The most staple and important of all the colors. Some will argue that
it is not a color; I, to the contrary, however, that it is not only a
color, but a combination of colors, and it is the knowledge of how to
properly combine them that results in the production of a very handsome
and glossy black. Twelve years ago a bath of black that was commenced
on Monday and was ready to go into the drying-room by Saturday was
considered at that time a most expeditious piece of work; and, even
up to the present time, some of our old orthodox dyers,--those old
chronic, methodical dyers,--those who dye according to the most
approved and advantageous methods of half a century ago,--still
continue to occupy the greater part of a week in getting a black on
what (by that time) is left of the feathers. Their object from the
start is to produce a black, and they generally succeed.
Begin, if raw stock, by washing and rinsing thoroughly in order to
remove all natural grease and dirt adhering to the fibre. If they are
old colors to be redyed a black, it is not necessary to wash them nor
to bleach them for the purpose of removing any of the color, as the
black bath will overcome all the other colors; as, for example, a navy
blue, a bottle green, garnet, etc., can be all entered at the same
time, and put through precisely the same process, and they will all be
the same shade of black when they are dried.
Prepare bath by diluting a quarter pound of turmeric in a gallon of
boiling water and bring to a boil; after which enter your feathers,
and let remain in bath about five minutes, keeping them well under the
surface, and gently moving while in bath; after which take feathers
out and rinse twice in clear cold water. Meantime dilute one pound
of logwood in about one and a half gallons of boiling water, and
boil for about fifteen minutes; after which enter your feathers and
let them remain in bath about four minutes; then take out and rinse
thoroughly in two waters. Dilute one ounce of bichromate of potash in
one gallon, more or less, of boiling water, enough to completely cover
up your feathers, dissolving bichromate of potash thoroughly. Enter
your feathers, let them remain in bath about three minutes; after which
take them out and rinse thoroughly. Meantime have logwood bath boiling,
and return feathers to it. Cover up, and let them remain about eight
minutes; take out and rinse twice as before. After rinsing, prepare
a bath of about half an ounce of bichromate of potash and salts of
tartar about the size of a pea in a gallon of boiling water; dissolve
thoroughly. Let them remain in bath about three minutes; after which
take out and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Then mix a bath of hot
soap-suds, and enter feathers; wash well and rinse in luke warm water.
The washing and rinsing is not absolutely necessary, in fact, it can
not much improve what is already a clean, glossy black. Washing,
however, if productive of a change at all, must be beneficial. Then
proceed to mix a small handful of starch in a small quantity of cold
water; pass feathers through and dry. While your feathers are in the
bichromate of potash bath, they must be kept moving in bath constantly
and well under the surface. There is nothing to be added to make a
successful result, except it be to caution you to adhere as strictly as
possible to the recipe.
It often occurs that feathers are brought in to be dipped over that
have faded out, or have grown rusty looking from exposure to light and
long wear. The color can be restored by simply passing them through
the last two baths for the same length of time that is allotted to the
regular recipe. During the process of drying black be sure to have the
starch beaten out as fast as it dries. It is best to dry them in the
open air, and, if possible, allow them to hang in the sun for a while,
as it improves the color. One especial advantage this black has over
most others, is that it improves with age; and, instead of fading, the
black will grow more intense.