colored damascus?

[Will52100]

I have a customer that is wanting "a bit of color" on a couple of damascus blades.

Any ideas? I've had some blades with mulitple steels exhibit differant pale shades of blue after etching and a light buff, but it's pretty unpredictable. Has anybody tried cold blue? Or maybe rust blueing? I would love to nitra blue then polish the high layers, but I understand the heat is over the temper and cuts into edge retention?

 

[Bruce Bump]

I bought some rust blue from Brownells to try. It is the Pilkington formula and requires a lengthy series of applications. I am into the 3rd coat of 6 so far. It is begining to blue. Its pretty neat to see the rust change from red to blue in the boiling water. I will let you know if it works good enough in a couple more days. I have great plans if it works.

I am using it on a damascus twist with 1018, 1084, 15n20 and 203E. So far the 1018 and 1084 have blued but the 15n20 and 203E are resisting the dark color although they rust just like the others.

 

[Will52100]

Thanks Bruce, I guess I'll just have to experiment and see what I come up with.

 

[jim moyer]

Here is a link you may find usefull for patinas for steel and ----

http://www.sculptnouveau.com/patinas1.html

 

[Todd Robbins]

Will

Cleston Sinyard down south of Mobile used to get some interesting colors in his damascus. He always had some gold and copper colored layers in his stuff. He says it is from M2 HSS drill bits that he added to the mix.

Todd

 

[Will52100]

Thanks guys,

Jim that's an interesting link, any pics of the patinas and how well do they hold up on damascus that is used?

 

[Toxey]

Will

Cleston Sinyard down south of Mobile used to get some interesting colors in his damascus. He always had some gold and copper colored layers in his stuff. He says it is from M2 HSS drill bits that he added to the mix.

Todd

This is correct Todd.I have two of his knives with the coloring you are talking about.One is a Damascus fighter and the other is a damascus skinner.

When I went to his house to pic them up he brought them out for me to inspect and approve of .When that was done he told me to come outside,we have one more thing to do before you leave with them.
So we go out behind his shop to a old chest type non-running freezer.He opens the lid and there are two buckets of liquid in them.He takes the knife and dips the blade in one bucket for a few seconds,wipes it off and then does the same in the second bucket.He wipes it off again,inspects it,then hands it to me and says"there ya go".
So what ever he dipped it in is what produced the colors.Before he dipped it ,it looked like regular damascus.
I work with his son,if ya want I will ask him whats in the buckets.

 

[jim moyer]

Thanks guys,

Jim that's an interesting link, any pics of the patinas and how well do they hold up on damascus that is used?

I haven't used hot patinas on damascus blades yet. I use hot patinas on the brass and coppers for various effects but no pics available to share. I do know the wax patinas are pretty tough and show the blade pattern well but buff off pretty easy.

 

[Will52100]

Thanks, I think I'm gonna experiment with cold blues and maybe some rust blueing and browning. May try a page from Ed Caffry's book and use some brownells baking lacker.