Blacking an Anvil using Chronos Steel Blacking Solution

[Old Grizzly]

Hi I recently cleaned up my 450lb London pattern Anvil [no maker name :<( ] There was a lot of rust which I removed with wire brush to reveal a very nice anvil indeed. This left a somewhat bright finish which I would like to chemically blacken, before finishing with some sort of Wax/Oil. Main objective to get black finish that will be reasonably rust resistant in use.
Has anyone had experience of using Chronos steel blackening solution as a brushed on finish ? Chronos say article must be dipped, but I'm neither a rich enough to buy that much, nor strong enough to heft this puppy about in and out of a tank.
My other ideas were to perhaps drape rags soaked in the solution onto it, or to mix up some wallpaper paste with the solution to give a gloop I can paste on. Any other products that might do the job?
I would be most grateful for any tips or help you guys can give me.
Be good be safe and be lucky ..... OG

hopefully I've posted this in the right section?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Frost do a nice kit.
Using Gun Black gets expensive.
Try using a stove black from a decent Hardware store, it now comes in differant shades.

 

[Old Grizzly]

Frost do a nice kit.
Using Gun Black gets expensive.
Try using a stove black from a decent Hardware store, it now comes in differant shades.

Thanks for that Ardvark,
Had a look on the Frost website and the only customer review for the solution was 1 star and said 'do yourself a favour Don't buy this solution, you can buy it from Chronos for £8 a Litre [as opposed to £30/l]
I'm inclined to shy away from the Cleaner/Blackening agent/Oil finish kits, as you tend to get ripped off with crazy prices for the cleaner and oil finish, which are commonly available chemicals/oils that I already have to hand. I'm on a very tight budget, so would prefer to go for just the blackening agent.

What I really want to know is, will it work if it is just brushed, on as opposed to full immersion, though I expect It might take a few applications to get the colour dark enough. Main reason I can think of for needing immersion, would be if the blacking process has to be in the absence of air ??.

The method I use for most old tools gives great results. I make my own tannic acid solution from a lot of used Yorkshire tea bags and simmer the tool for about an hour. This converts every faintest trace of rust into the very stable chemical ferric tannate which is black in colour and tough. Any fresh surfaces of bright steel turns an 'old tool greyish' colour which can be darkened if desired, using proprietary gun blue products. I would need a large bonfire and tub to boil an anvil, and though I drink about a gallon of tea per day, I'd be a long time collecting enough tea bags.

Using a stove black is my backstop if I can't do it chemically

Cheers Dave

 

[Inspector]

If you need tannic acid look for wine tannin used to "oak" wine. They make it from grape pits/stems or Chestnut bark. Amazon has it and it is not terribly expensive and you don't have to drink a drop of tea. As for painting on the black I don't see why not unless it needs to be immersed for long periods. Then you might have to keep re-brushing the anvil to keep it wet until done.

Pete

 

[Old Grizzly]

Cheers Pete.
I did consider wine tannin, which would be handy for someone working at a smaller scale. I have a ready supply of tea bags, probably about 25 or more a day, and it seems logical to get one more use out of them between supping tea and the compost heap. I save them up till I have a carrier bag full and boil 'em up in a big stainless pot. I store the solution, and it can be used a good number of times before losing efficacy. Another thing I have a lot of, but have not yet tried, is acorns. I think they are very high in tannin too.
With drinking tea by the litre mug, I have often wondered if my stomach is chemically blackened too ;<)
I reckon painting on the Chronos stuff should work, but when I contacted the company they insisted immersion is needed. I suspect it is either to cover their backs from the quality of finish, point of view, or perhaps a policy to sell more of the fluid.
Dave

 

[Inspector]

I'm the polar opposite. I don't drink any tea or coffee for that matter so there would never be any around. The wine tannin is easy to mix as needed in warm water, use it to make oak and other wood blacker when using steel wool and vinegar. I suppose if you had a bunch of anvils or large metal to treat you could make a spray/misting chamber to keep them wet while recirculating the solution. The stove black suggested earlier is a good suggestion and is easy to retouch when needed.

Pete

 

[Valeboy]

Hi I recently cleaned up my 450lb London pattern Anvil [no maker name :<( ] There was a lot of rust which I removed with wire brush to reveal a very nice anvil indeed. This left a somewhat bright finish which I would like to chemically blacken, before finishing with some sort of Wax/Oil. Main objective to get black finish that will be reasonably rust resistant in use.
Has anyone had experience of using Chronos steel blackening solution as a brushed on finish ? Chronos say article must be dipped, but I'm neither a rich enough to buy that much, nor strong enough to heft this puppy about in and out of a tank.
My other ideas were to perhaps drape rags soaked in the solution onto it, or to mix up some wallpaper paste with the solution to give a gloop I can paste on. Any other products that might do the job?
I would be most grateful for any tips or help you guys can give me.
Be good be safe and be lucky ..... OG

hopefully I've posted this in the right section?

