Author Topic: Candle soot vs. Inletting black (Read 19761 times)

LehighBrad · « **on:** April 02, 2011, 01:46:49 AM »

Hello again fellas...Got another question for ya's. I'm half way in with my lock plate inlet and I have no inletting black handy. I know that soot from a candle can be used. As stupid as this may sound here goes........how do I get the candle to produce enough soot to create a film on my lock plate???!! Am I doing something wrong here or do I happen to have some sort of "sootless" candle??!! When I burn the candle I have....I see no visable soot/smoke coming off of it. Works great though for heating up the lock plate!! No laughin' please.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #1 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:00:30 AM »

Hi ya LB, welcome to ALR. I think a lot of modern candles are "soot-less". I use kerosene in a repro oil lamp, smokes like crazy when turned up. Magic marker also works.

-Ron

Blacksmoke · « **Reply #2 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:04:33 AM »

Brad: Welcome to the ALR! I started out to do my inletting 35yrs. ago with a candle - then I soon ran out of candles and switched to a small bunsin burner in which I burned lamp oil. The trick is to hold the part closer to the flame - almost like you are going to snuff it out. The soot will happen very quick! believe me!

Hugh Toenjes

LehighBrad · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:12:55 AM »

Once again Thanks guys! I do have a repo oil lamp!! Never even gave that a thought!! Bet my tiki torches out around my deck would work too!!

They put out black smoke like a Peterbuilt pulling up a grade!! Now, any of you guys can tell me how to sneak this decorator candle back into the hallway sconce without my wife seeing me???

bgf · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:14:00 AM »

I've been using some birthday candles that were lying around -- seems to be OK; magic marker works well too. I tried some finger paint, but it got a little messy, which is why I don't like inletting black too much either. I think Ron's idea of a kerosene lamp is the best -- hard to match the smoke coming off of a hurricane lamp if the wick is just a little out of adjustment. Hugh is right about hold the part close -- you want the incomplete products of combustion, I think; try that with your candles.

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:40:54 AM »

C'mon guys Lipstick/lipstick some gals use some that's near black/purple. At least the one down on the corner does (I believe)..

Why nutz with an open flame, wouldn't be the first gun work shop that went up in smoke!!

huckfinn · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:43:00 AM »

I have used kerosene and an old fashioned style lantern with the globe removed. The smoke was great but it irritated my nose and throat. I switched to using the oil you can buy at wally world or wherever. It worked good and didn't give off the irritating fumes. There are a couple of different kinds you can try. A 1 quart bottle lasts for at least one build.

Berks Liberty · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2011, 03:06:31 AM »

I like using beeswax candles or the wife's lipstick. I like the soot from the candle because I like to be able to clean it off the wood easier. I've also used a real thin coat of petroleum jelly and then held it over the candle to get a good transfer when doing my lock and butt plate.

Jason

coutios · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2011, 03:18:55 AM »

You can use anything such as markers,spoting blue,lipstick petroleum jelly with graphite...they will all work fine.. I like to use lampoil soot on the larger areas such as a barrel or lock assembly. If your going to use soot remember to wipe it off now and then as it will build a slight thickness and be the cause of over cutting... Well thats my .02 cents

regards
Dave

longcruise · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2011, 03:23:18 AM »

If using candles, drop a few drops of oil into the cavity of the burning candle just before you use it. I did that until I purchased a small container of inletting black.

Would rather the wife comes home to find me covered in inlet black than lipstick!!!

wattlebuster · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2011, 04:13:16 AM »

Old fashion oil lamp that is older than I am. Im gray around the muzzle

Jerry V Lape · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2011, 04:46:54 AM »

I have used inletting black and magic markers. Recently changed to using the dry erase markers teachers use on white boards in their classrooms. It is real easy to cleanup and gives multiple colors so at times I color code what I am fitting in order to separate it from earlier work.

David R. Pennington · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2011, 04:54:47 AM »

I buy the real cheap candles and they seem to soot more than the good ones but don't burn as long. I'm always on the lookout for candles at the flea markets and yard sales too.

James · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2011, 06:14:15 AM »

I didn't fare too well using lipstick. Got a container of inletting black and when applied with a Q-tip it works great.

