So fantastic!!! The value offered in such a short amount of time blows away all these CZcamsrs. I had forgotten how great scientists who are experienced in their field of study are. I may try this experiment with some youngsters I know who can't currently go in person to labs.
Well I just bought some NaOH and I'm going to try my hand at anodizing some pocket knife parts. If I'm successful, this could become an important finishing option in the knife making hobby. Wish me luck!
Update, I successfully anodized the steel clip, liners, latch, weights and even blades of my Maxace balisong. They look amazing. It looks like brass with patches of iridescent rainbow
+SupaLexy (SupaNautica & MotoLexy) In my own experience, it works decently well. I've done more work with titanium, niobium and zirconium, so I can't be 100%. The layer of oxide formed on those metals is analogous to the rust oxide on steel (save it's gray on Ti and Nb). Deeper etches with HF (around 170 F) tend to give better rust prevention. This is all just stuff I've witnessed while testing in my garage, so I may be wrong.
Can you provide some info on your setup (types of containers, power supply, heat source, etc.)? I'm wondering what the best way to experiment with this is for some smaller (~3" x 8-13") steel pieces.
This is so scientific. Love it! If I want to make black screws cheaply do I need 2.1v@90c? Does current have an influence or can I step it down without minding the current? And how adherent is this black? I've seen pink ipods hit with a hammer and still the coating barely scratched
I'm almost sold on buying an anodizing kit. I work for the military and deal with Amphibious vehicles that see salt water daily. My job is to operate and maintain these vehicles and I'm getting sick of seeing my baby turn into rust. Rust grows, it makes me lose time to fight it and resources I often pay out of pocket for. I could be doing more important things than busting rust. It also makes me look bad when things rust as if I'm not doing my job so theres that too. I'm pretty frustrated with rust currently. Sandblasting, priming and painting just doesn't do it. At least if I got a kit or built my own setup I could do other parts as well like my car or whatever. I'm a little confused though, you need temperature to get the best results for fighting corrosion and rust right? This might not be as easy as I'd have thought if that's the case. We work with steel and aluminum but of course aluminum doesn't really rust like the steel does.
I would think of it as a primer, but better adhering, that helps the next layer adhere too. So sandblast, anodize, dunk in molten plastic or tacky wax or cosmolene. That should be a noticeably better against saltwater.
So you can’t get a patent because the process is too similar to an existing one even though your outcomes are different? I’m not familiar with patent laws
Great video but you’re saying that Rusty metal is the problem so anodize it but you cannot anodize mild steel. It has to be stainless and that doesn’t rust. Am I missing something?
Ok, found the answer the minus (-) pole is a piece of metal too. 2:00 do you attach something to the minus (-) pole or just clip it on the glass? (sorry, want to try but just beginner) Not sure but I think I see a thin piece of metal, steel?, iron?, stainless steel?
Can you tell me who makes the device being used in the video to heat and mix the KOH? If I were doing this at a bit larger scale, is glass the preferred container over plastic? If plastics will work, what types (Types at drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxt1e-sbjyvPOGpkeXVSSGg4VVk/view?usp=sharing)? Thanks for the video, very inspiring. Last question: Just to clarify, in the video, you're using 50% KOH and 50% H2O, right?
@@tdburleigh3170 hello sir This huy anodizes steel to titanium colors using Cola ,Bleach, ammonium carbonate, and blue color powder could you please tell me if this is real or fake? czcams.com/video/G45f2JSHCHM/video.html I was not able to find any other similar experiment Looking forward for your response
@@tdburleigh3170 hi, not sure I understand very well when you say weight percent. does that mean that for 1liter of water, you’ll need 500gr of dry Naoh\Koh? Thanks
Could this method be used to blacken a steel chain maille shirt (steel used is 14 awg fencing wire from which the galvanising has been tumbled of) ? How do I achieve 50% NaOH or KOH solutions ?? thanks for your answer...
NaOH is Sodium Hydroxide otherwise known as lye. You can buy it in a dry form as a drain cleaner. Just check the labeling to identify exactly what the product contains.
Hi, I am very keen to try this on a product that has about 4000 cm sq surface area so about 200 amps required, I am concerned about the fumes given off, are they toxic ? thanks, Roger
@@kiwiwombatman i'v yet to try this method so i'm not too sure. I know that metal forms natural oxides that may hinder the process so removing them in something like an acid wash might help.
Hey, i love the video! I got a folding knive i would like to threat. Bolts and handles (they sit behind carbon fiber). The handle is stainless and the bolts i still dont know. This type of coating will work on stainless?
