How to Refinish Rusty Fasteners with a Black Oxide Coating

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

GOOD tutorial. Definitely a worthwhile process if completing a conservative restoration of vintage or antique parts that are no longer available.

[@pkuudsk9927]

Nice video complete start to finish. I have been looking to re finish bolt's clamps brackets, from Japanese bike in that olive black any idea how?

[@RemiLeBon99]

Excellent video, explanation and directions Crystal clear. THANKS !

[@4DIYers]

Thank you so much!

[@foggymtnbreakdown]

I always enjoy your videos. After the coating is made, I heat the item with a heat gun. I don't get it red hot. Then I swish it around in a container of that really black, "moly" brake grease. I take it out after a day and wipe off the excess grease with a paper towel. Nothing is blacker than that brake grease, and it stays on the fastener longer than oil, WD-40, etc. "Moly" is short for molybdenum disulfide which is inherently black and inherently insoluble in water. It won't wash off. It doesn't get oxidized by the air either.

[@MJ-dh3hf]

Thanks for the vid, I didn't know there is something like a black oxide coating which was really interesting to see + I'm into trying it out ! Recently I've been playing with electrolisys and zinc coating which gave very satisfying results

[@4DIYers]

Thank you! I have yet to try electrolysis. Vinegar usually does pretty well for my needs, once the garage is built I'd like to get a sandblasting cabinet so that should cover all my rust removal needs. Wouldn't mind trying plating too.

[@4DIYers]

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[@benneves6649]

Instead of using the more toxic chemicals you can use a hydrogen peroxide and salt process to get a really black finish. Tumble the parts in crushed walnut shells which won't damage the threads which is good for restoration work. Stops carcinogens getting into local waterways and you get really dark black parts. Plus you can do it on your kitchen table, totally non toxic.

[@jonathangaliano2617]

Hey any chance you can explain this a little more or maybe link any good videos about it? I am always doing some kind of project and cleaning rusted nuts/bolts and often times searching around trying to find a specific bolt in black locally which I never can. Just today I went to Lowes, HD, and Ace looking for something and ended up with stainless. Would love to have a way to coat hardware black whenever I need to without spending a fortune on tons of chemicals.

[@shadrach5681]

​@jonathangaliano2617 one really good way is to to use a brass tumbler. As this poster stated. Using walnut shells. Then heat the bolt with a torch till its red and dip it in motor oil. This will make it black and resistant to corrosion. It will affect the hardness of the metal though. If it's not a critical bolt, like motorcycle axel, or automotive lug studs, then it's fine. For example, I'm doing this with all of my bolts for the covers on my motorcycle engine.

[@robertblack5524]

Yay! Always looking for “patina” methods. We currently use oxidizes for silver, etc. and are able to plate electrically with a “black rhodium” solution. However, much costume jewelry we get for repair obviously was darkened with something else. Good to know, and your video was straightforward and expert. Thanks!

[@4DIYers]

Thank you, I appreciate the feedback! I want to eventually get into plating too. Always running into fasteners and little parts that need to be redone.

[@jasonpaine9546]

wire wheel on a drill press! Mind Blown!

[@4DIYers]

Not necessarily good for the drill press as the force is going in a direction it was not designed for.

[@MikeBabsBC]

Great video thank you! I have some black oxide hardware that I'd like to fasten with lock-tite, can I just use the Fasteners as is or do I have to put them in a solvent first? And if so would should I consider using?

[@4DIYers]

Thank you! The oil would need to be cleaned on the threads. Brake cleaner would be fine for that.

[@MikeBabsBC]

@@4DIYers thank you!

[@4DIYers]

You’re welcome!

[@halseyknox]

How durable is the media blasted finish such as for lug nuts

[@4DIYers]

Similar to the other finishes. For lug nuts being exposed to the elements, unfortunately it wouldn't hold up.

[@jj-vy9ek]

اخي عمت مساءا مااسم المادة الزرقاء المستخدمة في الصباغة

[@hustletradinginvesting8453]

Would this process work good for my hitch on my sedan. Its always rusting since I live in the Midwest with rain and snow.. Im trying to find something that protects the hitch and pin.. I just went through hell and had to make a hole thru pin cuz it wouldn't come out since it was heavily rusted? Any suggestions plz. Thanks.

[@4DIYers]

Best off using an implement paint, some are rust inhibiting and that would be the type I recommend. Make sure you strip down the rust, try to get clean bare metal. Once painted and cured, then oil spray the hitch.

[@High5enWhiteguy]

The power fister created a good end result but that scotchbrite pad end result was my favourite. Thanks for sharing. I haven’t looked but you got a link to the solution to turn it black in Snow Mexico?

[@4DIYers]

Happy to help! This stuff came from Caswell, I'm also from snow Mexico lol.

[@dmitry7908]

Have you looked at these fasteners after they had been treated and put back to work in the field for a year? Any rust?

[@4DIYers]

If they're exposed to the outdoors, unfortunately they don't hold up. Same as a factory produced black oxide coating, it's not intended to be weather resistant. Indoor applications with minimal moisture have been fine. I redid a bunch of tools with this method.

[@dmitry7908]

@@4DIYers Thank you for the response. Another method I've seen is oil quenching, which looks quote easy. I have noticed that many of the bolt heads in my Toyota SUV are getting rusty, both in the engine bay as well as other semi-exposed areas. Stainless steel replacements would do, but are probably expensive.

[@4DIYers]

No problem. Oil quenching is great, but you need to be careful the extreme heat doesn't affect the structure of a fastener. I know what you mean about engine bay bolts going rusty. I wouldn't recommend stainless steel, if in aluminum it'll seize quite badly.

[@dmitry7908]

@@4DIYers Thank you. I didn't consider the steel threads seizing in aluminium.

[@giuliobuccini208]

​@@dmitry7908galvanic corrosion between aluminum and stainless steel Galvani discovered this phenomenon between various metals. It generates a little voltage, around 0,5 Volt IIRC.

[@marnyoldelk8839]

Thank

[@4DIYers]

You’re welcome!

[@xJackHunter]

great video

[@4DIYers]

Thank you!

[@daveh8405]

This is a cold process. The process use on most commercially used parts or gun parts a hot method is used with different chemicals. I had a business in the early 90’s do the hot method. Lots of gun, sewing machine, and poultry equipment parts are blackened. The hot method will change aluminum into hydrogen almost instantly.

[@4DIYers]

Yes it is. I've done the hot process on a couple parts in the past. I do prefer the hot over the cold method, but it's a bit more work.

[@mikeew3029]

will they rust over time?

[@muffemod]

Yes

[@ineedacatchyname3778]

Think this could be used on an entire knife blade?

[@4DIYers]

Yes you can, not sure how the finish will hold up though.

[@claudiunick]

It doesn't go well on a knife blade. In a few days, the deposited layer is cleaned, it acquires an ugly gray color and the knife rusts in places if you leave it in the sink, for example. I did not try to treat it with hydrogen peroxide and salt, all boiled. But there is also the problem of the handles that have to be taken down.

[@ilimikadventures5258]

What chemical are you using?