DIY Network

Refinished Metal Put a new face on your hardware! From "B. Original" episode DBOR-402

Create an instant antique with Michele Beschen.

Michele Beschen finds some of her best craft inspirations in sporting goods stores – even in the hunting aisle. In this B. Original how-to, she shows how the chemicals used to clean guns can be a part of your decorating arsenal, turning hum-drum hardware into instant antiques or faux wrought iron.

Scroll down for her tips, including important safety information on working with these chemicals.

advertisement

New Looks for Metal Hardware

Materials:

gun metal cleaner/degreaser or denatured alcohol
gun-cleaning chemicals: Plum Brown, Super Blue and/or Aluminum Black
cotton balls and swabs
grinder or rotary tool with grinding attachment
drill with sanding disc
rags
small container of cool water
steel wool
propane torch (if using plum brown)
spray polyurethane (optional)
safety glasses
heavy gloves

	Figure A
	Figure B

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection when using power tools with metals. Always wear eye protection and heavy gloves when working with gun-cleaning chemicals or denatured alcohol. These chemicals can change the surfaces of metals – you don’t want them anywhere near your skin or eyes. Also, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area when using these chemicals and keep them out of the reach of children or pets.

• Uninstall the metal items you’re modifying – the chemicals and tools used in this project will damage wood, laminate and other surfaces.

• Most metals have some sort of plating that needs to be removed before using the chemicals. To do this, use a grinding wheel or a rotary tool with a grinding attachment
  to rough up the plated surface and add some texture (figure A). If the piece is made of a softer metal, such as brass, use a drill with a sanding disc instead of a grinder to scuff and clean the piece (figure B).

• Thoroughly clean the piece with gun cleaner/degreaser or denatured alcohol. Buff the piece thoroughly with steel wool, then clean it again with the cleaner/degreaser or alcohol.

• Choose a gun-cleaning chemical based on the desired effect: The blue finish gives
  a wrought-iron look (figure C). Plum brown gives an antique, almost rusty patina (figure D). Aluminum black, formulated for use with aluminum, turns that metal almost completely black.
  

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

  Figure E

• If using the blue or black finish, rub the chemical with a cotton swab, cotton ball or clean rag. Applying more chemical yields a deeper, more dramatic change.

• When the metal is the desired color, rinse of the chemical with cool, clean water.

• If using plum brown, heat the metal piece before applying the chemical. Working on a heat-proof surface, use a propane torch to heat the metal until a drop of water sizzles on the surface (figure E). Then, apply the chemical and rinse using the same process as for the blue or black finishes.

• All three finishes inhibit rust. If desired, apply a coat of spray polyurethane to any of the finishes after drying.

There’s no law that says your metal accents have to be boring. So head to the sporting goods store and hunt down the tools to put a new face on your hardware!