blackening steels

[retrometal]

Hi all

I am currently working on plans for an ornate entrance to a house. Want to know ways I can blacken the steel giving it a wrought iron look - save painting it with stoveblack?

Cheers n Beers

Geoff

[Blondie_486]

This question might be best asked to a gunsmith who is familiar with barrel bluing. Some of the bluing salts will produce a black finish. The finish applied to the barrel before bluing will determine if it is a matte, satin or gloss finish when completed. Also parkerizing might be an option worth considering as well.

[PTsideshow]

Use any non synthetic oil, boiled linseed oil, or for food service items (cooking) a vegetable oil.

Do not use used motor oil as it will contain heavy metals, which when the oil is heated can cause toxic smoke at the worst and create lung problems at the least.Plus even the so called natural oils will have additives and other synthetic components.

The idea is to heat the metal up to black heat 450' to 500'F apply the oil by brush(non synthetic bristles they melt) a cheap pig bristle brush will work. a hand wearing a heavy old welding glove and a cotton rag soaked in oil, spray it on.

It will generate lots of smoke, do it out side, and do it over a spot that will not be affected or damaged by oil dripping.

You do not need to heat the steel red hot, as it does nothing but burn the oil up faster with out carbonizing the surface of the metal places a very thin layer of carbon on the metals porous surface.

Do a couple of coats and make sure it is in the knocks and curves and joints. or it will rust first in these areas.

You have to understand that this is only a temporary coating and protectorate. The wrought iron did rust because it was real wrought iron!

You may have to redo this coating in a couple of years or so.
The good news is you can use a propane torch to do it.

You might be told that it has to be red hot it does not! You can easily try both methods and see which one works. Wear a respirator as the smoke can cause problems, watch out for hot oil.

[retrometal]

thanks very much

Thanks PTsideshow - that is the best help anyone has managed to give me as all other possibilities people have suggested have been a bit toxic...thanks to blondie but, this is going to be a big job (size wise) and I will need a very large tub to submerge it but, I like the sound of it for smaller projects and I may certainly experiment.

Thanks very much.

[youfoundtheking]

beeswax is also popular for that. using the same steps that PT outlined.

[nocheepgas]

Try Caswell

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/black.htm

[Eric Carroll]

You can use a patina from sur-fin chemicals. Look on their website for colors and info. They have clear coats you can use. They are pretty much like gun blue, but you can get a lot of colors.

[tigguy]

Another thumbs up for Sur-Fin. Excellent products.