Heat anodizing?

[ryanv403]

So ive heard that you can heat color steel liners and screws in an oven. Is this true and what temperature should i set it to, and how long will it take? thanks!

 

[sintro]

Are you talking about where you have something like a black anodized flashlight, then bake it so it turns a copper color?

 

[oic0]

When you get metal hot, the oxides that form aren't near as tough as what you would normally think of as anodizing. I don't think it would stay put on anything you actually use. Real anodizing requires electrical current. Hence "anode"izing.
I've never tried to anodize steel, but I've done aluminum for kicks. Perhaps something like this would work for you? http://www.ehow.com/how_7155639_anodize-steel.html Course I would test it on a junk knife first. It probably wouldnt work on stainless. Probably a different / more complicated process for that. In general from what I've heard is anodized steel finish isnt near as durable as aluminum.

 

[Bill Burke]

So ive heard that you can heat color steel liners and screws in an oven. Is this true and what temperature should i set it to, and how long will it take? thanks!

Ryan, yes you can heat color steel. like was said it is a pretty fragile finish but for liners it won't be too much of a worry. depending on what color you are looking for the colors start at about four hundred and go to seven hundred or so. time at temp also plays a factor. ie... you can get a nice blue from 2 hours at 500ish or a few minutes at 600ish. I think that a longer soak in a cooler temp gives a little bit more durable finish but that is just my perception eith no actual proof.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Nitre salts at 600F will make an instant deep blue color. Varying the temp from 550F to 650F will change the color from yellow/brown to purple. The same salts can be used for tempering things in the spring temper range.

 

[Bumblingtinkerer]

Sorry to wake a dead thread but this is a Leek I customized for a buddy. The blade looks funny because I ground out the serrations and ground a baby Spanto for him. Anyway I heat anodized the non locking scale on a gas stove for giggles and after I sanded the original finish off it worked well.
http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums...e Uploads/IMG_20140709_143335_zpslpgflroi.jpg

 

[SinePari]

To add to this before someone comes along to close it.... I have a buddy that melts a little bit of copper in his forge in order to achieve a really cool finish on his pieces; It leaves a beautiful multi-colored iridescent finish on his pieces.