SteelF-x Gun blue? Anyone here use it?

[gamble]

So I bought this on accident so I might as well use it. Tried it on a few attempts with less than stellar results and I didn't see a youtube video on it.
Today I soaked the metal in muratic acid, rinsed with water, blew it off with the hose so it was damp and hit it with copper fx and it all turned copper. Great that is easy. Sprayed it with the gun blue and it immediately turned some very cool colors. By the time I was able to grab the water to rinse it off literally a few seconds it turned to a very dark grey/black ish color. So I ground it down to bare metal and started over.
I love the color when I immediately spray it but i'm not fast enough and it turns and stays dark.
Did i miss a step?

[rdj357]

I would try diluting it a little or leaving a mist of water before spraying. Maybe spray in one hand and mist hose in the other too?

I'm sure Bill knows better so another thing I'd probably do is wait for an answer from him....

[gamble]

I would try diluting it a little or leaving a mist of water before spraying. Maybe spray in one hand and mist hose in the other too?

I'm sure Bill knows better so another thing I'd probably do is wait for an answer from him....

Tried that today and i was still too slow. lol but other times I sprayed it and it never turned that dark color. It's like magic, a different type of spray with every squeeze.

[littlefatbuddy]

I am certainly not a patina expert. Hopefully, Bill won't yell at me for telling you wrong. I do not leave the steel even damp for the application of Copper FX. I do leave it a little damp for the application of his other patinas. I am prepared to rinse quickly though. I also have found that, for whatever reason, if I will rub the copper just a little with a green scotch brite that I have a little more time and control. That could be in my head but it does seem to work for me. I do notice that almost all the patinas are on the dull side until I clear them. If I want them shinier I will just you gloss clear and a couple of extra coats. I don't know if that helps you or not.

[littlefatbuddy]

Sorry, to answer your question I have never used gun blue with Steel FX patinas. I think selenium dioxide is the main ingredient in gun blueing and it is designed to patina to a darker finish.

[gamble]

The pics above are after a clear coat too

[steelfx]

GUN BLUE F/X™ is a very close cousin to Black. It's like any other cold bluing solution (it does contain selenium compounds, but not selenium dioxide),and like the little bottles of Gun Bluing for fixing scratches or rubbed spots on a firearm, requires several wet, rinse, reapply cycles to get the depth of 'gun bluing color' shown in the photo below.

It also works best on steel that has been nearly mirror-polished. And, even better IF after rinsing, you burnish the finish with #0000 steel wool or a clean, soft cotton rag. Doing that removes any particulates or haze & makes the 2nd & 3rd Dip work even better.

Dipping does work best, as you can leave the steel in the dip (plastic tray of patina) for about 10-12 seconds, remove, neutralize, wipe down with clean cloth, re-dip & do this about 3-4 times for the intended use & results of the product.

The process described above applies only to GUN BLUE F/X™ and is totally unnecessary with the other patinas.

If it's Bright Blues (Royal, for example) or Darker Blues & Blue-Violets, you're gonna be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better off with TORCH F/X™ or FLAME F/X™.

I rarely use GUN BLUE F/X™ in my artwork. The FLAME F/X™ Liquid Spray or the Gel Form of FLAME F/X™ is my "go-to" blue, unless I want the Leathery Reds that TORCH F/X™ produces right before it flashes to a bright blue.

So...that's the deal on GUN BLUE F/X™ .

And, I'm working on the 2nd Edition of the 'Steel Patinas & Finishes' book, which will be almost 200 pages. The First Edition was published in 2011 & is only 28 pages. There will be a TON more info, tips, tricks, photos & processes involved in the new edition, which I'm hoping will be ready for publication by the end of this year. Here's a link to the Free Download of the First Edition, 'Steel Patinas & Finishes': http://steelf-x.d.pr/10L8I

Thanks! I really appreciate the support & business I've received from all of you! Without y'all, we wouldn't be starting our 5th year with
STEEL F/X® Patinas.

Best,

Bill

[whiskeymike]

I'm looking for a fast and low labor method to turn a couple thousand 3x1.5x1/4" washer plates black and make them corrosion resistant for automotive use. Is this a suitable solution to process a few dozen(or more) pieces at a time? I am also going to contact a few local plating companies that may do hot black oxide.

Although so far, it seems paint is my best method.

[gamble]

I'm looking for a fast and low labor method to turn a couple thousand 3x1.5x1/4" washer plates black and make them corrosion resistant for automotive use. Is this a suitable solution to process a few dozen(or more) pieces at a time? I am also going to contact a few local plating companies that may do hot black oxide.

Although so far, it seems paint is my best method.

I have no idea if it has any corrosion resistance to be honest. Might want to shoot an email to Bill.
Black oxide or anodizing may be a decent option. I know caswell sells black oxide sample sizes. One of my customers has been using it with great results.