"RainLover" wrote in message
...
while I'm on a posting roll...

I've used pickling paste on 316L for the last few of my sculptures,
but I've had a disturbing thing happening... While it brightens the
stainless (almost a blue tint) and removes all the little surface rust
spots, it also leaves a coating... almost of a 'smudged' look..

I leave the past on for about 15 to 20 minutes and agitate it with a
nylon brush before rinsing and rubbing (with my rubber gloves on) it
off.

What Am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

James, Seattle (port orchard, Washington, USA, Earth

Sorry I cant give an answer to your question about the smudging, but please
be super careful with that pickling paste. It may contain hydro-fluoric acid
which is shocking stuff if you get it on your skin. Look up the material
saftey notes on it. Please be careful with it.

Sorry to sound like a worry wart but I'd hate someone to loose fingers
simply because they didn't know how bad this stuff can be.

Dean.