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Would like some help making steel have a rust or verdigris finish

Hi,

We create hand forged wrought iron (steel) and would like suggestions on how to make steel look like a vedigris finish and also how to do a rust finish. Once you clear coat the rust finish will it stop rusting? We had a sign that we made and clear coated it and it didn't keep it from rusting. any suggestions to these three questions?

Leah McIsaac
custom works - Gowanda, New York
2005

For verdigris finish You must copperplate first and then treat like copper.Rust finish can be lacquered ,I think You can use simplest gun browning solution(5o gms iron chloride/1 lit water solution, every layer must be scratch brushed ,when colour is good You can lacquer it).Good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2005

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I am currently doing a chemical rust project on steel. First I bottle spray with muriatic( only 6%) and water and leaving over night and this was working very slow. Then I tried ferric nitrate and the results were amazing...pretty red-orange. I was told to let items rust until it feels like a crust build-up instead of just powdery...also, when achieve desire color or staining, rinse with a mixture of water with baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] to neutralize the rusting...No matter what you do, rust is a living finish and will always continue evolving.

Good Tip: To get an idea of how the piece is going to really look when lacquered (or whatever other clear you choose...heard the best was marine varnish with UV additive and if you could get in your state, add quick dry additive, I use lacquer because it is the easiest and quickest application)you spray water over item, the wet look, that is most likely how the piece is going to turn out with the clear you apply.

Corrosion Rocks! I love the way it looks...

Alicia Moreno, La Kromadora
Escondido, San Diego No., California
2005

Pee on it repeatedly. Or you could introduce an oxidizer like lye or ammonia ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] to it, your choice. Figure out a mixture that works. Works well with steel (red), Bronze (green), aluminum (nasty black to white) and copper (green).

James Gayler
- Kansas City, Kansas
November 4, 2011