[TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel

[Andy Gladish]

I was teaching metal fab for a wind turbine building class this past week 
(see www.scoraigwind.com ) this past week, and in the middle of a run of 
torch work got asked a number of times, what is actually going on when you 
burn steel...is the iron oxidizing? If so, why doesn't cast iron oxidize and 
burn in the same way?
Anyone want to field that one?
Andy G.

-----Original Message----- 
From: mike shpeley
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2010 1:42 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel



Jerry;
You are more than likely right on the carbon not causing rust as now that I
think of it a lot higher carbon leaf spring left outside does not seem to 
rust
pit any deeper than mild steel. So it has to be the oxygen that causes the 
iron
to want to die and go back to where it came from. Another damn assumption. 
Salt
in

the air and water have to be to blame also.
Mike


----- Original Message ----
From: Jerry Frost <akfrosty at mtaonline.net>
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thu, October 28, 2010 11:58:17 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel

I'm sure I'll be corrected by someone who knows more but I THINK Yellin
prefered to paint his iron regularly, if the customer wasn't willing to do
it him/erself would contract it done.

Carbon in steel isn't what causes rust. The silica inclusions offer some
protection but not a lot. I have an old anchor I pulled out of Anton Larson
Bay on the north side of Kodiak Isle. some decades ago that shows the
classic wrought iron rust pattern.

I do agree with not wanting to slather a thick layer of goop over fine
detail work and would prefer if everybody who bought my work would keep it
indoors. My favorite, to date, paint finish is clear 2pt epoxy thinned with
xylene so it makes for a really thin coat. It's tough as nails and doesn't
hide details. I rub raw wool on my doffers for the lanolin finish and it's
surprisingly durable though they're indoor items. Deb's a spinner which
makes us a steelwool couple.

Jer
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "mike shpeley" <willowforge at yahoo.ca>
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 9:35 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel


> >From what I understand Jerry, is that back in the good old days of real
> >wrought
> iron there was not the carbon in the iron so rust was not a real problem.
> Apparently
>
> Sam Yellin provided a contract to apply a clear finish to his work every
> year.
> For my personal outside hardware, I have just been wire brushing the
> scale off
> every summer and reapplying my Tung oil finish. Works.  It really pains me
> to
> cover up some detail work that I am proud of with 3 coats of paint.
> Cheapens it
> somehow.
>
> Mike

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