[Sca-cooks] My last post on pysanky and vinegar

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> But while lye is certainly caustic, it equally certainly isn't acid. In
> fact, it's base. Extremely so. Don't know Aqua Regia.

I'm quite well aware of that. But I perceive acids and bases as essentially
the same thing, coming from two different directions. Are you aware of the
pH scale, where Acids and Bases are rated as to their strength along a
continuum, 1 being a strong acid, 14 being a strong base, and 7 being
totally neutral, as in water, or the combined (certain) salts?

> I think it is possible that when  Stefan asked about acid, he did mean
> specifically acid...

Maybe, but when you talk to someone with a chemistry background about acids,
they're going to think of bases as well- just like you can't really think
about owning and feeding a pet without taking cleaning up the results of
that feeding  ;-)

> I'm pretty sure some mordants used are acid. When dyers in period used
> urine, modern dyers commonly use uric acid... I don't really know a lot
> about this, but it would be a place to look.
>
> Anne

Yes, there are several acid based mordants. Both acids and bases are used in
a lot of different applications, in period, as well as now. But, don't
forget the ammonia component of urine, either.

Phlip

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....