It depends on how much chromium is in the steel. 400 series steel like 409 or 410 will give you different results than something like 304, 321, 312 or 316. You can also experiment with spring steel and chromoly.
I am trying to anaodize a steel frame and fork for a bicycle. hoping to get a purple color. I am using 4130 chromoly. would this process work? or do you have any recommendations for color anodizing a this sort of steel?
I'm looking and looking and can't find a video that teaches how to make that nice blueing, like they do in car mufflers (burned tip). I wish someone could show the process. If anyone could help... please
If you have 409SS, you can do it with an induction stovetop. 304SS that has been cold worked will also do it under some conditions, but you generally need a torch. A regular blow torch for sweating plumbing is capable of doing it, but an oxy-propane setup will give you superior performance without the safety limitations that come with an acetylene bottle.
Is this not technically electroplating? Anodizing by definition creates an oxide on the surface of the material which firstly would not form tight-knit bonds in steel and secondly would inherently not give the spectrum of colours you see in your test. Electroplating on the other hand could give rise to the spectrum we see through metallic deposition of the substrates condensates, i.e. potassium or sodium, and also seems plausible given that steel gladly makes bonds with other metals to create a thin film.
Bear in mind, red oxide Fe2O3 + H2O flakes off, but black oxide FeO is more adherent. For example, heating steel in an oxygen-poor environment tends to get the FeO started. This anodization too.
I hate car companies. They design their crap to fail and then get on board with all the people forcing me to recycle a milk carton. Stop filling our world with rusting cars! Rant over. My take on this process is it is a primer before painting. A primer mitigating any rust from forming. Typically when you de-rust metal you can use an acid (phosphoric in my case) or electrolysis, then neutralize with a base (NaOH or KOH in my case). It's the instant you go from the acid to the base, or shut of your electrolysis) that the rust can start. This process allows one to remove a step. You could do your electrolysis and without removing the metal from the solution you could make the solution basic. While dripping with a base liquid one could then place it in this hot NaOH bath and apply the coatings above (based on voltage and temp?). Here's my first try. I degreased my bolts in NaOH. Then removed the rust with phosphoric acid. Then removed the bolts from the phosphoric acid and while still wet placed them in a bath of NaOH. As I'm typing this I am about to connect an electrode to the still wet bolt and dip it into this electrolysis coating process. Then remove, dry, and paint. This all kind of reminds me of powder coating but without having bare metal exposed to air before applying the powder.
+Mihail radoi You can use any stainless steel or titanium, like a kitchen spoon or knife, look in your kitchen drawer, if it says stainless steel you can use it. Also titanium HERE >> www.amazon.com/Titanium-Sheet-Metal-Gr-One/dp/B017AS81M8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A18S3MF78QRXA5
Next time you title a video to be a how to video, make sure you are actually doing the work and actually showing how to do whatever you are trying to do. In this video, you didn't show anything on how to anadize steel. You just told us the results and a whole bunch of other stuff that would PROBABLY be helpful. Do the actual thing.
Ahhh so it's basically just a chemical and electronic way to get a exothermic reaction to get the heat that changes the color like using a flame oxygen acetylene to get the heat. Then it's using the length of time in the heat to change color... Cool stuff lol I'll stick with flames 🔥
It's really more the other way around. Heating metals like titanium just causes them to oxidize, forming an oxide layer on the outside which causes colors due to the thin film effect. Electrically anodizing metal doesn't (usually) require heat. The only reason steel specifically does is because otherwise it tends to form the wrong oxide (Fe2O3) which turns into rust when it bonds with water molecules.
I have an "Kids" a.k.a "small" scissor and I want to take off the blades, sharpen them and make a blade and I would like a "Tiger Tooth" look on it :D P.S : I want the blades for........personal research
@@tdburleigh3170 we can, it's our language. Miriam Webster buggered it up to try and create a his own version. He hated the English. We can spell, you chose to spell it all incorrectly.
Kyle Whitewater - He showed EXACTLY how it’s done: a container with a 50% base solution, steel anode & cathode, a power supply and a timer. Arrogance and ignorance aren’t an attractive mix, Kyle.
So fantastic!!! The value offered in such a short amount of time blows away all these CZcamsrs. I had forgotten how great scientists who are experienced in their field of study are.
I may try this experiment with some youngsters I know who can't currently go in person to labs.
Thank you for sharing the details of this process!
Thank you for perpetuating an amount of your knowledge. 😊👍
Well I just bought some NaOH and I'm going to try my hand at anodizing some pocket knife parts. If I'm successful, this could become an important finishing option in the knife making hobby. Wish me luck!
