Can anyone recommend a paint to use on stainless steel? That is to
say, something that will adhere well and resist chipping?
It needs to be something simple, available in small quantities. I
don't want to get involved with etching pimer etc.

Thank you.

Al D

"Al D" wrote in message
...

Can anyone recommend a paint to use on stainless steel? That is to
say, something that will adhere well and resist chipping?
It needs to be something simple, available in small quantities. I
don't want to get involved with etching pimer etc.

So you are not that worried about adhesion then? A bit more information
about the application, environment, thickness of steel might help.


Thank you.

Al D

"Al D" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 23 May 2006 22:54:20 +0100, "Newshound"
wrote:

So you are not that worried about adhesion then? A bit more information
about the application, environment, thickness of steel might help.

The items are various knives that needs to be camouflaged, as we will
be trekking through potentially hostile territory overseas. It doesn't
matter if the paint gets worn off near the sharpened edge, but most of
it needs to stay in place for around three weeks. I'm looking to paint
with matt paint (green, brown, etc.)

Any paint on the blade is likely to wear off completely if you actually
intend to use the knife. The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened. Look for metal finishers in yellow pages, or buy the
right tool for the job.

http://madeinsheffield.com/view_item.asp?productid=1413

Colin Bignell

nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"Al D" wrote ...
The items are various knives that needs to be camouflaged

Any paint on the blade is likely to wear off completely if you actually
intend to use the knife. The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened. Look for metal finishers in yellow pages,

What about gun blueing solution/paste, available for a fiver from ones'
local gunshop/smith?

In article ,
Al D wrote:
It needs to be something simple, available in small quantities. I
don't want to get involved with etching pimer etc.

You can buy etching primer in aerosols. Just how small a quantity did you
want?

--
*Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

"Al D" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 23 May 2006 22:54:20 +0100, "Newshound"
wrote:

So you are not that worried about adhesion then? A bit more information
about the application, environment, thickness of steel might help.

The items are various knives that needs to be camouflaged, as we will
be trekking through potentially hostile territory overseas. It doesn't
matter if the paint gets worn off near the sharpened edge, but most of
it needs to stay in place for around three weeks. I'm looking to paint
with matt paint (green, brown, etc.)

Any paint on the blade is likely to wear off completely if you actually
intend to use the knife. The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened. Look for metal finishers in yellow pages, or buy the
right tool for the job.

http://madeinsheffield.com/view_item.asp?productid=1413

What a useful site, Colin, thanks!

Mary

Colin Bignell

On Wed, 24 May 2006 09:12:00 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

You can buy etching primer in aerosols. Just how small a quantity did you
want?

Good point. I hadn't thought of that. I gather you think it will work
okay on stainless steel?

Al D

On Tue, 23 May 2006 23:33:43 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:

The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened.

That's probably the best solution. Do you (or anyone) happen to know
what the required chemicals are?

Al D

In article ,
Al D wrote:
The professional approach is to have the steel chemically blackened.

That's probably the best solution. Do you (or anyone) happen to know
what the required chemicals are?

You should find how to etc he-

http://www.frost.co.uk/productList.asp?catID=26

--
*Drugs may lead to nowhere, but at least it's the scenic route *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Al D" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 May 2006 23:33:43 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:

The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened.

That's probably the best solution. Do you (or anyone) happen to know
what the required chemicals are?

I've never done it myself; I send anything stainless that I need black (a
common finish for surgical instruments used with lasers) to a metal
finisher. However, as mentioned in another reply, you can buy gun blue kits
from gun shops, which may do the job as well.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

"Al D" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 May 2006 23:33:43 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:

The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened.

That's probably the best solution. Do you (or anyone) happen to know
what the required chemicals are?

I've never done it myself; I send anything stainless that I need black (a
common finish for surgical instruments used with lasers) to a metal
finisher. However, as mentioned in another reply, you can buy gun blue
kits from gun shops, which may do the job as well.

Colin Bignell

Colin, will you mail me please?

