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Stopping rust without clearcoat

I make home decor items from horseshoes. Coat hooks, horseshoe lamps, gun racks, etc. I rust the horseshoe and them clear coat it to stop the rust process and keep the rust from wiping off on coats, hands, etc. Am looking for a product that allow the product to rust or look rusted without the clear coat process. What I am using now requires two coats and is very time consuming.

Sandra Willis
horseshoe art - Webster, Florida, USA
2004

Hello,

If you look under the artists and hobbyist's forum heading, you will see a link called "patinas". You can apply ferric nitrate (if memory serves) to the steel, it will create rust on the surface. From what I have heard, the part should still be clearcoated to keep the rust off of people.

The only other way I can think of to achieve that rust finish is a rust-looking paint, but you are still going to invest your time into spraying the horse shoe.

Jake Koch
G. J. Nikolas &Co.,Inc.

Bellwood, Illinois

2004