What is the best way to brown/blacken steel?
When we think of knights, we often picture them in gleaming steel armour. However, it was quite common for armour to have a black colour, which was achieved by browning or blackening the steel. We sell a number of browned armour pieces in our shop, but if you want a specific armour model that isn't available in a browned version, there are ways to create this effect yourself.
Always make sure you wear the right safety equipment!
Blackening through heat
One way to brown your armour is by heating the steel with a weed burner or gas torch while it's covered in oil. The oil will burn and give the steel a black coating.
What do you need?
-weed burner or gas torch
-linseed or olive oil
-spray bottle
-cloth
-heat-resistant gloves
How to blacken armour with heat:
Always wear heat-resistant gloves when holding the torch or armour if it's still hot!
Step 1:
Pour the oil into a spray bottle.
Step 2:
Use the torch to warm up the armour. You'll see the moisture on the steel evaporate. Make sure you've gone over the entire surface of the armour.
Step 3:
Spray the oil onto the armour and distribute it evenly with the cloth.
Step 4:
Take the torch again, but this time heat the armour from the back/inside of the piece. This way you can better see how dark the outside becomes. The steel will go through a number of different shades during the process. It will first turn golden brown and then deeper plum brown. If you keep heating it, it will take on a redder tint and eventually become even darker towards black with some reddish-brown undertones. Watch out that your leather belts don't catch fire!
The black coating can flake off if heated for too long, but this can be fixed by repeating the process afterwards on the spots where the flakes have come off.
Step 5:
Repeat step 4. Then let the armour cool down.
Step 6:
Once the armour has cooled, check if there are any spots that have flaked or are lighter than the rest. Repeat step 4 on those spots if needed.
Step 7:
Let the armour cool completely. Apply a layer of oil or anti-rustspray to protect the metal.
Chemical blackening
An easier way to blacken your armour is by using a browning solution, a chemical solution designed to blacken steel. This solution also works great for touching up browned armour if it has some surface damage.
What do you need?
-browning solution
-sponge or brush
-cleaning alcohol
-2 clean soft cloths
How to chemically blacken armour?
Step 1:
Remove grease from the armour with disinfectant alcohol and a clean, soft cloth.
Step 2:
Apply the browning solution evenly with the sponge or brush.
Step 3:
Let the browning solution sit on the armour for about 3 minutes. During this time, a whitish-yellowish layer should form on the surface.
Step 4:
Rinse off the solution with water and pat the armour dry with the other cloth.
Step 5:
Apply a layer of oil or anti-rustspray to protect the steel.
