SlowJam Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 Hi everyone. I'm still quite new and slowly getting into blacksmithing. I’ve made a few things that didn’t require more than beeswax or veg oil as a coating. I’m making some house numbers that will be mounted outside permanently in all the elements. I’d like to keep the look of the original finish if possible. I also don’t want the numbers to rust easily. Any coatings you can recommend to keep the rust at bay while out in the elements 24/7 (we get everything from hot sun to snow here). Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jeff Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 This may help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowJam Posted July 2 Author Share Posted July 2 Thank you very much that thread had a ton of great info in it. Much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 Good Morning, Powder Coat. or Galvanize and Paint. Electroplate is an option. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewoon ik Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 i have used rustoleum clear coat satin on my doorhandle outside. You see something is on it and feel it (or at least we do, almost nobody else see and/or feels it). it is only outside for 3 months now, but it still looks good. I wirebrushed it (by hand). i degreased it, till the cloth stays clean. Several lights coatings are applied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitewill1412 Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 How long would beeswax hold up outside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 Depends on a lot of things. Weather is one and includes sunlight, temperature, rain, snow, ice, etc. Air pollution maybe? blown dust and sand for sure. Beeswax stays soft and tacky for I don't know how long and don't know how it stands up to the elements. On a handrail, beeswax would rub off pretty quickly but would be easy to rewax. Better than 20 years ago while we were still pretty new here I forged a number of hangers for whatever Deb wanted to hang. I finished them in a wax recipe from Alex Bealers, "Art Of Blacksmithing," that reads IIRC, "melt wax together with lamp black and turpentine." He didn't specify what kind of wax so I used parafin canning wax. Later I added Neatsfoot oil to soften it but when I finished the plant hangers I had to melt and stir it. I applied it to smoking hot brushed steel and none of the hangers shows signs of rust, even the ones with steel things hanging and swinging in the wind. I make no promises though, I don't even remember everything I put in it. I use a carnuba paste wax name of "Tre Wax" and it's pretty bullet proof. I apply it to metal about fresh cup of coffee / tea hot. It liquifies and penetrates very well and as it cools I wipe off the excess. Bowling Alley Wax is another carnuba paste wax. As the name implies carnuba wax is used to wax bowling alley lanes and they have to sand it off to strip it. Tre Wax carnuba is my go to finish. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowJam Posted July 3 Author Share Posted July 3 (edited) Thanks! This is directly in line with the info you provided years ago in the thread linked up above. Glad to hear it’s still working out for you. Getting some Tre Wax in a couple of days. Edited July 3 by Mod30 Remove excessive quote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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