Mike wrote:
I have 2 flat metal parts made out of steel. I want to paint them flat
black. I was recommended Rust-o-Leum 7777 as a perfect match for the
paint color and finish.

I first stripped the old paint with a spray-on stripper and than spray
painted. Looked great, but I wasn't pleased with how hard the finish was.
It scratched with my finger-nail.

I re-read the directions and realized I did *not* use primer. Of course I
was ****ed off, but I decided to redo everything.

I stripped the paint again using the same, nasty spray-on stuff. I then
rinsed with water, and used a wire-brush attached to my electric drill to
get most of the old stuff off. I then wiped it down with a wet rag and
let dry.

This time I used Rust-o-leum primer first, then applied the same spray
paint. But it seems the finish is even softer than before.

What am I doing wrong? I'm about to give up on this seemingly simple
project. The cast-iron parts that I painted are just fine.

--Mike



You can try baking them at 300F for 45 minutes or so to make sure they are fully
dry. Other than that, you can start thinking about topcoats, or redoing with a
tougher paint. Perhaps an epoxy paint would have worked better for you, or
powdercoating.

GWE