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Greyish finish req'd on tweezers and pliers

We need the greyish finish on our tweezers -- like diamond tweezers, watch tweezers, jewellery tweezers, cosmetic tweezers all are in grade 304 and 202 we need the finish where no finger prints should appear and it should be purely greyish in colour.

Neeraj Verma
- Jalandhar, Punjab, India
2004

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I think what you're looking for is bead blasting, Neeraj.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

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Sir

I think you are correct but we are not getting the correct finish with the bead blasting that comes out as white and we require grey how we shall do this.

Neeraj Verma
- Jalandhar, Punjab, India
2005

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You can achieve a similar surface finish of abrasive blasting using a mass finishing system. If you use a dry organic abrasive mix you will achieve a satin finish that will not produce the texture or shine of abrasive blasting. If you still do not achieve the dark appearance, you can add a dying agent to the organic material and it will produce a uniform finish on all parts.

AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
2005

"mass finishing system" means, sir? I am not clear about this how it does it makes thru the wet blasting or sand blasting or some other process. about dry organic we never achieve the surface free of finger print impression as customer does not accept the same.

If you sy dyeing agent that what are that in description we have to use that in organic material(detail req'd)

Thank u, please let me know the details to make checks .

Neeraj Verma
- Jalandhar, Punjab, India
2005

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Mass finishing = tumbler, vibe, centrifugal systems. Using a dry organic media ( we have a product called 6A ), which has an inorganic element in it, you can achieve a dull satin finish similar to abrasive blasting. If you need a darker color, you can add a darkening agent like carbon black to make the mix uniform. Basically tumblers have been used for many years as a coating method, but when combined with media it creates a finer looking finish.

AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
2005

Using a dull nickel bath with a chromium plating substitute can be done without product pre-treatment. Chrome substitutes are fairly common in the US and are available in bulk/barrel operations that prove cost effective. All your requirements, dull and not subject to finger prints, can be achieved with this process. How readily available chrome substitutes processes are in India is not know.

Jim Barnes
Q.A Manager - Plating - Bristol, Connecticut, USA
2005

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Sir

As you say nickel is not there on tweezers and surgicals moreover vibratory finish is also not the very suitable part as vibratory will lead damage on serrations of tweezers and forceps in tweezers. So we desire the media like sand or wet blasting only as nothing else can not help us for the same. You please let me know the sand which I shall go for getting the wetblasting finish in greyish tone.

Neeraj Verma
- Jalandhar , Punjab, India
2005

You might want try a finer glass bead or ceramic bead. Ceramic beads will give the same appearance to glass but can beblasted at a lower pressure and they last longer. Rule of thumb is larger beads brighter finish.

Christopher Damiano
surface preparation - Los Angeles, California, USA
2005