protecting steel

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So I've been polishing mild steel until it looks gorgeous but I want to keep it protected. What should I use to keep the metal nice? Especially since I might be giving "sculptures" to people for xmas.How about boiled linseed oil? I know that stuff dries pretty nice over time. I would love to do hot bluing but I don't know the first thing about it and it sounds like a mess I don't want to get into just yet.I know clearcoat spray is an option but wouldn't it run the risk of adding a plasticky feel to the beautiful feeling metat?
Reply:Originally Posted by cafevikingSo I've been polishing mild steel until it looks gorgeous but I want to keep it protected. What should I use to keep the metal nice? Especially since I might be giving "sculptures" to people for xmas.How about boiled linseed oil? I know that stuff dries pretty nice over time. I would love to do hot bluing but I don't know the first thing about it and it sounds like a mess I don't want to get into just yet.I know clearcoat spray is an option but wouldn't it run the risk of adding a plasticky feel to the beautiful feeling metat?
Reply:Wax?Try Eastwoods, they have alot of coatings and polyurethanes for covering metals.Their is really no way around it,you have to put a barrier on it, a clear coat even with the smalles amount of zinc chromate in it.
Reply:You did not mention if the sculptures were going to be indoors or outdoors.What you really need to do is to get The Artists Handbook. It tells you many treatments for steel.As far as the wax, you can get sculptors wax which you apply with a O/A torch. The melting point is very high.The clear sprays usually only last about one years outdoors.I would think about powdercoating if you have colors. Then there are many plating processes you can have applied.If it would not show, you could add a zink to protect it just like boats use.The black oxide finish can be applied by heating with a torch and rubbing with oil.See the Artists Handbook.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:I've done hot blueing on small parts, by lightly oiling the part, and heating until blue with a swirl torch.  Its very difficult to get even (if you go too fast, you get a splotchy effect that kind of looks like blued camo, but in a bad way), and STILL requires a coating if you want good rust protection (although, you can keep it oiled like your guns, and make sure it never gets any fingerprints).Hot blueing is normally done in a liquid bath of seriously nasty and HOT stuff.  Lye, and nitrates, heated until boiling (think 300 degrees or so).  Kind of like deep frying, with caustic chemicals.  I'll skip that one.You could use a microcrystalline museum wax.  That's what museums use on their armor and gun exhibits.  But don't expect this to hold up without a glass case barrier.  If there's a chance that people will handle it, without wiping off all fingerprints, and re-oiling, then a finish is probably in order.  A dip in thinned lacquer might be the least detectable.You could give them a spray in poly, just don't use the acrylic or water based kind.
Reply:Boiled linseed oil is about the least durable finish available for anything, especially if it is outdoors.
Reply:Car wax with Carnuba oil in it. Or you can have it powder coated clear and never have to worry about it again.
Reply:Their is misconception that powdercoat is a good "safe" overcoat.It is one of the worst overcoats out their because their is nothing to protect from chipping, scrapes and rust traveling once it occurs and adhesion is good only because of its enormous surface tension, the clear would be thick. Chrome it. Bluing would still rust.Let the owners worry about keeping the finish pristine?Hey know what, take some laquer, thin it down with some thinner, it will be good, alot of commercial tools you see have this and you'd never know it.Last edited by pistolnoon; 12-07-2008 at 02:20 AM.