Blacking of steel

In message snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net>, No mail snipped-for-privacy@aolbin.com writes

I have had success with both gun blue and Zebo, but am not sure either would stand up to sliding use.

Thanks, I hadn't heard of Zebo. The sliding is not very frequent - it's the pull rod on an old "Butler's Bell"** - so once per week, possibly.

Blackgates, the model engineering supplier, sell a kit called "MetalBlak" specifically for blacking steel. It is a room temperature process.

Page 134 in their catalogue

Thanks! What a wonderful catalogue. I now see that Chronos also sell a cold process kit. From doing a bit more research it seems that heating and quenching in oil gives a more robust finish, but these room temp systems are definitely the way to go for this rod. I can easily make a suitable trough by cutting a piece of waste pipe in half and closing-off the ends.

You may be able to get away with oiling the steel and then heating it with a blowtorch, bit by bit. Maybe wipe extra oil on with a thick wadded rag.

Or look at tannic acid: tannic acid in IPA, wipe on, wait overnight. Deep black.

Some rust converters are tannic-acid-based.

Thomas Prufer

'Curust' will turn rust black. There are black wax treatments and paints for wood stoves etc that are amazingly resilient

An interesting idea. I have some Fertan, which I believe is based on Tannic acid, but the blurb says it needs over-painting.

Yes, the first reply suggested Zebo. I think I'll try Fertan, followed by Zebo. If that fails I'll buy one of the kits from Blackgates or Chronos.

Try it -- I have not overpainted it, but coated it with wax heated and rubbed on. Looks good, sufficiently stable for my use.

Thomas Prufer