Stuart - two thumbs way up amigo!
Bud - I use Birchwood Casey's Super Blue but most any cold blue will work. Wipe the blue on and rub it in smooth, then use the bleach - use plenty of ventilation and best to wear a chlorine gas rated mask - mixing the acid in cold blue with bleach produces deadly chlorine gas NEVER mix cold blue and bleach.
Some folks heat the bleach but that makes REALLY nasty fumes and is unnecessary. To apply the bleach there are several methods dependent on the final look one wants:
1) Soak the metal to be aged in the bleach
2) Spritz the bleach on with a cheap hand pump spray bottle and then wrap the head in plastic to keep it wet and working
3) Soak rags in the bleach and wrap the part in them - you can also wrap just sections and age only those parts or age them more than other parts with this method.
Wash in hot soapy water and scrub back after applying the bleach - if satisfied with the look neutralize with ammonia, another good washing, and then apply oil.
Here's what a head looked like after first removing it from the bleach - this one was soaked:
and all finished up:
The final look can be mild to wild and if left too long will eat the entire thing so be careful with timing! start with real short "soaks"
Here's three different blades all made from the same steel, but with varying soak times
PS - I like Stuart's work so much he's the man I go to for my hawk heads these days - IMO none better!. :thumbsup:
