[MR] bleaching black wool fabric

[David Chessler]

At 08:25 PM 1/24/2008, Vels inn Viggladi wrote:

> > We believe black was rare in the 'early period' but not unknown 
> -> certainly as long as there were black sheep, we'd have black wool.
><snipped>
> > > > Hrothny
>
>The problem with "black sheep wool" is that it is dark red-brown.
>
>The expected method for deriving "norse" black would have been by 
>overdying wool from a "black" sheep, with deep reds or browns 
>naturally, with dark greens or blues in an iron pot. Experimental 
>archeaology found "deeper" blacks when oak bark was added to the dye-vat.
>It does not look as "black" to the modern mall-shopping eye, but it 
>is black. We can bear this out especially with blue as an overdye: 
>the Old West Norse word "blau" means both black and dark blue.

In modern dyes, "black" will often fade to a funny green, sort of 
olive colored, with use and exposure to sunlight. When I used black 
cotton socks they usually faded to green before they wore out. Black 
wool socks (and other black wool clothing), would usually wear out 
before fading--with the possible exception of overcoats.

The point is that most black dyes are not really black. Orange and 
green dyes will make "black" (red, yellow, blue) but will fade as 
each of the components fades.

Moreover, much "black" human hair is really very dark brown. This is 
particularly noticeable with Koreans and some other East Asians.

There was a recent article in the "Oak" (Iron gall ink: A brief 
discussion of its use and properties by Maestra Lucia Bellini), 
pointing out that the more common "black ink" of the period was 
actually a brown, and has become more obviously so over time. (Issue 
23, Winter 2008 http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/oak/oak2007i23.pdf )



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