[TheForge] Blackening Steel

[Woolley]

Greetings,

I've been using Birchwood Casey Presto Black and their blackening gel ( can't remember the name) to try to blacken steel. I apply with a sponge soaked in the solution full strength.  I stop the agent with water, usually from a hose or spray bottle depending on the size of the piece. What has been happening is before I can dry and finish with a clear the pieces have been flash rusting (their term). The end results can be very pleasant variations of browns and dark greens, not black or blue black. I spoke to the company rep about it but his suggestions haven't worked. They include not stopping the blackening agent with a water hose, drying immediately, swabbing it off with a wet sponge, using a baking soda- water mix to stop.  Has anyone had any experience with these products and worked through similiar problems?  I have achieved a nice blue black with their products before but not in awhile and not with what I remember any different method besides the one I describe.  I'm pretty frustrated at this point.  Thanks for any help.

Regards,
Bill Woolley