No passwords, No popups, No cost, No AI:
we earn from 'affiliate link' purchases, making the site possible

Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

  The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989

-----

How to make stainless steel rust

Q. What if I want to rust stainless steel in a hurry, what can I use on it?

Caryn Brestel
Production engineer - Mesa, Arizona
March 28, 2012

March 29, 2012

Hi Caryn.

"Stainless steel" is not a single type of metal; it's a generic name for any steel alloy that tends to resist rust. Some of these alloys are carefully designed for use in chemical plants to not rust even when immersed in very powerful corrosives, so there are no promises that you can make an unknown stainless steel alloy rust :-)

But spritzing stainless steel with muriatic acid and allowing it to dry three or four times should work, or spritzing with bleach ⇦ bleach/sodium hypochlorite in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (never mix bleach and acid), or with ferric chloride ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Even scrubbing with 00 steel wool ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] will hasten the rusting. Good luck, and be very careful with strong chemicals -- assuring good ventilation and always wearing gloves and goggles (as a minimum).

Regards,

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

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: