Subject: Blackening steel?

From: [email-masked] (Howard Anders)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 01:34:38 GMT

I have been building some small "Art Deco" steel wire sculptures, and
wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to get a nice, durable,
matt black finish on these. (Other than ordinary paint!)
Is there some sort of "anodizing" process one can use on steel?
I seem to remeber there was a "thread" on this some time ago, but I can't
remember what the details were. Tks.

---

From: Doug White <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 94 09:32:00 -0500

> remember what the details were. Tks.
What you want is equivalent to firearms 'blueing', which is really more of 
a midnight-blue to black finish.  There are two ways of doing this, cold
blueing and (oddly enough) hot blueing.  Cold blueing is a chemical treatment
that produces a relatively durable blue-black finish, frequently using
nasty chemicals (selenium salts).  Cold blue chemicals are available in
gun shops in small quantities for 'touch-up' work.  The hot blueing process
consists of rusting the metal, and then converting the rust.  True old
fashioned blueing is actually black iron oxide (rust which is non-porous,
and therefore protects the metal from further oxidization to some extent)
as opposed to red rust, which is porous, and will continue to corrode.

You can convert red rust to black rust justs by boiling the piece.  
Getting a good finish usually consists of rusting the metal (more
nasty chemicals) and then boiling.  This usually has to be done several 
times if you want a really dark finish.  More sophisticated modern blueing
processes kind of do everything at one (hot nasty chemicals in a heated
tank.  The Brownells catalog (address in FAQ) has bokks tanks, and
chemicals for both processses.

Doug White
MIT Lincoln Laboratory

---

From: okunewck@pds16 (Phil OKunewick)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 19:08:37 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> Doug White <[email-masked]> writes:
>blueing and (oddly enough) hot blueing...
>
> [...and some sound advice]

   The cold blueing finish sucks.  Don't bother.

   Hot blueing salts are available from Dixie Gun Works, Union City,
Tenn.  I put a very nice black finish on a revolver this way.  The
object must be completely immersed and boiled in the solution, which
seems to boil at around 300-350 degrees with the salts in it, and
corrodes all metal in the vicinity.

   Rust converters for cars (like Duro Extend) produce a nice black
finish.  This is probably the easiest way to go; try it and see if you
like it.

   An alternative is browning.  Browning solutions are available from
gun suppliers, for antique gun reproductions.  To apply, you heat the
metal with a propane torch to a couple hundred degrees, then wipe the
solution on.  This produces a nice finish too.

   It's always a good idea to oil your piece after you finish it.  Use
an oil which won't evaporate - solvent oils (liquid wrench and wd-40)
will flow well but will go away after a few days or months and leave
the piece to rust.

---

From: [email-masked] (Dan Wold)
Date: 14 Jan 1994 22:54:24 -0500

>remember what the details were. Tks.

I recently tried a product that does a good job:

	"Tool Black"
	Precision Brand Products, Inc
	2250 Downer's Grove, Il 60515
	718-969-7200

It's a three part process - a bottle of cleaning solution, the blacckening
chemicals and a non-evapporating/non-staining rust-preventative. The shade
ranges from "blue" to matte black depending upon the amount of time you
leavethe solution on the piece. the instructions indicate that heating will
accelerate the process and deepen  the color.

I got my package from a local distributor:

	Eastern  Tool Company, 1-212-925-1006
They shipped it UPS and I got it the next day. Cost about $45.

Good luck.

-Dan ( "Dan the Welder" )

=======================================================================
Daniel Wold                             Sysop: "WORLD CITIZEN" BBS
239 City Island Avenue                  718-885-2346 24 hours 14.4kbaud
City Island, Bronx, NY 10464            Internet: [email-masked]
                  Fidonet: Daniel.Wold@1:2603/503