Help with "blackening" one of my tubes....

[anavidfan]

Hello, I was not sure where to post this, but figured this was a good place to start.

If anyone thinks it should be in another area , feel free to move it.

Ok. I have a beautiful MCR 101. I have 2 tubes in the beautiful Silicon Bronze. One is used and oxidized. I really like the oxidation. Its in these great patterns. Ive tried to clean, but it never cleans evenly.

I was want to know if there is any sort of thin stain/ or inky blackening product ? Id love to stain it so the pattern still shows, but the tube gets darker, almost black , but not a solid coating/ or paint job.

Here is the tube. I really like the way it looks, but I have 2 other bronze tubes and have been wanting something dark/ charcoal/ blackish, but not solid. I want to retain the lovely texture of the media blasting? and perhaps even the flecks of metallic to still show thru.

Thanks for looking and lets see if I can create something unique.
The photos show the used on on the right and unused tube on left.

 

[Susan~S]

You could browse around here: Cosmetic Mods

If you don't find anything, and get no responses come tonight, consider clicking on "Report" (located on the bottom left hand side of your post) and as a Moderator to move it there.

 

[anavidfan]

You could browse around here: Cosmetic Mods

If you don't find anything, and get no responses come tonight, consider clicking on "Report" (located on the bottom left hand side of your post) and as a Moderator to move it there.

Thank you , now to browse

 

[anavidfan]

Seems the thread is closed and there are no posts , just the first OP post describing what the thread is for

 

[xdragonx917]

Seems the thread is closed and there are no posts , just the first OP post describing what the thread is for

Maybe it works now.

Sent from my C6740N using Tapatalk

 

[anavidfan]

thanks, I will check again.

 

[Jdurand]

Have you considered a gun bluing kit? may not be the hue you are looking for but may look really cool on top of the color the mod is now.

 

[anavidfan]

Ive seen those, but was not sure what that involved. Ive seen those blueing kits and I saw a blackening kit by Caswell. I should just take the leap

 

[HauntedMyst]

A gun bluing kit is what I was thinking too.

Take a look at: Birchwood Casey Sporting Goods - Metal Finishing

 

[VHRB2014]

Cold gun blue will get you a good start on a patina on both copper and brass, so it should do well for bronze. BUT, it wont stay unless you clear coat it to protect it. All forced patinas have to be clear coated or they will eventually come off on your hands.

BOL, :?)

 

[EdT586]

You could try tint coating. Normally used for black chrome or for tinting car lights and windows. It is basically a tinted clear coat.

 

[EdT586]

Cold gun blue will get you a good start on a patina on both copper and brass, so it should do well for bronze. BUT, it wont stay unless you clear coat it to protect it. All forced patinas have to be clear coated or they will eventually come off on your hands.

BOL, :?)

I think gun blue only works on steel, not brass.
Machinist's layout dye is another option for brass.

 

[VHRB2014]

Cold blue works works for me for starting a natural patina.
This mod here is about 2-3 weeks old in this pic.

 

[rhelton]

Cold blue works works for me for starting a natural patina.
This mod here is about 2-3 weeks old in this pic. View attachment 543573

Do you think its just patina or the bluing has stained the material? I wonder if you cleaned the brass with vinegar or something else acidic to remove any corrosion from the surface if the bluing would take easier?

 

[rhelton]

Hello, I was not sure where to post this, but figured this was a good place to start.

If anyone thinks it should be in another area , feel free to move it.

Ok. I have a beautiful MCR 101. I have 2 tubes in the beautiful Silicon Bronze. One is used and oxidized. I really like the oxidation. Its in these great patterns. Ive tried to clean, but it never cleans evenly.

I was want to know if there is any sort of thin stain/ or inky blackening product ? Id love to stain it so the pattern still shows, but the tube gets darker, almost black , but not a solid coating/ or paint job.

Here is the tube. I really like the way it looks, but I have 2 other bronze tubes and have been wanting something dark/ charcoal/ blackish, but not solid. I want to retain the lovely texture of the media blasting? and perhaps even the flecks of metallic to still show thru.

Thanks for looking and lets see if I can create something unique.
The photos show the used on on the right and unused tube on left.

This stuff is suppose to do the trick?

birchwood casey brass black - Google Search

 

[VHRB2014]

Do you think its just patina or the bluing has stained the material? I wonder if you cleaned the brass with vinegar or something else acidic to remove any corrosion from the surface if the bluing would take easier?

Ya, it pretty much just stains the metal. Then when you rub it all off it stays in the lows spots and adds allot of character to your piece. I would think any patina is a stain, its only surface deep and any metal can be taken back to its original surface with the right abrasive. This was Brownels (Sp?) cold blue, but brass black is basically the same stuff.

:?)

 

[anavidfan]

I have some of the Rust-o-leum tint on its way, but I got impatient and gave it a go with the good ol' fat sharpie.... Looks like an ebony veneer.

 

[anavidfan]

Update

I just ordered some of the Ranger Alcohol ink in pitch black, the blender liquid and some Krylon matte sealant.

Fingers crossed that I get the look I want.

Will come back with photos and hopefully a nice looking Black MCR.

 

[HauntedMyst]

That ebony matte looks cool.

 

[anavidfan]

That ebony matte looks cool.

LOL, that was my attempt with a sharpie. Looked a LOT like ebony, and for a while it was fine, but it started coming off on my hands. I should have sealed it.

I hope I get the same look with the ink. Im planning on using a small sponge and wiping it on lengthwise like I did the sharpie. The actual tube is a great bronze silica media blasted. For some reason that tube came in oxidized so when I contacted MCR they sent me a new one and it was fine.

Dont know what the first one was exposed to, but nothing got the oxidation off. Its was in long splotchy marks. So the the messed up one has been my daily kick around for a while. Thought Id experiment with the black ink and see if I can get it on sort of sheer so the sparkle of dark bronze shows thru.

Crossing my fingers.