Faolchu

Thanks for the idea, I tried dipping some pieces today in the BLO solution while heating on a small range. A few spontaneous combustions later and I found the method does work if I put the piece of metal back in the forge again after submerged in the BLO as it cooled off to quickly and left a sticky greenish finish. But after the piece was in the forge it turned to that perfect black color. Not quite at those numbers yet as it's a hundred a week, but you are right it may be time for some help, which is why I would like to make things as efficient as I can for when someone else is helping I can maximize their time

Thanks Glenn, I will try this method. I have in the past submerged small horse shoe nail hooks in a container of BLO, but the finish it left was a black surface finish that would easily chip off opposed to the typical BLO that penetrates the metal. Perhaps the heat was to high.

I make over 100 hooks or handles a week and still struggle with the amount of time it takes to apply BLO finish to each piece. I do love the authentic look but I want a more efficient process. Im thinking of creating a large oven out of an oil drum and heated using propane (old bbq element, or homemade). The goal would be to load the oven up with all the weeks items and get to black heat, then pull them out individually and apply BLO/turps/wax mix. Has anyone here created an oven of this sort for this specific purpose and had good results? Thanks,

That is interesting, I would like to know more about the machines you build. All my products are made from hot rolled mild steel. Thank you, this is definitely a technique I will be looking into further.

Greetings fellow blacksmiths, I am having troubles finding a metal finish that works well for what I’m making. The products I’m making are handles and knobs, given the nature of the items, they will be used often and need to have a durable coating to prevent wear. I have been using BLO method, but due to the high volume of orders I am looking for a more efficient method. I have tried ebony black wax, black wood stain + lacquer, and chemical bluing; but none of the following produce a dark enough finish with sufficient protection. So my question is; is there a finish you know of that: *Is efficiently applied (preferably a cold dip solution) *Darkens the metal to a black colour *Is tough enough to protect against constant use