What's Your Experience With Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black

[TrappedinCalifornia]

A friend of mine sent me an e-mail asking about covering over an "idiot mark" on a set of hand guards. I don't know the manufacturer, but he said they're made of machined 6061-T6 aluminum with an hard anodized finish. He was thinking about using a Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black pen.

I thought I remembered reading, somewhere, that the Aluminum Black 'etches' some aluminum. I also picked up a post, somewhere, that said it take considerable effort to get it to come out 'dark.'

I've never used Aluminum Black personally. So, I told him I'd ask here.

What's your experience been? Good. Bad. Eh.

[bugsy714]

Are used it to fix some idiot marks on my Anderson lowers looks good as new afterwards just hit it with a torch lighter


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[mtenenhaus]

I've used the solution (not the pen)....on some Aluminum pieces it really did work well...and on some other pieces it did nothing.
Perhaps the composition that constitute the pieces differ?

[CartridgeCalls]

It scratches off really easy but in a pinch it looks ok.

[hermosabeach]

It should work for cosmetic... Without know what the handguard is made from, if it has previously been Type 3 Hard Anodized, etc, its difficult to guess how close a match it will be....

I have used it on a Rem 700 trigger guard decades ago.... it worked and was a close enough match

[hermosabeach]

As with any paint- prep is the real job

if the scratch is a gouge, can they smooth out the scratch with a file or sand paper.

Clean- over clean the area... 95% IPA followed by Acetone

Hands have oil
Guns have oil

If not CLEAN, the coverage might not be even

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I sent him the link to this thread so he can read the feedback for himself.

Thanks folks.

[ar15barrels]

I have not had good results with Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black.
I have completely degreased with acetone and never had a full darkening.
I have not tried heat like mentioned above so maybe that's something I will try next time as heat certainly does speed up most chemical reactions.

[CessnaDriver]

Didn’t know to try heat. Will try next time. It works ok for me otherwise but better would be better.

[Oldmandan]

It’s black, as in black, black

As long as you understand that, it works ok.

I found it goes on like a big glob, and not really for precision type of work. I’ve used it in pen form

I can upload some pictures, if you’re still on the fence

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I'm not on the fence. My friend was thinking about using it and asked me for feedback. I said I'd ask here.

I sent him the link to this thread. So, if you feel like contributing images, by all means...

[psssniper]

Just an FYI on the cold bluing that a lot of people use. It sets off the TSA sniffers as an explosive. They get real excited when this happens. Don’t ask how I know. Only took three “incidents” before I figured it out.

[Toxic Shock]

A couple of years ago I machined a scope rail out of 7075. The Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black did nothing. It might have been the alloy, don't know. I tossed the Aluminum Black and just powder coat rails now.

[ar15barrels]

A couple of years ago I machined a scope rail out of 7075.
The Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black did nothing.
It might have been the alloy, don't know.

I think it's the alloy.
I ran a test a couple days ago on clean 6061 to see how heat effected the final color.
The either cold or hot made the 6061 test sample nice and dark black.

I think that the times I tried to use it to touchup something and had poor results were probably on 7075 and that it probably just does not work good on 7075.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I got an e-mail this morning. He said it worked a treat. He didn't send any images, but he says it looks the same as the existing, anodized finish. I guess the 'mark' is hidden (mostly) anyway.

But, he said to tell you guys thanks. So...