I test out the top recipes for recreating an antique japanning finish while letting you know what in the world japanning is. I also show you how to japan a hand plane. Recipe: 50% Turpentine 30% Asphaltum/Gilsonite 20% Boiled Linseed Oil Mix together and set aside for at least 24 hours. Check if consistency is like molasses/nutella, and add more turpentine if too thick or more asphaltum if too thin. Wait at least 24 hours after the addition of any further ingredients before use. Once ready to paint, do not stir or shake the japanning as undissolved particles will be at the bottom of the container. Paint on one thin coat and let sit for a few hours before baking. Place painted item in cold oven and set it to 200F for 1hr then let cool. Bake it again at 300F for 1 hr and let cool in the oven. Then bake at 350F and finally 400F for 30 min each, cooling in between steps. If japanning is still not hard after 400F, you can bake at 425F for 1 hr. Once fully hard, you can smooth out the first coat with sandpaper and apply further coats. You can also apply further coats before you bake past 300F, if you think your first coat is smooth enough. You can also choose to not bake this finish at all, but you will have to wait at least 90 days for it to cure. Addition of japan drier to the recipe may make it cure faster. Keep the unused japanning in a container with a tight lid. If the japanning starts to get too thick or hardens, you can always add more turpentine to bring it back to life. I hope to put this out there so more people try the recipe and experiment with it so that we can all get as close as possible to a working recipe.