How to Flame Color Stainless (304/316) Damascus

Instructions for Flame Finishing 304/316 Stainless Damascus

Prepare the Surface:

Sand the material to a 1000 grit finish, ensuring the surface is smooth and ready for treatment.

Clean the Material:

Thoroughly clean the sanded material with Acetone to remove any oils or residue. Make sure the surface is completely clean before proceeding.

Etch the Material:

Place the material in Muriatic acid to achieve the desired etch depth. This usually takes about 15-25 minutes.

Monitor the etching process closely, and once you've reached the desired depth, remove the material from the acid.

Neutralize the Acid:

Immediately neutralize the acid by soaking the material in Windex with ammonia or a baking soda solution (baking soda mixed with distilled water).

After neutralizing, rinse the material thoroughly with water to remove any residue.

Finish the Etch:

Scrub the material gently with 0000 steel wool to remove any excess oxidation or residue from the etching process.

Clean the material again with Acetone to ensure it's free from any contaminants before applying heat.

Flame Finishing:

Hang the material securely from a wire.

Using a torch, begin to evenly heat the entire piece. Move the torch slowly and smoothly around the material to avoid uneven heating.

Be mindful that thinner areas of the material will heat faster, so adjust your torch time accordingly by moving past these areas more quickly to maintain an even temperature across the piece.

Continue heating until you achieve the desired color on the surface.

Cooling:

Once the desired color is reached, allow the material to cool for 30 minutes before touching or handling it to ensure the finish sets properly.