Black staining when working the neck

[Garths]

I've found that while working on my scroll/neck a lot of the external surfaces have developed a black tinge to them. My question is what the source of this might be. My first guess is that it is the ebony dust from shaping the neck. Have others run into this? What is your approach, if so, in avoiding it? Do I just need to practice better hygiene in cleaning up the dust? Or do I just scrape it off once everything is shaped?

Thanks, Garth

[Will Turner]

I give mine a thorough final scrape.  While likely ebony dust, my hands natural oils can pickup dirt and transfer to the neck/scroll.   
 

I’ve started wearing nitrile gloves to see if it cuts down or eliminates the tinge.

Until I add the fingerboard, it stays pretty clean, so fairly certain it is the ebony dust.

[David Burgess]

A lot of it will come from handling the scroll with dirt, ebony dust, or perspiration on your hands.
When I'm doing something which involves holding the scroll with my hands, I wash my hands carefully and wear a white cotton glove.

[Wood Butcher]

That black mat on your bench seems a possible source too

[ernym]

Wrap the scroll with Saran Wrap while working on the ebony.

[Garths]

Thanks, everybody, for your help. I'll try all your ideas on how to keep things cleaner.

[lvlagneto]

6 hours ago, Wood Butcher said:

That black mat on your bench seems a possible source too

Seems likely, and that foam is also a grime holder.

[nathan slobodkin]

12 hours ago, David Burgess said:

A lot of it will come from handling the scroll with dirt, ebony dust, or perspiration on your hands.
When I'm doing something which involves holding the scroll with my hands, I wash my hands carefully and wear a white cotton glove.

Me too. The gloves which used to be used for handling photographic prints are perfect. I bought a case of them years ago. I am not sure where to get them now.

[Randall The Restorer]

On 11/9/2025 at 8:11 PM, nathan slobodkin said:

Me too. The gloves which used to be used for handling photographic prints are perfect. I bought a case of them years ago. I am not sure where to get them now.

Such gloves are still made and sold on Amazon, etc.

White cotton gloves of various thicknesses and sizes are also sold in pharmacies/drug stores for care of the skin on hands.