.jpg) rgjusa,
I was afraid that it would be a plating process! Damn. Looks pretty tasty too.
Thanks for the info though - you're a credit to the site with your knowledge and manner of passing on info.
To pick your brains a bit more. I'm looking at getting some irons to have a bit of a play with - now I know there are health issues related to de-chroming as well as the associated weight loss to the iron head. Raw heads don't seem readily available unless we're talking very high end japanese market and I don't think anyone sane is willing to shell out a grand just to have a play with aftermarket finishes.
What I would like to know is have you any experience of changing the finish on stainless steel iron heads?
By this I mean a none-plating finish but more oil based or gun blue, etc.
I know that rifle blueing companies offer a bronze type finish (dark brown / chocolate ish) - any experience with this?
Thanks for your help.
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 Nice work on that TeI3... Good to know there is a skilled craftsman on the forum. Wedge stamping could be my next tinkering project  Really dialed in the KBS Tours now and love them. They really help reduce the shock at impact and are even more accurate than PX which was impressive but with a bit more versatility.
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| Edited: 15/01/09 22:16 |
 @ Damon - watch this space, I have another process to try before I make a decision on it. @ McG - there is a stainless steel blackener that goes on cold but, it will turn them more grey than black I reckon. You can remove chrome with a scotchbrite wheel but it is a lengthy process. You can get a gunblue finish, this is what the tei3 looked like when I gun blued it: It takes a lot of time/effort to get the finish smooth if that is what you want, ie. it is all in the preparation as applying the gun blue is relatively easy. @ S&F - get the best wedge stamps you can afford, a 4lb club hammer, a solid base and practice on old metal first is my advice ! As for the KBS, great news! I have some Geotech N-16's coming and have some KBS Tours to pop into them for a play.
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Geotech N-16's ...those are a proper set of irons. I think the KBS really suit blades better than PX, due to the softer tip. The ball has a very nice flat trajectory once it gets up. I am just hoping I havent given myself untreatable osteoarthritis of the left wrist, due to hitting too many range balls with PX shafts.
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 How about anodising, to get the colour you want ??
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OK, so, finally found time to get around to it. This is the black oxide finish: Before: After: Not entirely sure about my photography skills because it looks blacker in person. Next stop is the practice ground to see how durable it is. It looks pretty good with the KBS black nickel shaft though !
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 JT, did the black oxide stay on sucessfully ?
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It has - but only because we are snowed in !
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rgjusa, reading back through I see you used 3 in 1 oil and commented that you thought it might be a little too light. Am retired now but was a toolmaker by trade and blueing was a normal part of the job if we wanted to help protect mild steel from rusty fingers. When we did it we used old thick engine oil. Never overheated the item, just enough to get an even blue and as you have done treated the same item about 3 times as it seemed to come out a richer even colour that way. Obviously, if we did not want a deep blue colour then we could always stop at the brownish hue beforehand but a nice deep blue is a lovely and easy finish.
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Den, yes, and I had no old engine oil laying about otherwise I would have given it a go. Then I decided to give the chemicals a go as it was something that I had been wanting to try for a while. I will see what this holds up like after the snow/mud has gone.
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