Mary

On 24 May 2006 09:49:16 +0200, Chris Bacon
wrote:

nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"Al D" wrote ...
The items are various knives that needs to be camouflaged

Any paint on the blade is likely to wear off completely if you actually
intend to use the knife. The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened. Look for metal finishers in yellow pages,

What about gun blueing solution/paste, available for a fiver from ones'
local gunshop/smith?

I am told that gun blue kits do not work on stainless steel.

Al D

On Wed, 24 May 2006 18:17:12 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:

However, as mentioned in another reply, you can buy gun blue kits
from gun shops, which may do the job as well.

The selenium-based cold blues vary in quality. Phillips is the best,
Liberon's a good second (cheaper too, but not such good colours) and the
commonplace Birchwood-Casey a definite third. None will work on
stainless. All are very technique sensitive, particularly for
degreasing.

As a general black for outdoor kit, then I'd recommend either a cheap
hack of a hot oil black with sump oil and a gas blowtorch. Not
long-lasting, but cheap and easy to re-apply.

Alternatively a very good pseudo-Parkerising can be done at home with
Caswell's Cold-Ox is good, easy, affordable (twenty quid) and far more
rust resistant than selenium.
http://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/coldox.htm
I use this a lot on workshop tools and jigs.
It doesn't work on stainless steel (although some people claim it's
usable on austenitic stainless)

Caswell also do "Stainless steel blackener 370" (about 20 quid) which
is a black finish specifically for stainless. Works great, but not
rustproof (you don't need this over stainless, but it's an issue for
parts made of mixed alloys)

Another solution is to copper plate your stainless, then patinate the
copper. Plating stainless is its own can of worms, but it is do-able at
home.

On Thu, 25 May 2006 16:56:18 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote:

However, as mentioned in another reply, you can buy gun blue kits
from gun shops, which may do the job as well.

The selenium-based cold blues vary in quality. Phillips is the best,
Liberon's a good second (cheaper too, but not such good colours) and the
commonplace Birchwood-Casey a definite third. None will work on
stainless. All are very technique sensitive, particularly for
degreasing.

As a general black for outdoor kit, then I'd recommend either a cheap
hack of a hot oil black with sump oil and a gas blowtorch. Not
long-lasting, but cheap and easy to re-apply.

Alternatively a very good pseudo-Parkerising can be done at home with
Caswell's Cold-Ox is good, easy, affordable (twenty quid) and far more
rust resistant than selenium.
http://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/coldox.htm
I use this a lot on workshop tools and jigs.
It doesn't work on stainless steel (although some people claim it's
usable on austenitic stainless)

Caswell also do "Stainless steel blackener 370" (about 20 quid) which
is a black finish specifically for stainless. Works great, but not
rustproof (you don't need this over stainless, but it's an issue for
parts made of mixed alloys)

Another solution is to copper plate your stainless, then patinate the
copper. Plating stainless is its own can of worms, but it is do-able at
home.

Some very helpful tips there - thank you! The Caswell "Stainless steel
blackener 370" sounds like the best option, is my guess. Some of the
knives will be used for food, so the blackened knife needs to be
non-toxic.

Al D

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

"Al D" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 May 2006 23:33:43 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:

The professional approach is to have the steel
chemically blackened.

That's probably the best solution. Do you (or anyone) happen to know
what the required chemicals are?

I've never done it myself; I send anything stainless that I need black (a
common finish for surgical instruments used with lasers) to a metal
finisher. However, as mentioned in another reply, you can buy gun blue
kits from gun shops, which may do the job as well.

Colin Bignell

Colin, will you mail me please?

I would, but I haven't been able to send from the account I use to look at
Usenet for a couple of years now. I keep meaning to find out why, but it is
not high on my list of priorities. I'll try from one of my business accounts
when I get in next week.

Colin

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...
....
http://madeinsheffield.com/view_item.asp?productid=1413

What a useful site, Colin, thanks!

Mary

I am now wondering why you need a blackened survival knife :-)

Colin