Gold or Silver Powder?

[marionquill]

I need to make a metal fountain pen and am planning to use M3 stainless steel with iron. I need to get the finish on the pen a midnight blue. I think a patina would work or powder coat but would prefer a patina -- do you think it will work? Any thoughts on what patina chemical would create a midnight blue?

I plan to put a solid tape on the pen in a motif design so I can leave silver accents behind after the patina. Within those silver accents, I plan to dimple in a pattern and then fill that with silver or gold powder. I've never done this before and am wondering if any of you have experience with it. If so, what is the complexity and what did you use to adhere the powder to the metal - I'm thinking a lacquer would hold it but not sure what kind would work best.

If the motif design doesn't come out well, I was thinking about trying PMC-III to make the motif but how would you get it to stick to the M3 metal blank without making it look like a filigree pen?


Thanks for your time and inputs!
Jason

 

[thewishman]

Jason, it sounds like you are trying multiple firsts on this one pen, that much "newness" always leads me</u> to make frustrating mistakes. I am one for trying new things, though.

Check with the people that manufacture the M3 blanks and get their input as to patina/powder coat. Also, they may have some advice about adhering powder and attaching PMC accents.

Filling small indentations with a power/metal shavings takes some practice on its own - try it with a scrap wood blank to start. Most people use thin CA for that process.

Good luck with your project! Please let us know how it turns out.

Chris

 

[btboone]

You could try a scrap and heat it to high heat. The heat alone might create the blue you need. Acid should turn the iron black and leave stainless alone.

 

[Texatdurango]

Before going too far, are you planning on cutting threads in the blank itself? If so, please try on a scrap piece first and run the mating parts in and out several times and watch what happens. My results at threading the m3 material were not good.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Is the stainless steel the pen body itself you want blue? Difficult, but it can be done. There is a blueing process used on stainless steel firearms. Look up the Brownell's gunsmith supply http://www.brownells.com/
and get their catalog. They sell the necessary products for doing this. However, it is a big investment. But, they do list gunsmiths who provide this service. Check those out. You may be able to mail your tube to one of them to get it done. Should be a unique pen if you can overcome the other challenges you have designed in.

 

[marionquill]

Thanks for the inputs! I am not planning to thread it - I've worked up a design for a press fit that I believe will work nicely. I'll be testing my design today. This is a pen of many firsts for me but why mess around - I'm going all in []

Anybody know what these patina's would look like:
Blue Gun 1411
Blue black C-44
Patina Blue Verde # 11 -new (I think this will turn out to have a green look)
These are from http://ssschemical.com/price.html

Jason

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by marionquill

Thanks for the inputs! I am not planning to thread it - I've worked up a design for a press fit that I believe will work nicely. I'll be testing my design today. This is a pen of many firsts for me but why mess around - I'm going all in []

Anybody know what these patina's would look like:
Blue Gun 1411
Blue black C-44
Patina Blue Verde # 11 -new (I think this will turn out to have a green look)
These are from http://ssschemical.com/price.html

Jason

As I indicated, but did not state specifically, blueing will not work on stainless steel. Blueing is a form of rust. The information I suggested is a process, different than traditional blueing, that works to give a 'blued' surface to stainless steel.
As for the brands you mentioned, all commercial quick blueing products lack the durability of traditional hot blueing. And, the type of steel those are being applied to will determine the depth and color of the blue. I tried many-many products over the years. Compared to traditional hot tank blueing, none are worth a flip. The best, IMHO, almost worth a 1/2 a flip, is Brownell's Oxpho Blue. But none of them will work on stainless steel.

 

[marionquill]

Hmmm, thanks for the info, Frank! Ever tried to patina aluminum? I'll read through Brownells this evening. Though so far, it sounds like I may have to powder coat it. I just need to get the metal a midnight blue color but need something that will look classy. I wonder what kind of heat the M3 Metal can withstand without ruining or otherwise melting it. Has anybody put it in a kiln yet? I've emailed Mike at M3, perhaps I'll hear something back Monday.

Thanks again for the input.
Jason