<p>Treating with vinegar (or other acids) tends to form a dark grey patina, depending on how it is applied it can also also show variations in shade. More viscous things like mustard and tomato sauce can be dabbled or stippled on to create a distinctly mottled effect. Acids also work well to strip off or at least dull bright zing plating and galvanising. </p>

<p>This finish needs to be dried and sealed with wax, oil, lacquer etc fairly quickly (ie within minutes) or it will start to rust. Also because it is somewhat porous it can be a good base for tinted oils and waxes. </p>

<p>Oil blacking works by polymerising and partly burning the oil. Here the temperature is quite important as the metal needs to be hot enough to blacken the oil without burning it off completely. If you watch the oxide colours as it heats up the point when it goes from deep blue to grey is usually about right. This process is pretty similar to seasoning a cast iron pan. You can either dip the piece in a container of oil or paint it on with a rag (don't use a synthetic brush, it will just melt). </p>

<p>Oil blacking is reasonably stable and doesn't require any additional sealing, although a layer of hard wax, reapplied every so often will make it a bit more durable. </p>

<p>I would recommend using linseed oil or similar rather than motor oil as motor oil (especially used) will contain all sorts of additives that you don't really want to be handling or inhaling. I've found that a mixture of linseed oil and paraffin wax works well.</p>

<p>Another option is to allow the piece to rust and then treat it with a rust converter such as <a href="http://www.fertan.co.uk/" rel="noreferrer">Fertan</a>, these are generally phosphoric and/or tannic acid based and will turn the rust a deep blue/black which can then be sealed with wax, oil etc </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-11T15:07:54.690Z
2018-01-09T02:02:03.117Z
2018-01-09T02:02:03.117Z
Chris Johns
<p>Equal parts beeswax and boiled linseed oil brush on clean, hot steel with a natural bristle brush is the standard for blacking. This creates a very durable finish for interior use. A brazed chain however suggests you've got brass and steel which will not finish evenly. Blacking with heat wont have the same effect on both metals. Your brass will shine through the finish.</p>

<p>For mixed metals especially if brass is involved I would use oil paints or if the closest approximation to traditional blacking is desired try lamp black with boiled linseed oil and brush it on cold then wipe the excess off.</p>

<p>Typically I would "blacken" a piece with an acetylene torch - covering the surface with pure carbon and the brush or wipe boiled linseed oil (which cures hard) over it. Wiping again over highlights to accentuate them by removing the carbon.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-09T04:20:23.137Z
2018-01-09T04:20:23.137Z
herb guy
<p>Depending upon how large and/long the chain is you may wish to use beeswax.  Heat the chain to maybe a few hundred degrees (e.g., place in a container in an oven) then rub the wax on it.  You can 'bake' it further to assure an even coat of wax.</p>

<p>On steel this gives a very nice black finish.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-09T21:12:49.883Z
Welcome, Matt! Do you have anything to add regarding the main question "What is the difference between oil and vinegar treatments"?
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-10T12:24:06.540Z
@Catija - No, other than that I wouldn't use vinegar as a finish on steel unless you intend for it to rust,
Matt Balent
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-09T19:58:52.560Z
2017-03-09T19:58:52.560Z
Matt Balent
<p>Think of the process as more like  &quot;conditioning or curing&quot; a cast iron pan.  The whole idea here is to add a layer of burnt carbon.  Bacon Grease aka Lard is a wonderful oil. Any vegetable oil, corn, soy, canola, olive (has a lower burn temp). What the folks said.</p>
<p>The acid etching does just that, removes the outer layer, but doesn't give your ferrous metal any protection. Rust will form almost instantly.</p>
<p>Electrolysis is another fun process that will give a &quot;dark iron&quot; type look. It requires very few parts to complete the process. It is easy and very safe.</p>
<p>Seal that with a lubricant.  Vegetable oils tend to get rancid. You just have to be conscious of that. Linseed oil is also a plant oil extraction! It can take weeks to DRY.</p>
<p>You're delving into the &quot;black arts&quot; that blacksmiths have used for thousands of years. It is a fun thing to learn.  If your item is high carbon steel or stainless, this process is more difficult.  Sainless not at all.  The electrolisis process is my preference.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-11T21:08:46.270Z
Joel, you have some good stuff here.  A couple of things would benefit from clarification.  When you say "stainless not at all", do you mean the process is not more difficult, or you can't darken stainless?  Also, your answer is the only one that mentions electrolysis.  Rather than just leave it as a research suggestion for the reader, can you add at least a few sentences to describe the gist of how it's done, and the pros and cons vs. the other methods?  Thanks.
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-12T01:32:23.163Z
The nickel in stainless steel is what gives it the "stainless properties".  It can be heat treated to achieve a particular color from tempering.  Stainless is a silver/gray non-ferrous metal. Highly resistant to caustic and acidic materials.  Colors would require advanced materials handling for Stainless Steel. It is not easily "stained" thusly its name.
Joel Huebner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-11T17:47:47.220Z
2021-05-11T17:47:47.220Z
Joel Huebner
<p>I'd like to finish a lamp I made of brazed chain, and so far my reading has uncovered blackening with oil (linseed or motor), or with apple cider vinegar. What is the difference between these two? The vinegar seems to create a thin layer of Ferric Acetate on the steel piece, but how does the oil quench actually function as far as forming the protective layer?</p>

<p>For indoor use, are there any other finishes I can do at home worth looking into?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-09T21:12:06.157Z
It looks like you're asking two different questions here - what do the ones you know of do/how do they differ - and also - are there other options. As such, the answer you do have doesn't really answer your main question. Sometimes it may be better to limit your question so that it's focused on one thing and save additional questions for other posts.
Catija
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-11T21:14:43.930Z
I think you mean Parkerizing , it gives a black corrosion resistant surface to steel . Many references on the internet.
blacksmith37
<metalworking><finishing>
Blackening steel with oil vs. vinegar - and others?
threewordphrase
# Blackening steel with oil vs. vinegar - and others?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-09)

I'd like to finish a lamp I made of brazed chain, and so far my reading has uncovered blackening with oil (linseed or motor), or with apple cider vinegar. What is the difference between these two? The vinegar seems to create a thin layer of Ferric Acetate on the steel piece, but how does the oil quench actually function as far as forming the protective layer?

