" them with shellac mixed with iron oxide pigment (very nice black). But I cant get a good surface  without sanding through at the corners. This is all to say - I am clueless. What do the factories do? Any standard tricks for a standard look? Thanks, Jeff </blockquote> </blockquote> <x-sigsep></x-sigsep> Greg Newell Greg's Piano Forté <a href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net" eudora="autourl"> mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net </a><a href="http://www.gregspianoforte.com/" eudora="autourl"> www.gregspianoforte.com</a> </body> </html>