Update, I successfully anodized the steel clip, liners, latch, weights and even blades of my Maxace balisong. They look amazing. It looks like brass with patches of iridescent rainbow
Did you mix 50%NaOH with 50% water?
What’s the amperage you used?
I wish I was taught this in school, this is so cool. I’m trying to restore an old double sided steel axe, and this would be an awesome way to do it.
anyone going to try this for the handles of their lucha balisong?
another balisong flipper what up?
So Anodising does seem to be effective for steel to fend off rust, not quite sure on the best method, I had trouble hearing the info.
+SupaLexy (SupaNautica & MotoLexy) In my own experience, it works decently well. I've done more work with titanium, niobium and zirconium, so I can't be 100%. The layer of oxide formed on those metals is analogous to the rust oxide on steel (save it's gray on Ti and Nb). Deeper etches with HF (around 170 F) tend to give better rust prevention. This is all just stuff I've witnessed while testing in my garage, so I may be wrong.
Can you provide some info on your setup (types of containers, power supply, heat source, etc.)? I'm wondering what the best way to experiment with this is for some smaller (~3" x 8-13") steel pieces.
You're not the only one.
This is so scientific. Love it! If I want to make black screws cheaply do I need 2.1v@90c?
Does current have an influence or can I step it down without minding the current?
And how adherent is this black? I've seen pink ipods hit with a hammer and still the coating barely scratched
I'm almost sold on buying an anodizing kit. I work for the military and deal with Amphibious vehicles that see salt water daily. My job is to operate and maintain these vehicles and I'm getting sick of seeing my baby turn into rust. Rust grows, it makes me lose time to fight it and resources I often pay out of pocket for. I could be doing more important things than busting rust. It also makes me look bad when things rust as if I'm not doing my job so theres that too. I'm pretty frustrated with rust currently. Sandblasting, priming and painting just doesn't do it. At least if I got a kit or built my own setup I could do other parts as well like my car or whatever. I'm a little confused though, you need temperature to get the best results for fighting corrosion and rust right? This might not be as easy as I'd have thought if that's the case. We work with steel and aluminum but of course aluminum doesn't really rust like the steel does.
I would think of it as a primer, but better adhering, that helps the next layer adhere too. So sandblast, anodize, dunk in molten plastic or tacky wax or cosmolene. That should be a noticeably better against saltwater.
Very nice video! Good base for experiments.
So you can’t get a patent because the process is too similar to an existing one even though your outcomes are different? I’m not familiar with patent laws
Great video but you’re saying that Rusty metal is the problem so anodize it but you cannot anodize mild steel. It has to be stainless and that doesn’t rust. Am I missing something?
Excellent work. Thank you!
Sorry about the patent. Thank you for your video.
Amazing experience, thx a lot for sharing!
How effective would this process be on cold-rolled (hardened) 300 series stainless steel...
This process does not work on stainless steel.
This process does not work on stainless steel.
You need heat. If it's been cold-worked enough to become magnetic, try using an induction cooktop.
you can make potassium hydroxide AKA caustic potash by letting wood ash settle in a bucket of water then distill it into potash
Ok, found the answer the minus (-) pole is a piece of metal too.
2:00 do you attach something to the minus (-) pole or just clip it on the glass? (sorry, want to try but just beginner)
Not sure but I think I see a thin piece of metal, steel?, iron?, stainless steel?
great video, is the surface similar to a hot salt bluing with NaOH?
Can you tell me who makes the device being used in the video to heat and mix the KOH? If I were doing this at a bit larger scale, is glass the preferred container over plastic? If plastics will work, what types (Types at drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxt1e-sbjyvPOGpkeXVSSGg4VVk/view?usp=sharing)? Thanks for the video, very inspiring.
Last question: Just to clarify, in the video, you're using 50% KOH and 50% H2O, right?
It is a hot plate with a magnetic stirrer. Plastic would be fine.
I wonder, would the anodized process hold up against 91 unleaded octane? how about the race stuff? I think im going to do this to my tank.
Old comment, but as you could see the corrosion resistance was pretty bad aginsta anything besides straight water.
It should be fine.
@@tdburleigh3170 hello sir
This huy anodizes steel to titanium colors using Cola ,Bleach, ammonium carbonate, and blue color powder could you please tell me if this is real or fake?
czcams.com/video/G45f2JSHCHM/video.html
I was not able to find any other similar experiment
Looking forward for your response
I'm trying to make my own BBC gold anodized valve covers
Does anybody else here flip a balisong and want to anodize it? That is why im here
Nub Slyer I do
Ha same
Yep
When you say 50% NAOH or KOH are you referring to the concentration by weight, volume or molar concentration
Weight percent
@@tdburleigh3170 Thank you kindly for replying.
