Blackening Stainless (304)

[Patrice Lemée]

Can this be done on a guard for example? A dark black would be great.
Any idea on how to do this?
Thanks.

 

[TXscout]

Can this be done on a guard for example? A dark black would be great.
Any idea on how to do this?
Thanks.

Patrice--have you looked into something like this?? I have used their kits for carbon steel, with good results. The dips do a better job than the gels do, IMHO.

http://www.caswellplating.com/metal-finishing-solutions/stainless-steel-blackener.html

 

[SBranson]

 

[tiguy7]

304 is a particularly corrosion resitant stainless steel as are most of the 300 series stainlesses. Most black coats are a type of colored corrosion like gun bluing. An artificial rust that is uniform in color and nonflaking ,Fe(NO2)2 instead of Fe2O3. Most of the gun makers, who want a blacked stainless barrel, opt for a black Chrome or black Nickel electroplated deposit.

 

[Gody]

I have an idea that I´ve never gotten around to try and thus really have no idea if it works, but here we go:

If we can etch a black logo into a stainless blade, what would happen if we suspended the piece in a bath of marking solution, connected it to the electroetch-marker, and turned on the power? Your vessel would have to be an anodizer-like setup with a conducting sheet covering the inside of the vessel with one of the cables connected to it and the other cable connected to the workpiece.

Doubt that it would be like a gun blueing of carbon steel though. Probably more like a matte black finish (if it works at all that is).

Brian

 

[A C Richards]

Ceracoat.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll take a look at the Caswell stuff. The higher end option is impossible right now for a variety of reasons but I'll definitely keep it in mind for future projects.

And I even appreciate the Sharpie suggestion Stuart. It will actually be useful to see if I like the look before trying to actually do it for real. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[12345678910]

re the black chrome, you could always ask a plater to do a sample.

If it's something they do regularly, then it should be easy to add to their cycle.

 

[deloid]

Are these some of the same methods that can be used to accent the background on engraved stainless?

Dean

 

[tiguy7]

I almost forgot, some of the Vapor Particle Deposition coatings are black. CBN (cubic Boron nitride, TiAlN (Titanium Aluminum nitride), and TDLC (Tungsten Diamond Like Carbon) are all black, wear resistant coatings that are used on blades.