Preserve the Beauty of Raw or Rusted Steel & Iron Surfaces

I see many ibles made with black pipe here but rarely do they mention any coatings to prevent rusting. I also often build with rusty items where I need to cover the rust so it won't rub of on clothes etc. but don't want to lose the beauty of the patina. An architect once told me he used linseed oil to preserve rusted iron outdoors. I tried it but the damned stuff never fully dries! I could use polyurethane but the oxidation will continue underneath and it will eventually flake off. I've tried "rust stabilizers" but they turn the rust black so it loses it's color. I finally got turned on to a product from an old timer in a paint store I would probably never have found on my own.

Step 1 Penetrol

He recommended a product called Penetrol normally used as a paint additive to improve flow and adhesion that also seals and stops rust. It can be used alone as a base coat on bare metal and will fix the rust while preserving the appearance. The finish will be darker than dry rust but similar to rust sprayed with water or oil and can be top coated with a polyurethane for a more durable finish.

http://www.flood.com/paint-additive-solutions/products/view-product.jsp?productId=11

Comments

[asaurwein]

Linseed oil DOES dry easily if used correctly. One of the ways is to boil it before using it. To do so put it in a container, inside a waterbath and have it cooking until it boils. Let it cool down and use it.
Even better when you add 20-30% of beeswax to the oil while heating it up. It gives a nice paste you can apply with a cloth or a brush.

[triumphman]

Thanks for the info! I just made a "grizzly Bear knife that is bigger than my original "Baby Bear" knife ! I want to leave the brown rust on most of the metal to give it a "bear" look. I was going to use lindseed oil, but as you say it never really dries 100%. i am going to try beeswax as i keep bees and have plenty of it. Thanks for sharing. As ever, Triumphman

[hexedene]

This is great! I love the color and look of rust and have been experimenting with stopping the process and sealing it from the environment. I've never heard of this product and will be sure to keep my eye out for it.

I have been successfully using water white lacquers for years on rusted steel for indoor use. I do not know how well it would handle an outdoor environment and I suspect it would begin to yellow. Indoors, though, it's great; the rust color barely changes and I've never had a problem with flaking.

One caveat from my experience: aerosol cans of lacquer do not work well, use a can and a foam brush instead.

[BrianJewett]

Interesting, I had to google "water white lacquers". I hadn't heard of them before. Without rust inhibitors, I'd think they would probably still fail eventually. Rust is self perpetuating even when sealed if it's not converted or neutralized somehow. If they are compatible with oil finishes you might be able to use them over the Penetrol but I don't know if they'd be any better than polyurethane. Honestly, a little yellowing over rust probably wouldn't be noticeable.

[ironsmiter]

If you have the option of heating the finished product, without parts being destroyed...

Try using the old wrought-iron finish sealer.
Wax.

Hot summer days do fine for heating the metal, or an oven, set as low as possible.
When it gets good and warm to the touch, but not scorching hot... rub it all over with a hard wax. Candle wax CAN work, surfboard/ski wax is better... even beeswax will work.

It will melt a little, and soak into the pores of the metal.
leaving a pleasant finish, and reducing the rate of oxidation.
Peanut oil works also, but a few applications will give a light to dark brown tint(depending on the number of applications. more = darker)
Much like linseed oil however, it never REALLY dries.
Wax WILL dry completely.

[BrianJewett]

Interesting... my architect mentioned waxing his steel railings but he was using a paste wax or a carnauba wax. When I asked if it held up outside he said "not for Long", it had to be reapplied periodically. I didn't want to trust that to towel bars and bathroom counter tops. You mention the wax "reducing the rate of oxidation." Do you mean it's not really a permanent treatment?

How about on already rusty metal? The main reason I sought this method out was to stabilize rust while still preserving the look. Will the wax do that permanently?

Thanks for the info!

[ironsmiter]

your architect got it sort of right.

it IS not permanent. for that you need AT LEAST a lacquer type finish.
BUT, by not permanent, I mean, once or twice a year... like treating granite counter tops with sealant.

If you goto a museum... almost all the steel and iron work on display has a wax finish. Also works well on railings, since hands running over the wax, keeps it polished, and the hand oils will actually merge with the wax, making it BETTER over time.

ALL the time that ferric metals are exposed to air, they oxidize... all you can do is slow it down. how slow you can get it... well, I have a well-seasoned(treated with bacon fat instead of wax) cast iron skillet, that is older than I am, with no appreciable rust showing. Mild steel on the other hand, will rust into an unrecognizable mass, if i leave it in the garage(gets a bit damp... probably like your bathroom).

The BEST advise I can give, if it's definitely for the bathroom is...
Neutralize any acid with a baking soda/water scrubbing.
then 3 coats of polyurethane spray.

the "cheap" method is, use turtle wax, or some other polymer car wax.
put it on just like your car... and re-apply as often(say one every year to start)
while not perfect(doesn't buff up as nicely as on flat, shiny paint) it does work.

See the main issue with black-pipe is... that's not "normal" rust that gives it a black color... it's SCALE. from processing the pipe. related animals, but NOT the same, when it comes to preserving the finish.

[BrianJewett]

Good. Glad you took it in the playful spirit in which it was intended. I sometimes think I should curb my sarcasm...but what fun would that be. ;-)

I've never used it for paint but it does sound like fixes every paint problem I've ever come across. Fortunately I've sworn off house paint forever. I just built a house with all non-paint finishes.

[wilgubeast]

Looks good. Love the title for step 2.

When I did home remodels, we used Penetrol to keep paint from flaking off of exterior metal window trim. (I suspect that new paint is good enough to prevent this, but my boss was old-school.)