Engraving

[kudu]

Whats is the "best " method to  Color "Blacken" engraving?

I mean i see engraved Brass, with the engraving Black steel also.

What do you use ? does it Last?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Steel is usually treated with some sort of finish, bluing, browning, etc.  this colours the engraving at the same time, so it does't show as nicely as on polished brass, with the engraving blackened.  I use Super Blue, a cold blue liquid, to blacken engraving, and then polish off the stain on the brass.  The black remains in the engraving, and highlights it.  It lasts as long as the polished brass stays polished.  Once the brass oxidizes, the blackened engraving is less dramatic.

[Scota4570]

I have never had any luck blackening brass.  I ran across this site, http://www.igraver.com/blackening.shtml, he suggests black paint.  It does work. 

[jerrywh]

I use etcher's ink to blacken engraving. After it dries about 10 days even Lacquer thinner won't take it off. Some of the engravers use black spray paint like Krylon.

[Nordnecker]

I 2nd the Super Blue. I bought Perma Blue one time and it wouldn't darken brass.

[Mike Brooks]

I use etcher's ink to blacken engraving. After it dries about 10 days even Lacquer thinner won't take it off. Some of the engravers use black spray paint like Krylon.

All the professional engravers like me KNOW that Rustoleum is the ONLY choice.

[kudu]

What this stuff do? anyone try it ?
Its Made by Grobet called antiquing solution.

[jerrywh]

I use etcher's ink to blacken engraving. After it dries about 10 days even Lacquer thinner won't take it off. Some of the engravers use black spray paint like Krylon.

All the professional engravers like me KNOW that Rustoleum is the ONLY choice.

  Yeah that  works also.

[jerrywh]

What this stuff do? anyone try it ?
Its Made by Grobet called antiquing solution.

I used the same thing on this gun in the photos below. Then I took it back with fine steel wool.

[Jerry]

Just me. I like the effects of darkening engraving in the pictures. I never darken. Just let the surface darken naturally.

[Ed Wenger]

For brass..., 44/40 bluing solution.  For steel or silver, black paint.  I like simple...   Best,


              Ed

[Curtis]

For brass..., 44/40 bluing solution.  For steel or silver, black paint.  I like simple...   Best,


              Ed

x2 what Ed said!  I often dip a sharp toothpick in the 44/40 (Super Blue works well also) and apply it sparingly to the engraving.  It will wick up to an inch or so sometimes.  Saves me a lot of re-polishing.  Black Rustoleum (not the spray kind, and NOT glossy) applied with a finger and wiped from the non-engraved surfaces for steel, silver and German silver.

Black paint:


Curtis

[Gaeckle]

I use a black  sharpie marker, wipe off the excess with 0000 steel wool, works on German silver too

[Dphariss]

Whats is the "best " method to  Color "Blacken" engraving?

I mean i see engraved Brass, with the engraving Black steel also.

What do you use ? does it Last?

On brass I use something like brass black. On steel parts that are not going to hardened I use cold blue.
If you caseharden the lock parts I would not bother trying to color them.

This is Kasenit in plain water. I got kind carried away with the engraving but it shows up OK could be it has some Kasenit residue in the cuts.
Grey color is just how it came our of the water. Though I had to scrub it a little with 0000 to get the Kasenit off there.
Some of the brass is blackened then steelwooled back. The small side plate is as cut. Looks fine to me.
Not my best work but I had laid off for a spell, longer than I thought, and was retraining myself and got bored with practice.
Dan