any WIP or tutorials on coloring damascus?

Ironwolf

The Knife Poet
I had a look,but didn't see any...
Is there an inexpensive way to get a reasonably durable color finish on damascus (for damascus jewelry)?
I have very limited means and space for doing it,in terms of equipment and supplies,
so the easier,the better...
Thank you!
Wolf.
 
Yes.
You just give it some heat. It isn't real durable but thats how it's done. I do mine on a stainless spatula on an electric stove elemnt. There are three basic colours you will get. They are gold, purple, and blue, with some in between stuff poping up. Two much heat and it will go to a silver. There is a bit of a learning curve to "catching" the colours as they come.You can just buff it off and start again. Pieces shound be finished down to say 600. Different steels can show different colours so two in the same piece just might give you two colours . Frank
 
Thank you Frank,
I figured that might be one way to do it, as I've heat-colored copper bolsters before, and thought the same thing might work with damascus...
(but,it turns out, like the copper,the colour isn't durable at all!)
I saw what Ed Caffrey had to say on it, and would really like to learn how to do a relatively easy and more durable colouring...
(RE:
"Heat coloring is the most fragile of the coloring methods. It will not stand up to ANY abuse or rough handling. Heat coloring is nothing more than a super thin oxide layer, similar to that you would see when you temper a blade. In many cases it can be removed by repeated handling.
The most durable coloring method I have found, that is readily available is baking lacquers.
In certain situations Nitre Blue can be very durable, especially if the surface is bead/sand blasted prior, but the surface condition will also have a profound impact on the colors and hues in the finished product."...
 
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