making metal rust.

[chocolateducttape]

I'm actually a leatherworker, not a blacksmith, but I have a strange question. I discovered a really awesome way to dye leather black without having to use actual dye- it's fantastic because it's a chemical reaction with the leather so the color doesn't rub off. Just take some rusty metal and let it dissolve in vinegar, saturate your leather with the solution, let it dry and oil it, and you've got a really nice black. It smells funny for a few days but hey, it works. Now I just need more rusty metal. Do any of y'all know what I can get cheap (preferably that comes in the form of nails or something easy so I can just get it from a hardware store) that'll rust really fast, and how to accelerate the rusting process?

[nett]

Fine steel wool rusts real quick, like overnight

on edit: dip the steel wool in acid and set out in the air overnight

[steponmebbbboom]

you can also try sourcing ferric oxide in powder form from an industrial supplier---try the thomas register.

for those who mightve clicked on this thread thinking it was about patination techniques---i did---there is a product that has been available on the market for quite some time now: Patinas
*this is not a plug*

modern masters also markets a similar product. this is basically a coating with different metal alloy inclusions and reactor chemicals to simulate different metal surface patinations like rusted iron and oxidized copper, etc.

this type of surface treatment would be especially useful if you are forging a piece whereby you want a consistent patination effect over the entire surface of the piece, even if you have cast lead elements or even plaster or clay elements included, similar to what Hofi describes here:

How do you forge this detail?

just coat the entire piece, distress it with the patina reactor chemicals, and it all looks like one evenly rusted single piece.

the attached image is from sculptnouveau's website, a ceramic piece with the brass coating.


Copyrighted image removed and a link placed into the text instead.

[gpworks]

i use vineger and peroxide mixed 50/50,mist it on let it dry then keep misting with water or put your project in a trsh bag will start to rust right away but keep it wet.

[son_of_bluegrass]

You don't accually need rust. I've used the same mix for wood dye (black on some woods, brown on others). Just put a piece of steel wool in a jar of vineager for a day or three, filter the mix and use the liquid. The mix changes some as it ages. I don't know how the age affects its leather dyeing but new stuff reacts different than old stuff on some woods.

ron

[ThomasPowers]

Iron Tannates, nice blue/black on items containing tannin---like oak wood or veg-tanned leather. It's the iron that is reacting.

If you were close to a smith you could pick up scale and use that; I'm saving mine up to re-smelt into wrought iron---bloomery wrought iron with all the modern tramp elements in it to be forged into early medieval items, just the thing to give future archeo-metallurgists headaches...

[Steve Sells]

Thomas, as for annoying the archeo types... I like your style,

In service to the Midrelm,:D

[irnsrgn]

iron in vinegar is an old old method for ebonizing wood.

[acoop101]

I don't know if it will work for your purposes but if you have a welding shop around that uses oxy fuel cutting processes you ask them for some slag, that is basically iron oxide, you could also set a piece of steel wool (just the plain stuff with no chemicals in it)on fire with a lighter then make your die:) there is my two cents.

[ThomasPowers]

Steve, I'm on the archeo-metallurgy mailing list just biding my time...

Spent 15 years in the Midreal my previous place; now in the Outlands, (celebrating my 30th year in the SCA this fall).

[Finnr]

Cool Thomas. Greetings from the kingdom of Northshield
Finnr

[matt87]

Thomas, as for annoying the archeo types... I like your style,

In service to the Midrelm,

Dagnabbit! Actually, I'm pleased too; you'll be halping to make more paycheques for the likes of me in the future.

[chocolateducttape]

Thank you all so much! That's really interesting that it does the same thing on wood, I didn't know that before but the tannin point makes a lot of sense. I hadn't thought of steel wool either, but that makes a lot of sense as well, plus it's easy to get ahold of. My brother is a blacksmith- I can't get any scrap metal from him till summer, but I will then. (He's the one that told me about this site, actually. I don't know his username though. He's probably going to read this and laugh.)

[Frosty]

Thank you all so much! My brother is a blacksmith- I can't get any scrap metal from him till summer, but I will then.

Get some scale from around his anvil, it's good black iron oxide.

Peroxide will turn steel wool to rust in really short order.

Lastly, if you click on "user CP" at the top of the page and edit your information so we know roughly where you live you might meet blacksmiths in your area willing to give you a hand.

I know I don't mind giving away a little forge scale. So long as it doesn't turn into a habit!

Frosty

[tzonoqua]

To patina mild steel I sometimes use a concoction of Tannic Acid, little drop of veg oil and meths (acts as carrier). Brushed on metal when warm. Gives a nice antique- looking matt brown black finish.

Incidentally sometimes the rivers up here run brown because of the tannins in the peat, pine leaching into the water.