Darkening Stainless steel?

[Toller]

I have dog dishes set in walnut. They look cheap, but there are no alternative; brass dog dishes don't exist; at least not at a reasonable price.

Is there any way to darken the SS? I have tried permanent marker, but that wears off quickly.

[Father Haskell]

"Patinating" them with a propane torch might work.

[Frank]

You might google bluing stainless steel, e.g.:

of course is more resistant than regular steel but can be blued and I doubt if dog dishes are of high quality, i.e. high passivity, of high quality stainless.

Frank

[Goedjn]

Or stick it it the oven at the highest temp you can get, and then douse it in oil.

Am I the only one who thinks that worrying about the color of a dog's dish is more than a little silly?

--Goedjn

[Oren]

Must have been important enough to try permanent marker. I've heard plenty of silly stuff, but to these people - at that time it was very important. Given dogs are color blind; mine don't care what color his food or bowl is.

-- Oren

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. Thomas A. Edison

[RicodJour]

If Martha Stewart Designer Doggy Dishes' stock tumbles it's your fault.

I was more concerned about doing something to the dish that would poison the dog. "Hey, sorry to hear about your dog." "Thanks. I'll miss him. His bowl looks great though, doesn't it?" "Hell yeah!"

R

[Oren]

And I MADE it myself !

-- Oren

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. Thomas A. Edison

[Toller]

Well, lets see... The feeder the dishes go in is made of bird's-eye maple and walnut I harvested from a friends tree. Hmmm, why would anyone worry about the color of dog's dish? So it looks good?!

[Charles Schuler]

Don't hurt your dogs!

[Oren]

It looks good to you. Does the dog care?

-- Oren

"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."

[Toller]

As long as it smells, she doesn't even have to see it.

[Phisherman]

Wouldn't it be easier to replace the dishes with a color of your choice? SS is easy to clean but I'm sure plastic colored ones will do. Avoid paint or altering the chemistry of SS--it can be toxic.

[BobK207]

20:40:57 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

T-

I've been unsuccessful posting earlier versions of this but I'll try again.

Black Oxide is the classic dark (anti-glare) finish for SS.

Traditional process is a professional hot chemical process, DIY cold process exists but result is not as good.

Check with a local plating house for cost....maybe they can piggy back your job on a bigger one.

I'm not sure about the food safety of black oxide, it is a "conversion coating", ask the tech folks at the plater.

Finally, since black oxide is a conversion coating & stainless steel corrosion resistance works by developing a thin layer of chromium oxide....the two kinda work at cross purposes. The black oxide gives a good black color but compromises the CrO layer.....SS coated with black oxide can rust and a dog dish seems like the perfect environment for corrosion :(

How about a black ceramic dish?

cheers Bob

[Toller]

I was reluctant to use a ceramic because there is only a tiny lip to keep the dish from falling through. But I just bought a hole cutter that could probably work; so yes, ceramic might be a good choice here.

I appreciate your info on the black oxide.