block colour

[Boccherini]

Is there a right colour for blocks? All the pictures I've seen provide no consensus, the colours range from light coloured natural wood all the way to black.

 

Thanks,

Grant.

[russ]

I agree with Gary. I do not think there is a "right" color for blocks. I have seen them lighter and darker. In working boats, I have seen them painted. I think for 18th century blocks it would be some shade of "natural".

 

Russ

[Boccherini]

Gary & Russ,

thanks for your opinions.

 

Regards,

Grant.

[Stockholm tar]

Grant,

 

I agree, most blocks were usually left natural, which means they were different shades, probably depending on the wood from which they were made. However, blocks were sometimes painted, eg. I believe that in the RN blocks were usually painted black, as they are on Victory today.

 

When it comes to models I always stain purchased blocks where possible, as straight from the manufacturers they are usually much too light in colour. Very often too, they have some sort of patina which doesn't take stain easily, and which usually means that they have to be lightly (and laboriously) sanded first.

 

 

 

[Boccherini]

Kester,

thanks for the information. Fortunately, the blocks I'm using are hand made from lemon wood, they don't have any bothersome coatings in need of removing.

 

Regards,

Grant.

[druxey]

Regardless of the wood used, the shade should not be too pale. Models with white or pale blocks look very distracting: they look like a snowstorm in the rigging to my eye.

[Stockholm tar]

Fortunately, the blocks I'm using are hand made from lemon wood, they don't have any bothersome coatings in need of removing.

Grant,

 

Good to hear.

 

Going by pictorial evidence, both in paintings and photographs, blocks were often painted white during the later nineteenth century on some clippers, probably for effect – so I imagine the owners or captains wanted them to be distracting! 

[druxey]

I agree with you, Kester, that this was sometimes done. Thanks for reminding me. However, on a model I would tone the blocks down from pure white anyway so that they would not jump out visually.

[Boccherini]

Thank you, gentlemen, for the advice/opinions. I have stained the lemon wood (which is very white in its natural state) slightly darker. It looks ok.

Druxey, maybe not snowstorm in the rigging, but a ship with dandruff?

 

Regards,

Grant.

[druxey]

Well, Grant, it's your model and you have to be happy with how it looks. My opinion doesn't matter!