Blackening Steel With Motor Oil - Dean's How-To

Have you ever wondered how you could get a beautiful black finish on steel? This is how! The carbon in the used motor oil acts as a finish that permeates the surface of the steel.

[MrWoofie]

This is exactly how I watched my dad & grandpa do it on the farm when I was a kid in the 60s & then how I was shown in a metal shop at school in the 70s. I remember my teacher showing surprise that I already knew what I was doing.

[latorrefazionemusic]

I had a few metal screws that needed to fit a black guitar pickguard, and i tried your method. I don't have a torch, so i heated them on the kitchen fire, and it worked perfectly. Thank you for your explaination!

[gangleweed]

Been doing this method since the mid 70's and I can guarantee the finish is long trick is to not overheat the repeated dipping coatings or the oil finish will burn 300deg C is finish is almost like hard baked enamel that resists rusting.
It works well with new oil too as the oil "cooks" and turns black like your cooking pots do when they get aged and have a baked on black finish that is almost impossible to scrub off.

[jidissafi]

Thanks for the video! Looking forward to trying this on the next thing I need done. I used the other "surface rust" technique to blacken some thumb screws for my mill a while back and it didn't work worth a crap. They looked good at first, but the black soon started to flake off into a messy powder. Hopefully this will hold up better.

[tedlarson]

I’m friends with a black oxide shop owner. I take anything I want over there and do it myself after he closes up before everything cools down. This technique is great to know

[joelcecil]

Nice video. I’ve done this to antiq-ify some new steel hardware for an old piece of furniture. Only I heated the part in a small vice and poured oil over it to cool it. Turned completely black.

[TheSuburban]

Don't do this until after you are finished cutting your part. This process can case harden some carbon steel alloys.

[marcomartinez]

Dear Dean: Thank you very much for your technical advice, it serves me in great way. I also want to correspond

[jrdeckard]

1:40 Take care not to scratch it. So he picks it up with a pair of Channel locks and scratches it.

[chadrudolph]

Does it scratch off easy? Does it work on stainless steel?

[kalebhowatt]

Haven't done it yet but he'll this is alot easier then I'd thought it be

[simondoutre]

I tried this on my white iphone, wanted it 2 be black...



Worked perfectly

[harnesswinergy]

Thanks sir, was eagerly searching net to find the best and cheap way to blacken steel. Thanks once again. And yes i have subscribed and liked as well

[will]

It’s basically just “ bluing” with funky used oil so it turns deeper black instead—IMHO-use fresh oil fora really nice finish

[lucioweht]

This has to be before or after termicall treatment ? I want to do a knife but i dont Know in what moment i supose to do this

[Swenthorian]

Won't that affect the temper though?

[Pointlesshandle]

I have some old cheap channel lock pliers I’m going to try this on.

[TheOneAndOnlySame]

Put objects in oven max temp, once they're at temp they'll look straw color, quickly take one out with pliers and heat it up with torch to blue ands then quench in oil . Repeat for each objects. Especially most useful when you do several objects at the same time, and doing more complex objects (-with thin, and thick parts) that could heat up too unevenly by using a blowtorch from the start . That way you won't use up your torches and it's much faster when you do several items in a batch.

[nilsjohnsen]

Nice vid man 👍
Does it work with stainless steel also?

[ToyoteroMundial]

Do you think it will work with a knife clip? Or will it rub out into the jeans waist band and shirt?