This section is from the book "Cassell's Cyclopaedia Of Mechanics", by Paul N. Hasluck. Also available from Amazon: Cassell's Cyclopaedia Of Mechanics.
The following is the recipe for a perfectly dead black stencil ink which is insoluble in water. Dissolve 1 oz. of shellac in 1/2 pt. of methylated spirit of wine, filter it through a layer of chalk, and then add lampblack. It will make the brush rather hard, but that can be softened by soaking in the ink before use. For another ink, boil 1/2 lb. logwood chips for ten to fifteen minutes in 2qt. of soft water; then add 1 drachm potassium bichromate, and boil up again for ten minutes. Add, when cold, some gum-water; stir, and shake well before using. A simple recipe is, Incorporate lampblack with gold size, not too thin, and use sparingly. The above inks are suitable for marking on metal. The following is the composition of the ink used for marking sacks. Ordinary printer's ink, to which a little terebine has been added, may be used; or ordinary oil paint will answer the same purpose if slightly thinned. Stencilling is performed by a dabbing motion of a stiff-haired brush, lightly charged with paint or ink, over the perforations in the stencil plate. Special stencil ink may be prepared by incorporating any mineral colour (lampblack for black ink, with Venetian red for red ink) with gold size and, perhaps, a little boiled oil.
Another method is to dissolve loz. of shellac in Apt. of methylated spirit, adding to this any dry colour as required. Asphaltum, dissolved in naphtha or benzoline, may also be used. For cake stencil ink, grind lampblack and gum arabic down on a slab or in a mortar, make into a paste with water, and allow to dry.
 
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