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I'm looking for a (preferably cheap) way to turn steel black. I've looked into bluing, but would like a "blacker" color, is there any other way to achieve this? Maybe with a patina of some sort?
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Best way to turn steel black?
- Thread starter Charles Stevenson
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Richard338
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It depends on how black you want and what type of steel you have.
You can try various acid etches or bluing, but if the steel is even close to stainless, it will be difficult.
You can always have it coated.
The first picture is CPM 3V with PVD coating.
The second is cold bluing on A2 steel which takes a patina pretty well.
You can try various acid etches or bluing, but if the steel is even close to stainless, it will be difficult.
You can always have it coated.
The first picture is CPM 3V with PVD coating.
The second is cold bluing on A2 steel which takes a patina pretty well.
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Hi Charles, welcome to BF.
Wrong forum here, but I'll have this post moved to Shop Talk.
This said, I use Birchwood/Casey liquid steel 'bluing'. It's cheap and turns it black, NOT blue.
Wrong forum here, but I'll have this post moved to Shop Talk.
This said, I use Birchwood/Casey liquid steel 'bluing'. It's cheap and turns it black, NOT blue.
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The only precaution to observe here is, don't do this on a knife that will be used on food. It will impart a really nasty taste (and may be harmful as well). (When I was a kid experimenting with electronics I blew up a selenium rectifier. I'll never forget that smell. Cold bluing contains selenium and smells exactly the same.
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Hey everyone,
Thanks a lot for the help, I seem to have had the wrong idea about what bluing looked like, and I don't intend to use this knife on food, and the steel is not stainless.
Thanks a lot for the help, I seem to have had the wrong idea about what bluing looked like, and I don't intend to use this knife on food, and the steel is not stainless.
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- Sep 3, 2020
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These are some of the cold bluing products I found on a quick amazon search, was this the sort of thing you meant?
https://www.amazon.ca/Birchwood-Cas...sey+liquid+steel+bluing&qid=1612118560&sr=8-5
https://www.amazon.ca/Birchwood-Cas...sey+liquid+steel+bluing&qid=1612118560&sr=8-6
https://www.amazon.ca/BW-Casey-Alum...sey+liquid+steel+bluing&qid=1612118560&sr=8-2
Richard338
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I use one called Oxpho blue.
I am a retired gunsmith. ALL cold blue products contain selenium and will make you blade smell and taste like rotten eggs and will wear off quickly. Don't use cold blue. Read up on rust blue processes (can be done at home with non toxic chemicals) or send it to a gun finishing business for a hot blue with salts.