Deadeye straps

[Tensecondsdown]

I am building a corel greyhound and the supplied straps are lead and break easy and they don't take paint well. I want to make my own out of wire. Is there any wire than I can buy that is black or is there a way to blacken the wire without using paint. Thanks

[VTHokiEE]

I’ve used brass wire that I silver soldered and chemically blackened with birchwood Casey brass black. I bought a variety sized lot of brass wire on eBay since I wasn’t certain what the correct diameter would be.

[Tensecondsdown]

Awesome, Thanks!

[allanyed]

I very much doubt that the straps are lead, but more likely some other soft metal.  That said you can also use copper wire, silver solder it  and blacken it with liver of sulfur.   I prefer the liver of sulfur and copper, but do use a lot of brass then use Blacken It when necessary.   

Look at Ed Tostis, Young America log and he explains in detail the use of copper and liver of sulfur.

If you want to actually make the straps as they were on the Greyhound, Blanford and others, according to the book on Blanford by Peter Goodwin, another 20 gun launched February 13, 1720 from the same yard as Greyhound, Deptford, and photos of other 20 gun 1719 Establishment ships at NMM you can buy thin copper or brass sheet and make them with this rather than wire.   The same need for silver soldering and blackening will come into play.

 

Allan