Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


-----

US 10B

Dear Sirs/Madam, I have to finish some products of brass in US 10B. Can somebody tell me exactly (with the names of chemicals) how to make it? Thanks a lot

Onnig Pestemalciyan
- Istanbul Turkey
1999

---

The first thing you need to do is get a card catalogue of Building Hardware Manufacturer's Association finishes which US10B is. It's kind of odd that they can't (or won't) tell you the specifics of any particular BHMA finish. I used to do US10B for a lock manufacturer and found a process that worked pretty well. We would copper plate and dye with a very dark selenium containing dye system until the finish was a dark chocolate brown. We would then rub the dye by hand with oil to remove any residual dye. It would then finish as a dark almost black finish. It will probably take some experimentation to match the BHMA finish precisely. You might also lacquer the parts after rubbing to prevent the copper plating from tarnishing. Good luck.

Daryl Spindler, CEF
decorative nickel-chrome plating - Greenbrier, Tennessee
1999