@@tdburleigh3170 hi, not sure I understand very well when you say weight percent. does that mean that for 1liter of water, you’ll need 500gr of dry Naoh\Koh? Thanks
@@WoodfulProjects 500 gr water, 500 gr KOH
@@Ti_Fe-Etch Cheers bud. Thanks
thanks very professional video
Thank you 🙏
Como se puede anodizar el stainless steel?
Could this method be used to blacken a steel chain maille shirt (steel used is 14 awg fencing wire from which the galvanising has been tumbled of) ? How do I achieve 50% NaOH or KOH solutions ?? thanks for your answer...
NaOH is Sodium Hydroxide otherwise known as lye. You can buy it in a dry form as a drain cleaner. Just check the labeling to identify exactly what the product contains.
The issue is electrical conductivity.
Great explanation!
Video would have been so much better if he kept his voice volume consistent and louder !!!!
1:40 50 % means in weight or volume (grams or milliliters)?
Maybe it's any of those.
Thank you
Any chance you could re do this with captions--cannot understand you.
He has a very soft voice; that's part of the problem. But there are other issues with the audio as well.
Good idea! I added captions.
Hi, I am very keen to try this on a product that has about 4000 cm sq surface area so about 200 amps required, I am concerned about the fumes given off, are they toxic ? thanks, Roger
Pretty sure it's only O2 and H2 gasses, i'd keep the fumes away from ignition sources
Thanks ! I have done a few small samples with good results but they are not as bright as I was hoping for, any ideas on this ?
@@kiwiwombatman i'v yet to try this method so i'm not too sure. I know that metal forms natural oxides that may hinder the process so removing them in something like an acid wash might help.
I do not know. We did all of our tests in a fume hood. It would be worth testing.
Nice work
Hey, i love the video!
I got a folding knive i would like to threat.
Bolts and handles (they sit behind carbon fiber).
The handle is stainless and the bolts i still dont know.
This type of coating will work on stainless?
This process does not work on stainless steel, only on carbon steel.
It depends on how much chromium is in the steel. 400 series steel like 409 or 410 will give you different results than something like 304, 321, 312 or 316. You can also experiment with spring steel and chromoly.
so.. first... heat threatening steel using oil is also anodizing the steel ? and did the steel had electrical conductivity after anodizing ?
I am trying to anaodize a steel frame and fork for a bicycle. hoping to get a purple color. I am using 4130 chromoly. would this process work? or do you have any recommendations for color anodizing a this sort of steel?
You will have to experiment with the time, temperature and voltage.
Can zinc be anodized?
I'm looking and looking and can't find a video that teaches how to make that nice blueing, like they do in car mufflers (burned tip).
I wish someone could show the process. If anyone could help... please
If you have 409SS, you can do it with an induction stovetop. 304SS that has been cold worked will also do it under some conditions, but you generally need a torch. A regular blow torch for sweating plumbing is capable of doing it, but an oxy-propane setup will give you superior performance without the safety limitations that come with an acetylene bottle.
Very cool!
does this also work on 316L Stainless steel?? want to anodize my rails on my LG v10 :D
No, this does not wok on stainless steel, only on carbon steel.
Is this not technically electroplating? Anodizing by definition creates an oxide on the surface of the material which firstly would not form tight-knit bonds in steel and secondly would inherently not give the spectrum of colours you see in your test. Electroplating on the other hand could give rise to the spectrum we see through metallic deposition of the substrates condensates, i.e. potassium or sodium, and also seems plausible given that steel gladly makes bonds with other metals to create a thin film.
For electroplating, the work piece is the cathode (negative). For anodizing, the work piece is the anode (positive).
Bear in mind, red oxide Fe2O3 + H2O flakes off, but black oxide FeO is more adherent. For example, heating steel in an oxygen-poor environment tends to get the FeO started. This anodization too.
What is the temp in F
Does this process change the overall dimensions of the item?
Any increase in size would be in the micron range. In other words, far too small to measure with anything but an electron microscope.
The thickness changes are less than 1 micron.
Hello, Is it possible to use washing soda for the caustic solution?
I do not think so, but we did not try it.
50% by weight?
Now, let's go color a DeLorean
I hate car companies. They design their crap to fail and then get on board with all the people forcing me to recycle a milk carton. Stop filling our world with rusting cars! Rant over.
