Questions about Black Oxide application.

[Roguetek]

1. Other than degreasing and insuring the parts are a clean as possible, are there any other processes for preparing a part for Black Oxide coating that will improve the results, such as a 'prep chemical?"

2. While the kit caswell sells is sold as a -cold- BO kit, is there any icnreas in performance if the solution is heated? and, if so, to -what temperature-?

3. Assuming heating the solution improves the results, will using a ceramic 'crock pot' work, or does one- have- to use the plastic bucket that came with the kit'?

[lcaswell]

1. No (unless the parts are rusted etc or a non-standard steel alloy)

2. No.

3. n/a

[Roguetek]

Well, I've tried it.

And, well... there seem to be some problems.

The end result is -really- splotchy, and in some places, not blackened at all.

my cleaning process consists of soaking in 'Ed's Red" ( kerosine, acetone, mineral spirits, and ATF at a 1:1:1:1 ratio ), followed by a blast of spray carb cleaner, and then scrubbed in hot soapy water, rinsed in hot water, quicky air dried, and then plopped into the boack oxide tank, left for 10 minutes, and then dropped into the sealer for 10 minutes. repeating the process seems to help, but it -should- work on the first pass.

What's going wrong?

P.S. can the sealer be put in plastic containers? specifically, one of your buckets?

[CarWiz]

You'll always get varying results depending on the steel alloy and the finish.

I've never heard of "Ed's Red" nor would I use the concoction on anything that was to be plated, treated or painted. It's amass with oil. If you want to use it to clean heavy grease off items, that may work but I would follow that with a pure acetone rinse. Follow that with a hot scrub and clean water rinse. You can use the same "water break test" on your item as is used in plating. If it doesn't pass that test, it's not clean and won't take a surface treatment evenly or very well. The blotching indicates poor prep or handling.

[Roguetek]

You'll always get varying results depending on the steel alloy and the finish.

I've never heard of "Ed's Red" nor would I use the concoction on anything that was to be plated, treated or painted. It's amass with oil. If you want to use it to clean heavy grease off items, that may work but I would follow that with a pure acetone rinse. Follow that with a hot scrub and clean water rinse. You can use the same "water break test" on your item as is used in plating. If it doesn't pass that test, it's not clean and won't take a surface treatment evenly or very well. The blotching indicates poor prep or handling.

I'm working with firearm parts. some of which have literally -decades- of carbon fouling, and copper and lead buildup. Heavy duty penetrators like ed's red are kind of a requirement for getting that stuff off...

What is a 'water break test'?

And when you say 'hot scrub' what do you mean by that? I've been using hot soapy water, as hot as I can handle...

[Roguetek]

On the plus side, on the parts that it -does- work on, it comes out -really nice-...

I guess I need to figure out a better cleaning protocol.

would oil possibly be trapped in the pores of the steel? would baking it in a oven to get the oil out help?