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Information on Steel and Stainless Steel Finishes

2003

I am trying to find the:

- bath solution (chemicals),
- bath temperature,
- immersion time, and
- the end colour of the product for each of these finishes:

- Black Oxide,
- Electropolish (S.S.),
- Hard Chrome,
- Decorative Chrome,
- Electroless Nickel (S.S.),
- Zinc Phosphate, and
- Magnesium phosphate on Steel or Stainless Steel (S.S.).

So far I have been able to fill 1/4 of my table; although I am not sure whether my values are correct. I know this is too much to ask but could someone help me with this please? I have gone through more than 1000 pages of literature and haven't been able to complete the table yet. Oh and also, would the Black Oxide come off if the surface is polished?

Thank you very much. Cheers,

Damineh Akhavan
- West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Hi Damineh. You can't polish after black oxide because it's only millionths of an inch thick, but you can polish before black oxide. If you do a high polish the finish may be more "jewel blue" than black though. Save someone else having to go through the 1000 pages of literature by posting the 1/4 of the table you have, and tell people WHY you are involved with this table, and I think you'll get the rest of it filled in for you. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003