My take on this process is it is a primer before painting. A primer mitigating any rust from forming. Typically when you de-rust metal you can use an acid (phosphoric in my case) or electrolysis, then neutralize with a base (NaOH or KOH in my case). It's the instant you go from the acid to the base, or shut of your electrolysis) that the rust can start. This process allows one to remove a step. You could do your electrolysis and without removing the metal from the solution you could make the solution basic. While dripping with a base liquid one could then place it in this hot NaOH bath and apply the coatings above (based on voltage and temp?).
Here's my first try. I degreased my bolts in NaOH. Then removed the rust with phosphoric acid. Then removed the bolts from the phosphoric acid and while still wet placed them in a bath of NaOH. As I'm typing this I am about to connect an electrode to the still wet bolt and dip it into this electrolysis coating process. Then remove, dry, and paint.
This all kind of reminds me of powder coating but without having bare metal exposed to air before applying the powder.
So you MUST have KOH? How strong solution one each? Are both anode and cathode steel? Also with this work on stainless Steel?
Both anode and cathode are steel. The process does not work on stainless steel.
Stainless can be anodized? What solutions for this process? Thank
This process does not work with stainless steel.
This process does not work for stainless steel.
I am trying to get a tough black coating for aperture blades
any thoughts?
The oxide film is not tough.
Wow!!!thanks!!!
Hi! Could you please tell me more about the cathode? What kind of metal did you used?
+Mihail radoi You can use any stainless steel or titanium, like a kitchen spoon or knife, look in your kitchen drawer, if it says stainless steel you can use it. Also titanium HERE >> www.amazon.com/Titanium-Sheet-Metal-Gr-One/dp/B017AS81M8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A18S3MF78QRXA5
wtf is that name
We used bare steel (Fe).
wouldn't it be better to temper steel rather than anodize it?
No, the heat might damage the part and you get diffeent colours. Straw at about 350 then orange, red, purple and finally blue at 700+.
This anodizing is a low temperature (50°C) alternative to high temperature (500°C) oxidizing.
Can i aanodize using water only?
No. The electrolyte and temperature are key.
does this also functions with stainless steel....?? want to anodize my rails on my LG v10
The process does not work on stainless steel.
Next time you title a video to be a how to video, make sure you are actually doing the work and actually showing how to do whatever you are trying to do. In this video, you didn't show anything on how to anadize steel. You just told us the results and a whole bunch of other stuff that would PROBABLY be helpful. Do the actual thing.
Like the first two minutes of the video?
How to coloring stainless steel bolt ? like probolt ? blue , purple , gold
The process does not work on stainless steel.
The name of this video should be the history of anodizing not how to!
is this process food safe? What temp is safe at?
Matt Huber yea it is
We have not tested food safety, but there is no reason why it should not be safe.
I think patents are only 99 years.
I found way to this without heat and electricity
Ahhh so it's basically just a chemical and electronic way to get a exothermic reaction to get the heat that changes the color like using a flame oxygen acetylene to get the heat.
Then it's using the length of time in the heat to change color...
Cool stuff lol I'll stick with flames 🔥
It's really more the other way around. Heating metals like titanium just causes them to oxidize, forming an oxide layer on the outside which causes colors due to the thin film effect. Electrically anodizing metal doesn't (usually) require heat. The only reason steel specifically does is because otherwise it tends to form the wrong oxide (Fe2O3) which turns into rust when it bonds with water molecules.
which will be the negative metal ?
The cathode is negative. The anode (what you are anodizing) is positive.
Speak up! Could barely hear you...
I added captions.
WhT to use as cathode
We used bare steel. (Fe).
my material is stainless steel we can do silver colour small instruments dental surgery
The process does not work on stainless steel.
I have an "Kids" a.k.a "small" scissor and I want to take off the blades, sharpen them and make a blade and I would like a "Tiger Tooth" look on it :D
P.S : I want the blades for........personal research
That's the problem with US can't spell Anodising or Aluminium.
Jonathan Parkes I wish those were our only problems. Earth sucks except for all the beautiful untouched nature.
And from our view point, the British can't spell.
@@tdburleigh3170 we can, it's our language. Miriam Webster buggered it up to try and create a his own version. He hated the English. We can spell, you chose to spell it all incorrectly.
@@jonathanparkes8977 At least we can drive on the right side of the road :P
Now u knew u wouldnt be able to patent that 😂. The method has been around for ages 😂
All this talk, but not at all showing details of how it's done! What a waste!
Kyle Whitewater - He showed EXACTLY how it’s done: a container with a 50% base solution, steel anode & cathode, a power supply and a timer. Arrogance and ignorance aren’t an attractive mix, Kyle.
Go to , and read the papers linked at the bottom of the page.