MadModder

Gallery, Projects and General => How do I?? => Topic started by: vtsteam on March 31, 2025, 10:17:34 PM

Title: Can you blacken stainless steel?
Post by: vtsteam on March 31, 2025, 10:17:34 PM

Well the title pretty much says it all. I was just wondering if stainless steel can be blackened. I'd like to darken the outside of the displacer cylinders on my stirling engine, if possible. They will get high heat, so obviously, paint won't last.

I have inadvertently blackened it when silver soldering with flux when that was overheated. But that wasn't a controlled application, and it was spotty. I was just wondering if there was an intentional and more uniform way blackening stainless?

Title: Re: Can you blacken stainless steel?
Post by: Joules on April 05, 2025, 05:52:54 AM

Soot

Heat it with heavy crude oil or really poor quality coal, won't get much blacker.

Title: Re: Can you blacken stainless steel?
Post by: Muzzerboy on April 05, 2025, 08:34:35 AM

There seem to be many products and videos that offer blackening of stainless steel when I google "stainless steel blackening". Did you try any?
https://www.google.com/search?q=stainless+steel+blackening&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB773GB773&oq=stainless+steel+blackening&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORiABDIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDgwMTZqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Title: Re: Can you blacken stainless steel?
Post by: vtsteam on April 07, 2025, 07:52:55 PM

Thanks Joules, Muzzerboy.  :beer:

Joules, crude oil I don't have, but maybe you mean waste oil? Muzzer, I did look at that search but most didn't seem applicable to high heat, and/or were cost prohibitive. I was hoping for an inexpensive DIY process.

I did see one fairly reasonable product, but no idea if it will withstand high heat Ni-black 40 was the name. And nope I haven't tried any products yet.