Will doing this to a SS case distress/vintagise it?

[Tommy Tom]

I've been doing a little bit of research on stainless steel corrosion and want to try something, but wanted to know if anyone else has tried this - I imagine a lot of people who are interested in the vintage look have.

Before you read on, please note that I am not a chemist in any shape or form and have as much knowledge of metals as i have of feminist literature (none) - I just did a few minutes research on the internet about how to corrode steel.

Apparently if you emmerse your case in salt water for a few months it will naturally corrode it, but if you place a piece of brass into the jar you get something called 'galvanic erosion' whereby the brass which is more 'cathodic', is activated by the salt water (the electrolyte) and 'attacks' the steel, corroding it in a different way to just the salt water alone. I read that this might be a good way of getting a pitted look (what I read was telling you how to avoid it on boats!)

I've also read that a further emmersion in vinegar would also cause the case to prematurely age.

I have a spare case to experiment on before I put try my DRSD case in case it all goes tits up, but I wonder if it will even do anything - sounds like it might take years!!

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[GG]

Hi Tom,

the basics of the mechanism you describe are correct - but much depends on the quality of the SS case.
The pits are the consequence of tiny sulphur-rich impurities in the iron-chromium alloy. These impurities have significantly less chromium than the rest of the steel. One could say that the steel around them is not SS, but just steel.
Once the process starts - it can go quickly - but it is hard to put a timing on it.
Alternatively - if you want pits - maybe you could sandblast the case with large particles.
Hope this helps. :?

 

[lovereps]

I wonder if this would work on a PVD case......like the PAM195 that's so shiny???????

 

[Dizzy]

for shiny PVD you need to sandblast the case and recoat it. Thats going to be the best solution.

As for the corrosion idea... thats VERY interesting and i am going to try it myself on a spare submariner case i have. You could be onto something here but i have a feeling this isnt going to be a quick process... I wonder if adding some electricity might speed things up? I saw an episode of Mythbusters where they corroded though steel jail cell bars with salsa sauce and electrical current lol

Please keep us posted on your test results and i will do the same!

 

[GG]

Dizzy
"adding electricity" is not the right way to go.
What you are thinking of is a process called electrolysis.
What TT refered to in his original posting is called galvanic corrosion.
Both can be used - although the effects probably will not be identical - but not at the same time.
In galvanic corrosion the process is passive. It is based on a self-generated electrical current between 2 different metals placed in a conducting medium (a battery works in the same way).
With electrolysis you use an external DC current (NOT AC !!!!). The metal is placed in a conduction bath (salt water) and the DC current passes through it.
BUT : electrolysis is dangerous if you don't know what you are doing :twisted:
Here is a link to an older webpage with a good description of the electrolysis process.

http://www.htpaa.org.au/article-electro.php

Again - take care : hydrogen mixed with oxygen (aka air) is explosive !!

Hapyy experimenting - can't wait to see the results
(When reporting on the results: please indicate solution used, time it took to arrive at the result, etc etc.)