[TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel

Andy Gladish gladish at cablerocket.com
Sat Oct 23 19:23:56 EDT 2010


Just to muddy the waters, I've been warned that the dryers in "boiled 
linseed oil" and japan dryers are capable of giving you heavy metals 
poisoning, but I have no clue what dose would be needed, just that they 
include some sort of potentially dangerous ingredient...anybody have info on 
that?
AG

-----Original Message----- 
From: Cheryl Brimson
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2010 3:51 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel

The formula is as follows:

1 Cup boiled linseed oil
1 Cup Turpentine
1/2 Cup of Beeswax
1/2 Tube of Stove Black

if you want to speed up the drying process, go to an artist supply and buy 
some Japan Dryer that artists use in oil paints to speed up the drying time. 
Add about 1 tablespoon while you are blending it.  The only side effect is 
that if you are not using all of the mixture it will reduce the time you can 
keep it on hand.

Doug Merkel of the Great Plains Blacksmith Association uses a similar 
formula without the stove black.

1 Cup Johnson's Paste Wax
1 Cup Boiled Linseed Oil
1 Cup Turpentine
1/2 Cup shaved pieces of Beeswax
2 Tablespoons Japan Dryer

Enjoy!

John Brimson




On Oct 23, 2010, at 5:51 PM, Jason Nass wrote:


> Any chance of you getting the recipe for this formula (proportions)? 
> Sounds
> like a nice trouble free finishing juice.
>
> Jason Nass - MacTalis Ironworks
> me at wargoth.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Cheryl Brimson
> Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2010 4:51 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] oil/wax finish, blackened steel
>
> A blacksmith acquaintance of mine in Florida uses a formula that is 
> composed
> of linseed oil, beeswax, turpentine and stove black.  He mixes it up on 
> the
> stove in a double boiler and heats and blends all the ingredients and 
> pours
> it into an airtight can.  When the piece is finished he heats it up and
> brushes all the scale off then wipes it down with a rag he keeps in the 
> can.
> It gives a pretty good finish and seems to hold up well as long as it is 
> not
> outside in the weather.  John Brimson On Oct 23, 2010, at 3:39 PM, Bruce
> Freeman wrote:
>
>> Andy,
>> Before you give up, why not grab some fire scale from your anvil stand
>> (use a magnet) and mix it with some oil, then apply that hot -- to an
>> unheated piece?  I've always suspected that might give a similar
>> finish as oiled fire scale, but have never had an opportunity to try
>> it.  Do this on a test piece, of course.
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 11:43 AM, Andy Gladish <gladish at cablerocket.com>
> wrote:
>>> Thanks everybody- I had a brain fart and thought that just heating it
>>> enough to kind of burn the wax would give me a nice color, since
>>> that's sort of how it works on small forged items.
>>> Of course, really what happens it that the wax enhances the color of
>>> the fire scale, so it's heat it in the forge or do it with chemicals.
>>> Lots of good info here.
>>> A.G.
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Bruce
>> NJ
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