Blackening steel?

[Angusdog]

Okay, I'm building a new table for my wife's café, 1000 x 1800mm, from 50x50x2mm box. She wants the industrial/reclaimed look and I want to hide/disguise where I've ground the welds flush.

So I want to give the metal a black patina without painting it. Is there anything suitable off the shelf? Since I'm in the colonies, it would be handy if you could recommend a generic product, rather than Halfords Steel Blackening Solution

Cheers, Simon

 

[ronan]

Birchwood casey cold blue ? Google it.

 

[BrokenBiker]

as above, or they do a blueing gel which gives the same results.

if you do go for this route, I have found through experience of using it on guns (as that is what it meant for) that it works much better if the surface you are treating is warm. not hot, but just warm enough that you wouldn't want to hold it for too long.

I have also found that heating it in boiling water, giving a good even coat then re-submerging in boiling water helps a lot too but I don't suppose you could do that given that you are making a table, not a trigger guard like I do lol

 

[Angusdog]

Thanks for the replies. Having attacked it with a flap disk, she prefers the raw steel look. I had the option of using the belt sander to get a uniform straight brushed look but the random look of the flap disk looks more "upcycled" and she loves it. The gun blue was a good option but would have been quite expensive. I'll post some pics once it's finished.

 

[norlander]

gun it with oxyA then wire brush it??

 

[norlander]

Thanks for the replies. Having attacked it with a flap disk, she prefers the raw steel look. I had the option of using the belt sander to get a uniform straight brushed look but the random look of the flap disk looks more "upcycled" and she loves it. The gun blue was a good option but would have been quite expensive. I'll post some pics once it's finished.

oops too late- love my flap disc finish, found that worn ones give a nice polish, bought some velcro backed polishing pads and 2 stage polish and I polish some little jobs up to an almost chrome finish but it looks classier and less brash than chrome (well, to my eye anyway).

 

[julianthegypsy]

Graphite gives a nice finish, I buy it as a powder and mix it to a paste with linseed oil. Rub it on and it gives a nice lustre as well as some rust protection. It's an old blacksmiths' trick.

 

[outofthefire]

Heat steel up to a black heat then rub it with a candle then buff it when its cooled. It'll give it some colour and the wax gives it a bit of protection.

 

[MattF]

Graphite gives a nice finish, I buy it as a powder and mix it to a paste with linseed oil. Rub it on and it gives a nice lustre as well as some rust protection. It's an old blacksmiths' trick.

Where's the best place to get hold of graphite powder Julian? Been meaning to get some for a while, both to make a blacking mixture for the stove as well as for applying to some cast bits instead of paint.

 

[julianthegypsy]

Where's the best place to get hold of graphite powder Julian? Been meaning to get some for a while, both to make a blacking mixture for the stove as well as for applying to some cast bits instead of paint.

Haven't bought any for ages Matt, but I googled graphite powder and found a company. They do it in various grades, the one you want is coarse. It isn't coarse at all, it's like talcum powder, but coarse by their standards. I phoned them up and explained and they said ah, blacksmiths grade :-) It doesn't black though, it gives a really nice lustrous grey finish which looks really good on a stove and is easy to apply too, only takes twenty minutes or so do do a whole stove, once you've mixed it into a paste of course.

 

[norlander]

I use something similar to this on the silencer on my motorcycle -used contain Black Lead at one time I expect, not sure how economic it would be, and it would not blacken shiny/smooth steel I would think but would probably buff up on mill scale and provide a degree of protection to the job. Its OK for my use as I only use small amounts-so the graphite mix suggested sounds good to me.
Anyway, if of any use see here http://www.amazon.com/Rutland-70-Stove-Polish-Paste/dp/B000H5TA5O

 

[julianthegypsy]

Yes. it does like a rough surface better. It works really well when things are starting to rust. Scrub it in and the rust disappears in an instant. The stove mixes probably have carbon in for the blackening.

 

[chunkolini]

I used Casey Gun Blue on this table.

Surprisingly fast acting but a bit of a faff to get a consistent finish. Weird stuff.

 

[julianthegypsy]

I have some of that too, it is very weird. God knows what's in it!

 

[chunkolini]

Selenium is mentioned on the bottle.
It has that kind of 'dont drink me feel to it'.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I used Casey Gun Blue on this table.
View attachment 42691
Surprisingly fast acting but a bit of a faff to get a consistent finish. Weird stuff.

this is where gentle heat comes in. When the part is hot it helps the fluid disperse evenly, but if its too hot it just burns and sticks in one place and is a nightmare to get back off

 

[clift_d]

We've also used Liberon Haematite to blacken steel with some success.

 

[MattF]

Haven't bought any for ages Matt, but I googled graphite powder and found a company. They do it in various grades, the one you want is coarse. It isn't coarse at all, it's like talcum powder, but coarse by their standards. I phoned them up and explained and they said ah, blacksmiths grade :-) It doesn't black though, it gives a really nice lustrous grey finish which looks really good on a stove and is easy to apply too, only takes twenty minutes or so do do a whole stove, once you've mixed it into a paste of course.

Cheers Julian. Had been considering using Beeswax until you mentioned Linseed oil. I'll give it a whirl with the oil first though. Would never have thought of trying that if you hadn't mentioned it.

Yes. it does like a rough surface better. It works really well when things are starting to rust. Scrub it in and the rust disappears in an instant. The stove mixes probably have carbon in for the blackening.

Judging from various recipes I've seen, it is indeed. Lamp black specifically.