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Color and patina for steel staircase

January 24, 2008

Hello,

I am installing newly fabricated steel parts in a commercial building remodel for our violin making workshop. Do you know of a product that can color or darken new shiny steel in order to make it appear darker or give it a older patina. Perhaps a bluing or gray liquid dye?

Thanks,

Jay Ifshin
violin maker - El Cerrito, California

Try kitchen salt solution(rusty finish,5% must work,you can add few drops of muriatic acid [affil links] -- spray it or paint it on.If you want dark finish try 20 gm tannic acid [on eBay or Amazon]/15ml phosphoric acid/ 1 lit water solution(dark grey-black). There are many proprietary solutions too. Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
February 26, 2008

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