Blackening Process For Stainless Steel

Presto Black SSB room temperature Stainless Steel blackening process is an immersion or brush-on solution for most stainless steel alloys and substrates. Creating an esthetic appealing finish, Presto Black SSB can easily be used in production finishing, for manual touch-up needs, or for distressed decorative or architectural metalworking.

Presto Black SSB reacts quickly and produces a non-dimensional black finish in 1-3 minutes in most brush-on applications. When used in-house for volume immersion finishing, the process is best implemented with a series of tanks for cleaning, rinsing, blackening, final rinsing and applying a final topcoat sealant for long term protection. The immersion process takes only 12-15 minutes to complete a full batch of parts. Pre-engineered finishing lines in sizes suitable for most finishing requirements are available from Birchwood Technologies.

For manual finishing applications such as architectural finishing, antique sculpture work or scratch repair work, Presto Black® SSB is applied using a brush-on applicator technique or for larger surface areas a pump sprayer can be deployed. All workpieces must be thoroughly cleaned of oil and excess scale before blackening. Multiple applications of the chemistry may be required to achieve the desired grey/black finish. Reaction stop is also necessary and facilitated with a water rinse and forced air drying with compressed air, and then a final top coat sealant should be applied.

Applications for Presto Black SSB include machined components, tooling, fasteners, fixtures, appliances, structural and sculpture projects. Presto Black SSB non-dimensional finish is a low-cost way to enhance sales appeal. With a uniform .000030 in. (1 micron) thickness, the porous crystalline structure of the black finish makes it an excellent absorbent base for a rust preventive top coat or clear coat protectant. Once sealed, the finish resists up to 1,200 hours humidity without chipping or peeling.