Stovax do a grate polish, very easy to use, gives a beautiful aged appearance.

 

[Old Grizzly]

Thanks Valeboy,
I used to have a cast Iron Range at my last house which we kept nice with Zebrite , I think it was called. I do have at least one tube, somewhere but it must be buried deep cos last time I wanted it [quite a few years ago], couldn't find it, the company had stopped making it, and it was a real struggle to find it online, ended up getting some sent from South Africa. I think someone has bought the Zebrite name, but what they make is now water based [not wax/oil] and by all accounts, is not as good, I'll have a try at the Stovax grate polish, as that seems to be wax based. I've got some powdered graphite somewhere. If I can find that I might have a go at making some with some paste wax. Dry powdered graphite - very messy !
Dave

 

[Valeboy]

Thanks Valeboy,
I used to have a cast Iron Range at my last house which we kept nice with Zebrite , I think it was called. I do have at least one tube, somewhere but it must be buried deep cos last time I wanted it [quite a few years ago], couldn't find it, the company had stopped making it, and it was a real struggle to find it online, ended up getting some sent from South Africa. I think someone has bought the Zebrite name, but what they make is now water based [not wax/oil] and by all accounts, is not as good, I'll have a try at the Stovax grate polish, as that seems to be wax based. I've got some powdered graphite somewhere. If I can find that I might have a go at making some with some paste wax. Dry powdered graphite - very messy !
Dave

The Stovax stuff is a Zebrite type paste, that gives a lovely finish that can then accept more wax and buffing. Gloves are needed, don't ask how I know...

 

[Old Grizzly]

The Stovax stuff is a Zebrite type paste, that gives a lovely finish that can then accept more wax and buffing. Gloves are needed, don't ask how I know...

Nice to meet another member of the 'black hand gang'

Unless caustic or deadly chemicals are involved or something is ridiculously hot I prefer to work glove free

Dave

 

[--Tom--]

My approach would be wipe with boiled linseed and let it age with use

 

[Old Grizzly]

Hi Tom,
I can't fault that approach.
I guess kickstarting the blacking process is probably 50 % vanity and the rest, simply that I just enjoy doing it..... instant chemical transformation.
I think I'll order some today and give it a go when my Lad comes to visit.... next. It will take both of us [and a bit of choice language] to get it moved and turned over to work on
cheers
Dave

 

[--Tom--]

Then a brush on cold bluing solution, or a can of matte black spray paint. Just need to thoroughly degrease first

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

or use a bolow torch and get the surface warm, enough to bubble spit.
brush on a mix of bee's wax, linseed oil.

Get a good even coating, it will blacken, then buff hard, repeat untill you get the finish you like..

Here is one of my Od Leg Black Smith vice, finished that way.
That has been outside for over 3 years now

 

[Old Grizzly]

Hello again Ardvark,
That is pretty much the look I like and it certainly has kept the red 'iron fungus' at bay. I'll give that a go with my new leg vice and see how it goes. It is a six inch jaw and weighs in at 120 pounds so I'll be interested to see how much gas it takes. The anvil does need a few dings welding up and I'll have to get it preheated for that, so perhaps do both in the same heat.
cheers
Dave

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Hello again Ardvark,
That is pretty much the look I like and it certainly has kept the red 'iron fungus' at bay. I'll give that a go with my new leg vice and see how it goes. It is a six inch jaw and weighs in at 120 pounds so I'll be interested to see how much gas it takes. The anvil does need a few dings welding up and I'll have to get it preheated for that, so perhaps do both in the same heat.
cheers
Dave

Gas?
I use a paraffin blow torch.

 

[Old Grizzly]

I have one of these huge blowlamps, ex army If I remember right. I know roughly where it is - buried under all sorts of 'it will come in handy one day' clutter in the back of one of the sheds, so getting to it will be quite a challenge.... the downside of going to the car boot every week for 30 years .... I'll sort it all out one day .... honest ;<)
I know these blowlamps are designed for paraffin, but do you know if they'll run on diesel ... got plenty of that ? Might need a good bit of heat assistance to get it started ??
cheers
Dave

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Do not run it on any other fuel than what it is designed for.

I know.

Those brazing torches are great. but spares are going through the roof.

 

[Noel John]

I don't have any information about your interesting project but would like to know what an Ardvaark is doing in the SW UK
Noel

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Todays Cast Iron Blackening results.

As I got it.

Paint stripping tool.

Paint removed and now to remove the deep rust.

When hot I applied my trusted bee's wax and linseed oil mix.