Blackening for steel work

[GOATMAN]

OK, sorry, reviewing the question: this is not a liquid!

[Ice Czar]

Originally Posted by GOATMAN

I hit the steel with a wire wheel

think you might want to be more specific

we use a brass wire wheel on hot steel to get a gold finish, and I havent noticed a black finish employing a stainless steel wheel (but then the stock wasnt at that high a temperature either)

[GOATMAN]

Ice Czar

Sorry:

This is using a steel wire cup on the small angle grinder, with the stock clamped in a vice. At high temperature, the stock is agressively burnished by the wire brush, actually moving metal on the surface. Hence the "smeared" touchmark.

[Don A]

I just finished a set of curtain rods and hold-backs for our house.

Based loosely on someone's recipe from some time back, I took a clean gallon paint can, put four wax toilet seal rings (new ones), a big shot of linseed, and an equal (more or less) shot of turpentine.

Brushed on at black heat and rubbed-down when cool, this stuff really looks good. All of it is for the indoors, mind you.

One note of caution: this concoction has a really low flash-point, meaning that if your iron is too hot, it will burst into flame. You might need to test it, but it is very apparent when the piece is too hot. You just want it hot enough for the wax to flow good.

BTW, you will have to warm the whole can each time you use it. The wax goes back to solid when it cools. It smells good, too.

Don

[Golden_eagle]

I paint it with peanut oil and pass through the forge

[MooseRidge]

Something I learned at a JCCFS class....

Make an all metal tool handle similar to one used for a hot cut for a treadle hammer.
Thread some clean cotton strips through the eye until the eye is fully wrapped.
Dip the cotton into the heated wax/linseed/turpentine mixture until a large egg covers the end of the tool.
Let both cool then keep them covered to prevent dust contamination. (They had an old ammo can 3/4 full, kept the tool inside as well).

This way, your finish material is in a usable/mobile form, enough for a number of applications as well as minimizing the flash fire problem with the liquid "fuel" in the can....

Important Safety reminder: ALWAYS reheat the mixture in another pot (i.e. double-boiler) with plenty of water.... NEVER apply direct heat (saw a guy try to melt a puddle in a can of this stuff with a O/A torch - lost his mustache, eyebrows, and most of his hair! Though beating him about the head and shoulders WAS fun, he was very lucky no permanent damage!)

[High Plains Forge]

I use stove polish, but now I'm going to have to try the toilet wax seal recipe. That's just great!

[cwilliams]

WHen I want a nice black finish I usually heat up to just above black heat and put in a 5 gallon bucket of used motor oil, I usually keep in for about 10 or 20 seconds and if you time it right the excess heat in the piece will burn off the excess oil as you remove your work from the bucket. I get a super nice black that many ask how I did it when I do this to my art pieces, I have also rusted pieces and boiled in water to turn the rust oxide black and that looks good too but the first way is the easiest.
Chris

[Mage]

Ditto on the Used motor oil
Works great and last for years if you get is deep penetration into the surface... but the process is sinky and smoky.

Heat no... warm the piece or section if its large and either dip, pour or use a old rag to wipe on the oil.

Watch yur heat.. the oil should smoke and bubble but not burst into flame... of course be ready for it to do so at any time... but that just adds to the fun of it LOL

If an area.. like on sheet metal, is not even, reheat that area and a lil larger re apply oil.... this heat will may be enough to spread the existing oil better. If not be ready to add a lil oil to feather out to the surrounding area.

[Bentiron1946]

I use linseed oil and a nice smoky coal fire. The combination of burned linseed oil and coal smoke makes a very nice shiny black finish that seems to work OK inside/outside. I guess all of that coal tar helps with the blacking process. This is not suitable for food use items because of the coal tar.