Woody,
Keep us informed (with photos) as you progress.
In an attempt to match what I had read but had never seen (linseed oil and lamp black; or, coal tar and linseed oil) I colored one set of bed wood using MinWax Ebony Stain and followed with satin Marine Spar varnish.
I'd like to get it a little darker - this time, I might look for an aniline dye (coal-tar-based dye -
black nigrosine).
J. E. Moser's Lamp Black - aniline dye (this one is not for water-based delivery - I will check about adding it to a marine spar (satin) varnish.
