Blackening Aluminum

[bkundingerii]

This has been a long time coming and I think I have finally found a product worth telling others about. If you're like me, you like to keep your firearms looking brand new. The smallest scratch or blemish can drive me crazy. I have been looking for a quality product for a few years that will blacken any areas where the anodizing has worn off due to normal use. I came across a company called EPI (Electrochemical Products Inc.) so I thought I would give their product a try. Bottom line, it works, and works well. Bye Bye Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black! It's a two part process using a etching/cleaning chemical and then the black oxiding solution. This company usually sells it's products in large volume for industrial use but you can get samples (250mls bottles). The etching/cleaning chemical is E-Kleen 154, the blackening compound is Insta-Blak A-384. These are both for touch up areas and do not require total immersion. They come complete with complete instructions. Total cost to me was $10 per bottle w/ no shipping. I have used this on AR uppers & lowers as well as pistol frames. Great product and it works if you follow the instructions. Hope this help you other perfectionist who like your firearms looking perfect.

 

[sage5907]

Thanks for the note. I have been painting pre 64 Model 70 alloy bottom metal with black spray paint to get them looking good again with limited success and I am anxious to try your process. Shooter

 

[barnbwt]

Very good to know, I'll have fewer reservations carrying my Al-Sc frame TRR8 in a kydex holster in the boonies, now . I don't know for positive, but I believe the black finish on it now is some type of anodizing. I'll bet the frame alloy is close enough to simple Al for the product to work properly, too.

I'm sure the chemicals involved are nasty (all metal finish chemicals are), but are there any special precautions or pitfalls to look out for? Can the stuff be disposed of properly? Just trying to do right by my Earth-mother

TCB

 

[bkundingerii]

These products work well for touching up areas where the anodizing has been removed. You need to have exposed aluminum (that is clean of all oils and natural oxidization) for the black oxidization to work. The only thing I would say about a precaution is to limit the amount of cleaner/etching compound that you expose to intact anodizing (make sure to dilute the E-Kleen). If you follow the directions provided by EPI, you should have good results. I simply applied the cleaner/etching compound as well as oxidizing solution with a q-tip. The 250ml bottles will last for some time and I just threw the q-tips away. Hope this helps.