Paint or blackening

[Bill Hill]

What is the best method for brass and other metals, paint black or use a blackening agent.  I’ve had mixed results with either method.

[Justin P.]

I don't know about "best" method, but I much prefer blackened brass to painted.   Blackening takes some practice and messing around with preparing/finishing to get a good result but is easier than painting I think.

 

[barkeater]

It's a matter of opinion and personal preference. I like the look of  blackening compared to painting. I also put on Dullcote over the blackening which gives a duller finish. I have used black paint with good results as well. If painting do a test to make sure you like the color. All black paint is not the same color or finish. I think painting is easier but blackening looks more realistic in my opinion.

[JerryC]

I happen to be a terrible painter, so I like blackening. It keeps all the details intact.

[shipman]

The items needing a black finish are usually small. Black paint is the best colour to get a one coat finish. As with any surface treatment, good prep and application is essential. I've never felt paint was a handicap.

From what I've seen in innumerable posts about chemical blackening has given me zero confidence in the stuff. Life is too short. Each to their own.

I did buy some liver of sulphate once; by the time I got round to trying it, it had gone off.

My drawers are full of enamels and acrylics, many of which may be 20 or 30 years old. But properly sealed and stored, I rarely find one that is useless.

[grsjax]

Blacken and then paint.  I find that blackened brass holds paint better. 

[Roger Pellett]

I have a bottle of “Blacken it”.  If I take reasonable precautions- file surfaces to bright metal, a short soak in a small tin of acetone or lacquer thinner, then immersion in the blacking solution I have never had it fail to work.  It will not blacken solder so I touch up those areas with a dab of flat black model enamel.   To prevent later damage to the blackened surface I seal it with a spray of Dulcote.  

[JohnB40]

 

I find with photo etch parts,the resist used to protect the area not to be etched,remains in various residue amounts depending on how well the sheet was cleaned (with solvent) after the process. Sometimes the brass sheet or part itself has a anti-tarnish coating.  I use some of my wife's old baking trays to wash the sheet with acetone,rinse in water and then in diluted white vinegar for 15 minutes. I then rinse again in hot water and place it in the diluted Brass Black it several times,removing the scale that forms on the surface before reimmersing. Like Roger,I touch up with black paint and Dulcote.

 

 John

Edited January 23, 2021 by JohnB40

[allanyed]

What does the membership recommend in place of Blacken It, which I cannot find from my old suppliers?   Thanks

Allan

[Dart]

Maybe leave it as it is?

[barkeater]

2 hours ago, allanyed said:

What does the membership recommend in place of Blacken It, which I cannot find from my old suppliers?   Thanks

Allan

You could use Brass Black sold on Amazon. 

I used it and it appears to be the same stuff.

Rich

[allanyed]

Dart,  I assume you mean leave the metal as brass, but unfortunately, other than the bells, door hardware, and very old cannon, there is very little if any brass on the vessels I have been working on and it would not look realistic to leave it a brass color.  The guns on the model you posted are a good example of this unless they really were made of brass or bronze.  That said, the model is gorgeous.  I do try to use copper whenever possible and use liver of sulfur for blackening but brass is needed in quite a few applications for the stiffness.

 

Rich,  Thanks, l will give the Brass Black a try.  I see Jax metal blackener and it gets great reviews as well.     I wonder if either one will blacken silver solder or soft solder.   Curious minds and all that........

 

Allan

Edited January 22, 2021 by allanyed

[wefalck]

As always, the answer to the original question depends on what kind of model you are thinking of (and on the scale): for a model that shows off your artesanal skills, blackening is probably the way to go, while for a model that depicts the real life appearance of the prototype, painting may be more apropriate, as this is what would have been done in real life.

 

I agree with 'grsjax', that blackening provides a better key for paints, particularly also acrylics, than the bare brass or copper. And: if the paint chips during subsequent handling, this will not be so visible.

[Dart]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

Dart,  I assume you mean leave the metal as brass, but unfortunately, other than the bells, door hardware, and very old cannon, there is very little if any brass on the vessels I have been working on and it would not look realistic to leave it a brass color.  The guns on the model you posted are a good example of this unless they really were made of brass or bronze.  That said, the model is gorgeous.  I do try to use copper whenever possible and use liver of sulfur for blackening but brass is needed in quite a few applications for the stiffness.

 

I agree. Much depends on the style of performance. Brass Black gives a good result.

 

 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Dart