Oil and Wax metal finishes.....

[DebraM63]

Hi all:

 

I am looking for some suggestions for some reliable and consistent oil or oil and wax finishes for steel.  

 

We have been using Sculpt Nouveau metal oil which has wax in it as well as a hardener.  On smaller surfaces it worked fine, but we did a large fireplace feature with smooth metal and we found that the wax kind of separates and then leaves streaks in the oil. 

 

First, has anyone used Sculpt Nouveau's metal oil and do you have  any pointers on the streaking thing?

 

Second, I have been reading about linseed oil mixed with wax and turpentine.  How does that work on smooth flat surfaces? 

 

What oil can you substitute that is food safe? 

 

Any tips or other suggestions on a good consistent seal for steel would be very much appreciated...

Thanks! 

 

 

[SoCal Dave]

Food safe oil would be vegetable oil.  I have used the bees wax, turpentine, and linseed oil.  I heated the steel up a little.    It works good as a protective coat for a period of time.  Nothing lasts forever.  Try it.  Or, try it on a test strip.    The benefit is that if it doesn't work you can try something else. Good luck.   

[Stefflus]

Linseed oil without the siccative ("raw" linseedoil) is food safe.

Could you do a burnt oil finish?

[coldironkilz]

Sorry I can't help on the larger projects. On a smaller project I like Johnsons Turtle wax for waxing cars. Heat to below 400 degrees, wax liberally, return piece to warm/cooling forge and let bake through the night (as the forge cools) nice finish, no buffing required. Also on smaller projects: after wire brushing return piece to gas forge, light forge, leave piece under flame for about half a minute (do not let it color or you will have to remove slag again), then pull the piece to the front of the forge out of the direct flame and let it heat up (a couple of minutes) then remove and allow to cool, then spray with clear coat.

[bigfootnampa]

Walnut oil dries and is safe to eat.  Waxes like beeswax and paraffin are safe but NOT with pigmented colors added.  Other waxes I would be wary of.  People that have problems with wax finishes on larger surfaces usually try to cover too much at once and the wax dries before they get it buffed.  You could do smaller areas at a time or power buff.

[DebraM63]

Thanks for all the replies :)  This is for an interior fireplace feature.  I am leaning toward maybe just plain oils like the walnut oil and then when the oil dries, then wax over it.  I think this calls for more experimentation.   The oil also went over a chemically patina'd surface.  Maybe there was some residue left over that we didn't see. 

 

Good info to know about the beeswax / paraffin not being food safe anymore after pigment colors are added.  

 

Its possible that maybe the metal oil from SN was not mixed enough and the wax component was too solid.  I will also experiment more with that but maybe with some heat next time. 

 

This piece was 11 feet high with a large area of smooth sheet metal.  Would a burnt metal finish be appropriate for that? Or would thinner metal like 18 ga. heat distort with that technique? 

 

I keep finding references to the linseed oil mixture.  Will experiment with that as well. 

 

Thanks for the tips!  I will let you know how it goes!

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Debra, glad to have you.

 

Wax, oil and other various finishes are a regular topic of conversation and experimentation amongst blacksmiths. None are really long lasting and will require some maintenance.

 

My favorite is Treewax, it's carnuba the same stuff they armor bowling allies with. 18 ga. is pretty light so you're right to consider differential heat as a warp hazard. On the up side Treewax becomes darned fluid at 300f or less so a heat gun is plenty for application. I warm the project and apply it with an old cotton sock I keep in the can.

 

Just bellow smoking hot and it's fluid enough to be drawn into very fine nooks and crannies. Now for my SECRET! I actually have two old socks in my wax can, one for applying the wax to hot steel, the other is dry and I use it to wipe off excess. The stuff is hard as nails mighty tough and doesn't yellow with age.

 

Yellowing is one of my main complaints about most oils, unless the work is dark, it'll alter the color, for instance brushed steel can end up looking like it's been ferric chloride patinaed if oils are applied too thickly.

 

Just so you know, this is MY experience, nothing official so YMMV.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[bigfootnampa]

I should say that some pigments are benign… but most are somewhat toxic and some are VERY toxic.  Thus an oil, wax, or oil and wax, finish with pigments in it will often become unsafe for food… depending on the pigment(s) added.

[ThomasPowers]

note that any formulation that has a "drier" added to it will be toxic too even if the original components were safe.

[Judson Yaggy]

How hot will this fireplace accessory get when the fireplace is in operation?  All wax and oil finishes get slightly soft at elevated temps.  IE sticky, dust magnet, rubbing off on the carpet or client's hands.  Hi temp paints are better for things that are close to but will never actually touch fire.  For pokers and andirons I oil them up with linseed/turp/beeswax just because it's less noxious when it burns off.  That being said I use Renaissance Wax on a lot of my interior work.

[Judson Yaggy]

A fireplace surround with firewood storage nooks.  1/4" hot rolled plate steel chosen for oxide figure.  2 applications of blacksmith's wax/oil finish, then 3 hand rubbed coats of Ren Wax.  I still left them with the warning that it was not a matter of if it would rust, but rather WHEN would it rust, and to periodically recoat with Ren Wax.  

 

[thingmaker3]

My wife and I have been experimenting with some stuff called "Walker Wax." It's food safe. (It's billed as "edible," but we've not tried that yet.) Biggest thing we've tried it on is a machete, but so far so good.

 

Also, IIRC, there was a mix-it-yourself recipe for a RenWax knock-off in one of the old Hammer's Blow issues. I'll see if I can dig it out later this week.

[DebraM63]

Thanks for the additional replies!  Looks like I have some alternatives to experiment with! 

[Frosty]

Debra: I spent some time wandering around your website and am more than a bit agog. Please stick around you'll fit right in with the gang, we're all addicted to creative metalwork. As is common with blacksmiths many of us are interested in other metal arts repousse and mokume gane being high on the list. We have casters, machinists, fabricators, mill owners, a few metal spinners and who knows what else and the more the merrier.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[the iron dwarf]

for some years I have been making a wax for people here into reenactment, made from microcrystalline wax and white spirit.

people seem to like it and keep asking for more.

 

am going to try  white spirit, microcrystalline wax, carbon black and BLO for a blackening paste

[ThomasPowers]

BLO???  Bulldog Lice Oil???

[the iron dwarf]

boiled linseed oil, though I might try lice oil if I can find some

[FHforge]

I use the bees wax/ linseed oil/ turpentine mix after wire brushing small pieces for indoors. Reheat to low temp( mostly with propane torch) lightly coat and then buff afterwards. Works well for indoor usage but doesn't hold up well outdoors. I myself am experimenting with outdoor finishes. Does anyone have a good outdoor finish that lasts like on railings and such? I have heard of a few types of paints/patinas and clearcoat with automotive clear.

[Ohio Rusty]

I use either beeswax or Kiwi black shoe polish. Shoe polish is just wax with pigment.

Ohio Rusty ><>

The Ohio Frontier Forge