Torching Stainless and carbon DIY - Part 1 and part 2 3-8-14 Update 3-22-23

[rbj69]

Hey how would you do a brand new evnroll 304 ss today doesn't have to get nicjs out, i just want it black or blue black? Thanks in advance

[oneaugusta]

Hey how would you do a brand new evnroll 304 ss today doesn't have to get nicjs out, i just want it black or blue black? Thanks in advance

Can torch to blue but not black. Can get black with the coated type finishes or SS oxide blackener

[rbj69]

Thanks for getting back to me, it's actually ss 303 with a finish it's the er 1.2 maybe you can check it out and lmk i just ordered the pet so it will be brand new, or sounds i go for the caswell ss blackener? I just don't want to ruin a brand new putter

Hey how would you do a brand new evnroll 304 ss today doesn't have to get nicjs out, i just want it black or blue black? Thanks in advance

Can torch to blue but not black. Can get black with the coated type finishes or SS oxide blackener

[oneaugusta]

My experience with Caswell's is that it will yield a dark gray color when applied correctly but not really a dark black. Have gotten fairly dark with multiple applications.

[cfunk11]

Thanks for getting back to me, it's actually ss 303 with a finish it's the er 1.2 maybe you can check it out and lmk i just ordered the pet so it will be brand new, or sounds i go for the caswell ss blackener? I just don't want to ruin a brand new putter

Hey how would you do a brand new evnroll 304 ss today doesn't have to get nicjs out, i just want it black or blue black? Thanks in advance

Can torch to blue but not black. Can get black with the coated type finishes or SS oxide blackener

I had a carbon Palambi I blued and it looked good. My brother has an ER 1.2 that he wants to torch or blue. I would be interested to see how your putter turns out.

[rbj69]

My experience with Caswell's is that it will yield a dark gray color when applied correctly but not really a dark black. Have gotten fairly dark with multiple applications.

So being is brand new and no scratches can I simply just clean it acetone and distilled water and then dip it until I get a darker finish?

[rbj69]

Thanks for getting back to me, it's actually ss 303 with a finish it's the er 1.2 maybe you can check it out and lmk i just ordered the pet so it will be brand new, or sounds i go for the caswell ss blackener? I just don't want to ruin a brand new putter

Hey how would you do a brand new evnroll 304 ss today doesn't have to get nicjs out, i just want it black or blue black? Thanks in advance

Can torch to blue but not black. Can get black with the coated type finishes or SS oxide blackener

I had a carbon Palambi I blued and it looked good. My brother has an ER 1.2 that he wants to torch or blue. I would be interested to see how your putter turns out.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ethehackersparadise%2Ecom%2Fforum%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D110902&share_tid=110902&share_fid=1297&share_type=t

 

I started this thread maybe your brother will like what I'm doing, maybe a very cool alternative than torching or the other finishes

[benno_r]

Firing this one back up - I was wondering if there is any particular grade of stainless that torches better? I know most putters are 303 or 304 stainless, and they seem to torch "decently".

 

i have another little project I want to start (not a putter), and getting a great torch on it would be great.

[jokerusn]

Anyone use an oven to get the color you want? I saw a chart that the bright blues come at around 550°F and a standard kitchen oven can hit that.

[oneaugusta]

Firing this one back up - I was wondering if there is any particular grade of stainless that torches better? I know most putters are 303 or 304 stainless, and they seem to torch "decently".

 

i have another little project I want to start (not a putter), and getting a great torch on it would be great.

Really can't say there's any difference between the two as long as it's good quality SS. The newer Camerons After 2012 just don't seem to have the vibrant HD colors the older ones can get " will forego giving my opinion on where the SS comes from" many say all 303 SS is exactly the same, I say BS!

[oneaugusta]

Anyone use an oven to get the color you want? I saw a chart that the bright blues come at around 550°F and a standard kitchen oven can hit that.

A hot oven can get you to gold but fades after about 2 months, no substitute for a good process and elbow grease.

[bradski]

Anyone use an oven to get the color you want? I saw a chart that the bright blues come at around 550°F and a standard kitchen oven can hit that.

A hot oven can get you to gold but fades after about 2 months, no substitute for a good process and elbow grease.

 

Mapp gas with the turbo head is really what is needed to torch stainless. It gets to thousands of degree's and can still take 10+ minutes. Oven would never work.

[oneaugusta]

I don't use nor do I recommend Mapp gas for several reasons.

 

Mapp gas is very hard to control the colors and most will go to far and not get the color they want.  IMO it heats to fast...

Mapp gas will not give the even coloring like slow even heat from propane

Mapp gas works okay on SS but not well on carbon as you will not get the vibrant blues as you will with propane, you will get only the dark blue with not red or gold hues.

 

As far as time goes, with really good prep you can torch carbon putters to nice blue in 10 to 15 minutes.  SS is 15 to 20.  If I've spent countless hours of sanding and polishing and extra 5 or 10 minutes is no issue. 

 

I use the Benzomatic TS400 nozzle head for torching.

[Phabs]

This needs to be pinned 

[twholbrook]

Looks fantastic @oneaugusta! I've been fiddling with a Newport Select and having lots of trouble torching it with MAPP gas. I've done it successfully on an old Vokey wedge (carbon steel) but stainless is giving me all kinds of trouble. I don't think I'm able to get it hot enough, as it seems to be stalling around the brown level with some hints of purple and blue...but I stood there for 20 minutes and couldn't get it to turn. I think its partially due to working in a drafty shop but stainless definitely seems to need a lot more heat. Any suggestions for stainless to get it hotter? I preheated with a heat gun at 550 for 10 minutes beforehand too. 

