Coloring

[Curti]

The washers under the head bolts of 34-36 Auburn were parkerized black from the factory. I have looked high and low for the correct size and can only find them in 306 stainless. 

Is there any way to discolor the stainless to a dark grey or black?  

[JACK M]

I have a friend in the antique Harley business. He parkerizes, if you want I can put you in touch with him.

[Curti]

 I parkerize zinc and black manganese too, but s/s is impervious to it. Thanks for the thought Jack!  

[Rusty_OToole]

I suppose you have considered paint but it is too plebian for your Auburn?

 

If it was mine I would polish the stainless steel washers and put chrome acorn nut covers on the bolt heads.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Curti]

I strive for an authentic restoration.  Just the way the car sat on the showroom floor after dealer prep. No better no worse.

Everyone's hobby is different.

[Bhigdog]

The washers under the head bolts of 34-36 Auburn were parkerized black from the factory. I have looked high and low for the correct size and can only find them in 306 stainless. 

Is there any way to discolor the stainless to a dark grey or black?  

 

I'm guessing a few minutes work on a small lathe could rework nearly the right size steel washers into right size washers ready for Parkerizing...........Bob

[Curti]

There are 27 per set. I supply them to other Auburn owners.

[Bhigdog]

What are the dimensions?.................Bob

[MochetVelo]

Caswell sells a stainless steel blackening kit. 

 

 

Phil

[Curti]

Caswell sells a stainless steel blackening kit. 

 

 

Phil

This is the kind of solution I was looking for.  I bought some. I'll let you know how it works.

[MochetVelo]

I find it works on some alloys and not others. The regular "steel" blackening solution I get from Eastwood works on most zinc-plated hardware, by the way. Caswell is fairly helpful, so contact them if you need advice.

 

Phil

[Friartuck]

Powder coating perhaps??

[Beltfed]

Be aware, you will need to roughten the surface for the product to stick. We use a bead blaster with 80 or 100 grit aluminum oxide. The product you may be getting is call 'black oxide'. Be careful if you de decide to use it as it will eat on your skin. A product we use on SST parts like the gas cylinder on M1 Garands is called 'GunKoat'. It is very hard paint which gets baked on. We spray it on military sniper rifles using an air brush. Flat black would be your color choice.

[carbking]

Assuming (I don't know) these are round washers and that you can find a standard steel washer of the correct thickness and inner diameter, and larger outer diameter:

 

Make a fixture for your lathe with a boss to chuck, a "round area" about 0.003 less than the I.D. as long as needed, and a threaded end.

 

Put how ever many washers on the fixture, tighten a nut on the end, and make a pass with the cutting tool to redo the outer diameter.

 

Now you are ready to finish the washers.

 

Jon.

[Curti]

The Caswell product came. The instructions are straight forward. The product is light blue but darkens 306 stainless to a nice grey black.  

If the surface gets scratched it won't rust.  Life is good.

[Guest Old School Plating]

We offer black oxide on stainless steel using the old school mixtures. Stainless steel is not easy to blacken even with the correct chemisty because of the wide range of stainless alloys. we've been processing black oxide on stainless for over 45 years and in some cases we will adjust the oxide mixture to accomade the alloy composition.

[LI_BENTLEY]

^{If you are going to  "strive for an authentic restoration" you would make and use the steel washers and blacken them, but then we all cheat a little. and it is ok.}