Aluminum Black?

[Dave V]

I purchased some of this at Bass Pro Shops to touch up a minor surface scratch inside the breach (not the chamber) of my Henry lever-action .22 and then it dawned on me:



Does anyone remember Blacken It?  It was a metal blackening agent.  I don't remember who made it, but it was a blue liquid that was highly toxic.  Which is exactly what this is.  Has anyone used this (or some similar gun blueing/blackening agent) to blacken model railroad metal parts?

[Maletrain]

There is "Aluminum Black", "Brass Black", and "Super Blue" (for steel/iron) that is also approximately black. 

Using any of these on model trains doesn't produce a finish that looks like black paint.  But, it does darken the surfaces enough that weathering over those finishes may look reasonable.

I have found that the finish of aluminum and to some degree brass is more easily rubbed off than "blued" steel finishes.  But, these finishes are definitely thinner than paint, because they are converting the existing surface, not covering it.

[Chris333]

I've used it and the JAX stuff. The parts need to be extremely clean to work evenly.

[peteski]

Yes Jax blackening solutions (thanks DKS for steering me to them) has formulas to chemically blacken most metals.  Much better than the old A-West Blacken-It.  Yes, the metal surface has to be completely clean (degreased). Any grease/oil will act as a resist to the chemical, and will prevent blackening. Same was true with Blacken-It.

Micro Engineering Rail  weathering solution is a related chemical (but leaves a rusty colored deposit). These are all acid-based solutions.

[crencs]

I used Blacken-it on my MDC metal frames back in the day. Walther's web site still list it https://www.walthers.com/blacken-it-weathering-solution-for-metal-4oz-118ml

Ship building web sites have stated that A-West went out of business. Most ship builders use JAX blackeners to blacken their brass cannons
https://jaxchemical.com/

MIG also has blackening agent for brass https://www.usagundamstore.com/products/ak-interactive-brush-photoetche-burnishing

[peteski]

Not only I remember it, I still have some.    Pictured with one of about half a dozen Jax blackening solutions I also own.