[oneaugusta]

On 11/26/2021 at 5:12 PM, twholbrook said:

Looks fantastic @oneaugusta! I've been fiddling with a Newport Select and having lots of trouble torching it with MAPP gas. I've done it successfully on an old Vokey wedge (carbon steel) but stainless is giving me all kinds of trouble. I don't think I'm able to get it hot enough, as it seems to be stalling around the brown level with some hints of purple and blue...but I stood there for 20 minutes and couldn't get it to turn. I think its partially due to working in a drafty shop but stainless definitely seems to need a lot more heat. Any suggestions for stainless to get it hotter? I preheated with a heat gun at 550 for 10 minutes beforehand too. 

On first guess I would say your prep was not good enough, must be smooth and very polished.  When I say polished I'm really not necessarily talking about looking like a mirror, but rather removal of oxidation which is the black stuff when you polish with flitz or semikrome metal polish.  If I'm looking for satin finish I still polish the tar out of it after getting smooth, but after polish I may go back and dull with the red scotchbrite pad before torching.  Like you said conditions also may have a factor, I prefer at least 70 degrees with little humidity

Edited November 30, 2021 by oneaugusta

[VNutz]

On 11/25/2021 at 1:29 PM, Phabs said:

This needs to be pinned 

It needs all the old attached images back. There were some good examples here at one point, now one pic in the entire thread.

[5hort5tuff]

I had by putter Torched by none other than Larry. I've had a couple done actually.  Here is my Mannkrafted he did. 

 

On a side note Larry, I have a TP Mills Hopefully in the works that I loosely based off of that beauty Pencil neck right there. 

 

Best in the business. 

[VNutz]

Random question with torching stainless, if you don't like the end result, how easy it is to go back to the base grey stainless look? I've got a putter I'm debating doing the honey dipped finish to (but I also love that blue finish @5hort5tuff), but am wondering if it's a simple as a carbon and coking it back to that dull grey look. Would a naval jelly get it back to normal, or would there be a difference?

[5hort5tuff]

It's very easy to remove in my experience 

[sm_watts]

Haha, didn't know this thread existed, but thanks for the guidance last month, I will definitely keep this in my favorites.

[oneaugusta]

Thought it would be fun to share the process with pictures included. 
This is my gamer I had David build for me about 4 years ago. I have quite a few Mills putters but this is my favorite. It still looks pretty good but the finish is starting to wear. 
1st steps: sand with 320 to remove old finish (naval jelly or coke does work on ss to remove finish). “Popsicle stick to get in crevice's”. Clean with water and bar keepers friend to start pulling out oxidation. Will continue sanding until very smooth and polished, 800, 1200, 2000 and cleaning in between sanding. 
The process I use will give you a torched finish not a torch job. A torched finish actually goes into the steel several microns not just a surface staining of the metal and will last for several years not 6 months. 

[Hack Daddy]

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[oneaugusta]

Here's the progress and next steps:

• Putter has been sanded smooth and cleaned
• polished 3 times with simichrome to remove oxidation
• Buffed with green jewelers rouge and cleaned
• This would be the point you would do a brushed finished if you didn't want a bright shine finish.

"Using a red fine scotchbrite pad" rub back and forth "rapidly" under running water until you get the desired sheen.

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by oneaugusta
Pictures

[oneaugusta]

Ready for final cleaning before torch finish:

 

Clean 3 times with high grade alcohol. Use q-tip to get in crevices. Patches are lint free  “found in nail polish remover area at drug store”

After cleaning do not touch with your hands as it will leave finger prints in finish. Handle with clean soft rag or paper towel. 
Aquire or make a device to hold and suspend putter for torching. 

 

 

 

[oneaugusta]

Torching process:

 

First step is to pre-heat or defog the putter with a heat gun. I learned about this from Lamont and it has been part of my process for a few years now. 
When torching a putter visualize painting with fire. Go slow and evenly with flame about 1 to 2 inches from putter.  When you get a dark bronze that’s when you are getting close to changing colors. 

My goal on this putter was to replicate the original finish that David Mills had done.  Got it to the dark bronze stage and then adjusted time in each area to get the various colors.  Torch time 21 minutes for this SS, if carbon steel cut time in half. 

Edited December 20, 2021 by oneaugusta

[okiekev]

Wow, that turned out really nice! Well done!

[farundrpar]

On 12/17/2021 at 9:26 AM, oneaugusta said:

Torching process:

 

First step is to pre-heat or defog the putter with a heat gun. I learned about this from Lamont and it has been part of my process for a few years now. 
When torching a putter visualize painting with fire. Go slow and evenly with flame about 1 to 2 inches from putter.  When you get a dark bronze that’s when you are getting close to changing colors. 

My goal on this putter was to replicate the original finish that David Mills had done.  Got it to the dark bronze stage and then adjusted time in each area to get the various colors.  Torch time 21 minutes for this SS, if carbon steel cut time in half. 

This looks amazing, beautiful work. Probably a silly question, but did you perform the same process on the face? Assume its a milled face - wondering if the prep work is any different on the milling? 

[oneaugusta]

1 hour ago, farundrpar said:

This looks amazing, beautiful work. Probably a silly question, but did you perform the same process on the face? Assume its a milled face - wondering if the prep work is any different on the milling? 

Good question I should have talked about. Rarely if ever do I sand the face. I just polish 3 to 4 times with no sanding, always want to preserve the original milling. 

[farundrpar]

58 minutes ago, oneaugusta said:

Good question I should have talked about. Rarely if ever do I sand the face. I just polish 3 to 4 times with no sanding, always want to preserve the original milling. 

ok, great - that is what i was thinking. Assume though that the torching process on the face is the same as the rest of the head?