[TheForge] rusting

[Woolley]

Grant Marcoux wrote:
> Bill:  You can get a deeper black with Birchwood Casey if you warm the
> metal.  Blacking using selenic acid based solutions requires through
> cleaning and degreasing of the surface.  This is especially true during
> cold-rust bluing of guns
>
> Acid based colorants generally require thorough cleaning as well.  Birchwood
> Casey is this type and will create red rust (ferric oxide) in the presence
> of moisture.  Thus the need to warm the metal and neutralize the acid when
> the color is reached.
>
> True black can be obtained by using "Rust Stop" , a rust converter that
> changes red rust to black very effectively.  You can get this from Sculpt
> Nouveau, Inc.
>
>   
Thanks Grant.  I'm always looking for "easier" when it comes to 
coloring.  Heating the metal doesn't fall into that category although I 
usually heat anything I'm trying to rust quickly. When I darken with 
Birchwood Casey among other brands  I've tried, I've been very pleased 
with some of the results, like I said before, blues, gray, greens, 
browns but rarely true black.  The Rust Stop sounds like a viable method 
even though it may mean an extra step. Bill