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Blackening annealed steel wire

November 18, 2009

Hello,
My name is Larry Ianni. I am looking for a room temperature dip that I can place a 5 pound annealed steel wire coil into to turn the steel wire black. I use this metal wire for the balance arms to mobiles.
Thanks,
Larry

Larry Ianni
hobbyist - Trenton, Michigan

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First of two simultaneous responses --

Well if it was me. I'd run down to the hardware store and buy a roll of stove pipe wire. It it costs less than $10. Comes in varying thickness's and is in rolls of 20 yards or so and the best thing .... its black and soft as butter. Just a thought!

Rod Henrickson
gunsmith - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
November 20, 2009

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

Try 20 gm tannic acid ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] /15 gm phosphoric acid/ 1 lit water.Wire must be scale and grease free.Immerse in solution(10 seconds is OK).When dry immerse in beeswax ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] dissolved in turpentine ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or white spirit(50 gm wax/1 lit white spirit).Instead wax solution you can use 35-100 gm Paraloid B 44 acryl resin dissolved in toluene or acetone ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly Flammable! .Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Zagreb,Croatia
November 21, 2009

Thank you Rod Henrickson and Goran Budija for your input.

Larry Ianni
- Trenton, Michigan, USA
December 3, 2009