Antiquing mild steel

admin

Good morning!  Been a while since I have been on, but haven't been in the shop much.I am currently working on a project for DW.  I need to antique some mild steel to look like the attached picture.  I thought about heating it up and quenching it in water or oil, but not sure it will give me the look I want.  Any ideas are greatly appreciated!Thanks,Chad Attached Images
Reply:The 'black' you're looking for is the layer of oxides (called "fire scale") produced by heating.  It is why blacksmiths got that name.  I have no experience with it, but if it was me, I'd try exactly what you're proposing (heating, quenching) with some liberal hammering thrown in to produce the dimples.  Failing that, I'm sure there's an acid etching process (similar to gun blueing) that will work.Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:Check out this channel. Interesting options available to complete a project.Yakdung
Reply:heating, hammering, and oil quench should do what you're looking for. test on some scrap first. just to make sure. you might need to heat again after the quench.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll have to find someone with a torch to heat the rods up for me.  I don't think my project propane bottle will cut it
Reply:What type of oil would you suggest?
Reply:Looks like a regular oil finish to me.  Just coat with any mineral oil such as engine oil then burn the thing with a large propane torch.  You don't need to make it red hot.  Some smiths oil and heat until smoking then hand wire brush to move the oil into crevices then heat more until wetness is gone.  The residue gives you the black... wire brushing after changes it slightly also if you want a sheen to it.
Reply:A traditional blacksmith's finish is linseed oil rubbed into the oxide-coated steel. You need to heat the steel hot enough to produce fire scale (orange heat).To get that look on new steel, I use used motor oil brushed onto the steel when it's hot enough to make the oil smoke. Lots of nasty smoke and/or flames, definitely something you want to do outdoors. JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Originally Posted by wicrulesThanks for the suggestions.  I'll have to find someone with a torch to heat the rods up for me.  I don't think my project propane bottle will cut it
Reply:All of these will give the color, but not the pitted texture of that picture.  For that, you're best off getting it to thoroughly rust first.  Then apply heat and oil.
Reply:Throw it on the ground and cover it with leaves. Should be ready in about 2 years. Rust is hard to duplicate. Only God can do that.
Reply:Try a needle scaler for the dimpled rust look.  Test it on a piece of scrap and then do you antiquing.Cheers, Tom.
Reply:Originally Posted by TecTry a needle scaler for the dimpled rust look.  Test it on a piece of scrap and then do you antiquing.
Reply:Put the pieces in a card board box or other container. Put a little muriatic acid in a cup and set it in the box and close the box. The fumes will rust it up over night. If you want pitted rust then coat the pieces in the acid and leave for a day or two. Rinse off and wire brush the metal and you will have that exact look of the piece in your picture.
Reply:That's pretty much what i was thinking.  Acid,oxidize, peen.
Reply:Wow, thanks for all of the suggestions.  I was going to try the acid approach for the texture and then heat and apply oil.  We'll see what happens I also got the name of a local blacksmith.  I am going to check with him and see what it would cost to make something along these lines.
Reply:Sandblast, flat black rattle can paint, then when dry burnish a course cloth.
Reply:For the texture you could also just heat the turnbuckle and rods in a forge to get a little scale on them, then wire brush off.
Reply:Spoke with a local blacksmith yesterday.  His forge isn't big enough to put the rods in.  He suggested building a brush pile fire, throwing everything in there and when it burns dow to take Johnson's paste wax and apply it to the metal.  I think that will give me the black, but not the texture.....Hadn't thought about sandblasting.....Thanks for the input.