Using Blacken-It to weather FVM metal wheel sets

[Chris333]

Chris, say WHAT? I maybe a little slow, but I am missing something here.....how do the threads stay clean again? Presumably the flanges get the treatment and the threads don't?
I too wanna learn from the great
Otto K,

Just spray parallel to the wheel faces. You might get a very fine mist on the treads, but that will wear off fast and the treads stay shiney.

Before this I would paint wheels by hand 

[DKS]

I think it may be due to the added weight of the metal wheelset, compared to delrin.

Weight difference between four plastic and four metal wheelsets is ~0.04 oz. Not sure if this would have much impact when a properly-weighted 50' car is around 1.25 oz. Maybe in a 100-car train, but I can't see it adding enough to cause a significant increase in drag for typical trains. Anyway, I should think that anyone planning to use metal wheelsets and who is concerned about extra drag on longer trains would automatically reduce the car weight to compensate.