Paddlefoot · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2011, 07:00:37 AM »

If any of you are service rifle shooters or old style hardball pistol shooters ,the carbide sight smokers work great. I like the one from Ray-Vin the best. Of course you could use an old carbide miners lamp too.

LehighBrad · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:50:53 PM »

Well guys.....I used a small table top tiki torch metal canister that has a smaller sized wick in it. We have two of'em.....I figure the wife won't miss one this summer when we're sittin' around the coffee table out on the deck! That little bugger worked great!! Blackened my lock plate in seconds and with the citranella smell I don't have to worry about being attacked by any skeeters while I work in the basement!!

Thanks guys for helping this rookie along!

eagle24 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 02, 2011, 04:18:27 PM »

Lipstick. Go to Walgreens and get some cheap stuff. I borrowed some from the wife.......who would have thought that out of 20 tubes of lipstick, she would know one was missing? and I sure wouldn't have dreamed there was such a thing as $15 lipstick? Oh well, education is expensive these days. It's been over a year now and I haven't heard anything about it for at least a month. I think she is over it.

Blacksmoke · « **Reply #17 on:** April 02, 2011, 06:50:03 PM »

Greg: Don't count on it!??

Anyway I would shy away from using lipstick as it has a tendency to migrate farther into the wood than just the surface. I've had the best success with just plain lamp black or candle black.

Hugh Toenjes

rick landes · « **Reply #18 on:** April 02, 2011, 07:18:09 PM »

I use my old hurricane lamp. I use the jewelers black on metal to metal like frizzen to pan mating. I get that jewelers stuff all over...I think it is melted tar baby myself...

38_Cal · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2011, 08:27:47 PM »

Funny thing about lipstick as inletting color transfer...I picked up a percussion Schuetzen rifle made probably in the 1930's or '40's that the maker had used lipstick to inlet the buttplate. Still a faint odor when I got the rifle in the early '80's and pulled the plate off to see how it was done. Whoever built it was a much better metal worker than stockmaker! Interesting rifle...the barrel was originally a Winchester HiWall #3 round contour in 32-40. Commercial percussion hammer, HiWall flat mainspring, everything else but the front sight was hand made. Brass "receiver", breechplug is a taper pin going in right to left, that also serves as a drum and to hold the barrel to the receiver via a large nut on the left side. Nipple thread in the drum is 1/4-40...had to make a new nipple, that was fun.

David

fastfrankie · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2011, 09:29:29 PM »

I make my own inletting black by mixing cold cream(you know,the stuff your wife uses to take her make up off with) and some powdered lamp black. I don't remember where I got the lamp black, it was many more years ago than I care to remember.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #21 on:** April 02, 2011, 09:45:23 PM »

I use Brownelll's inletting black. I keep a soft toothbrush with the black on it, and brush the parts with it. There is so little black on the brush that it doesn't look like there is anything on the parts. But there is enough to transfer to the maple(which is white). For walnut or other dark woods, I use more black, which is a mess. On dark wood, I suppose I could use something white?

longcruise · « **Reply #22 on:** April 02, 2011, 09:56:45 PM »

When a teen I worked for a guy who built modern rifles. His primary employment was mechanic on OTR reefer units. When he got low on black he'd scoop some black soot from the exaust pipes of the tractor.

Gaeckle · « **Reply #23 on:** April 03, 2011, 01:27:21 AM »

I use inletting black and quickly came to realize that I needed only a smidge of it on the end of a soldering brush.

One small bottle of that stuff should last a guy a lifetime.

I did try to use lipstick, but couldn't get the hang of it. When I asked my wife for some help in applying the lipstick she gave me a funny look, rolled her eyes and made a comment about wearing high heels next.....gave up on the lipstick!

The measure of a smidge, by the way, is a thousand times smaller than a smudge........

draken · « **Reply #24 on:** April 03, 2011, 05:10:33 AM »

I've not built but a few, and up to now always used candle soot for inletting. It helps to have a long wick, as the longer the wick the sootier it is. Long story short, I just bought a container of inletting black. Messy stuff! Aparently got it on my fingers and now it's all over the stock. Aside from sandpaper, what can I use to remove it?

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Author Topic: Candle soot vs. Inletting black (Read 19761 times)

LehighBrad

LehighBrad

huckfinn

Berks Liberty

coutios

LehighBrad

eagle24

38_Cal

fastfrankie