For indoor use, are there any other finishes I can do at home worth looking into?

**Tags:** metalworking, finishing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It looks like you're asking two different questions here - what do the ones you know of do/how do they differ - and also - are there other options. As such, the answer you do have doesn't really answer your main question. Sometimes it may be better to limit your question so that it's focused on one thing and save additional questions for other posts.  
> **username_2**: I think you mean Parkerizing , it gives a black corrosion resistant surface to steel . Many references on the internet.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-03-11. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

Treating with vinegar (or other acids) tends to form a dark grey patina, depending on how it is applied it can also also show variations in shade. More viscous things like mustard and tomato sauce can be dabbled or stippled on to create a distinctly mottled effect. Acids also work well to strip off or at least dull bright zing plating and galvanising.

This finish needs to be dried and sealed with wax, oil, lacquer etc fairly quickly (ie within minutes) or it will start to rust. Also because it is somewhat porous it can be a good base for tinted oils and waxes.

Oil blacking works by polymerising and partly burning the oil. Here the temperature is quite important as the metal needs to be hot enough to blacken the oil without burning it off completely. If you watch the oxide colours as it heats up the point when it goes from deep blue to grey is usually about right. This process is pretty similar to seasoning a cast iron pan. You can either dip the piece in a container of oil or paint it on with a rag (don't use a synthetic brush, it will just melt).

Oil blacking is reasonably stable and doesn't require any additional sealing, although a layer of hard wax, reapplied every so often will make it a bit more durable.

I would recommend using linseed oil or similar rather than motor oil as motor oil (especially used) will contain all sorts of additives that you don't really want to be handling or inhaling. I've found that a mixture of linseed oil and paraffin wax works well.

Another option is to allow the piece to rust and then treat it with a rust converter such as [Fertan](http://www.fertan.co.uk/), these are generally phosphoric and/or tannic acid based and will turn the rust a deep blue/black which can then be sealed with wax, oil etc


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-01-09. Score: 2

Equal parts beeswax and boiled linseed oil brush on clean, hot steel with a natural bristle brush is the standard for blacking. This creates a very durable finish for interior use. A brazed chain however suggests you've got brass and steel which will not finish evenly. Blacking with heat wont have the same effect on both metals. Your brass will shine through the finish.

For mixed metals especially if brass is involved I would use oil paints or if the closest approximation to traditional blacking is desired try lamp black with boiled linseed oil and brush it on cold then wipe the excess off.

Typically I would "blacken" a piece with an acetylene torch - covering the surface with pure carbon and the brush or wipe boiled linseed oil (which cures hard) over it. Wiping again over highlights to accentuate them by removing the carbon.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-03-09. Score: 1

Depending upon how large and/long the chain is you may wish to use beeswax. Heat the chain to maybe a few hundred degrees (e.g., place in a container in an oven) then rub the wax on it. You can 'bake' it further to assure an even coat of wax.

On steel this gives a very nice black finish.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome, username_5! Do you have anything to add regarding the main question "What is the difference between oil and vinegar treatments"?  
> **username_5**: @username_1 - No, other than that I wouldn't use vinegar as a finish on steel unless you intend for it to rust,  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2021-05-11. Score: 0

Think of the process as more like "conditioning or curing" a cast iron pan. The whole idea here is to add a layer of burnt carbon. Bacon Grease aka Lard is a wonderful oil. Any vegetable oil, corn, soy, canola, olive (has a lower burn temp). What the folks said.

The acid etching does just that, removes the outer layer, but doesn't give your ferrous metal any protection. Rust will form almost instantly.

Electrolysis is another fun process that will give a "dark iron" type look. It requires very few parts to complete the process. It is easy and very safe.

Seal that with a lubricant. Vegetable oils tend to get rancid. You just have to be conscious of that. Linseed oil is also a plant oil extraction! It can take weeks to DRY.

You're delving into the "black arts" that blacksmiths have used for thousands of years. It is a fun thing to learn. If your item is high carbon steel or stainless, this process is more difficult. Sainless not at all. The electrolisis process is my preference.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: username_6, you have some good stuff here.  A couple of things would benefit from clarification.  When you say "stainless not at all", do you mean the process is not more difficult, or you can't darken stainless?  Also, your answer is the only one that mentions electrolysis.  Rather than just leave it as a research suggestion for the reader, can you add at least a few sentences to describe the gist of how it's done, and the pros and cons vs. the other methods?  Thanks.  
> **username_6**: The nickel in stainless steel is what gives it the "stainless properties".  It can be heat treated to achieve a particular color from tempering.  Stainless is a silver/gray non-ferrous metal. Highly resistant to caustic and acidic materials.  Colors would require advanced materials handling for Stainless Steel. It is not easily "stained" thusly its name.  

---

