Opinions needed. OWK grenade weathering.

[Sumatra]

So I started weathering my Obi grenade today. I started applying some Perma Blue and tried to get an even tone. It's not too dark, but definitly on the darker side. After the Perma Blue I rinsed it off and thought I would use a hair dryer to evaporate the water from rinsing it. I didn't want to leave the water on it otherwise I'd end up with spots of heavy rust. By using the hair dryer though, I ended up getting a nice even light rust.

I'd like people's opinions so far. I think it gives it a very nice "aged" look. Not quite dark enough, plus it needs to be shined up with some buffing as well. Is there too much orange rust?

[attachmentid=13092]

 

[bowjunkie35]

Looks great Jeff! What grenade is that? I am looking to get one myself but can't afford the real deal!

 

[Sidewinder]

Mmmm, yes looks good to me so far. Think i would give it a going over with some scotchbrite abrasive to shine it up on the high points a bit and get rid of the orange rust.

SAS

 

[Sumatra]

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bowjunkie35 wrote:<HR></TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS=$row_color>
Looks great Jeff! What grenade is that? I am looking to get one myself but can't afford the real deal!

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It's one of Chen's.


I agree with the shining it up with ScotchBrite. It's way too flat looking right now.

As for the rust, are you refering to all of the orangish color, or the spots of heavy rust?

 

[Sidewinder]

Well definitely get rid of the gross areas of orange, but personally I would leave no orange at all - doesn't sit right to me leaving any on.
P'raps you need to go through the black/scotchbrite process a few times? to bulid up layers.

SAS

 

[Serafino]

Jeff, what look are you trying for? For the ‘Chronicles’ look I think you shouldn’t get too dark. I think the rust looks about right for that pic, although I personally don’t want rust on mine. If trying for the ‘Chronicles’ look I would card off the rust for now, and try dipping the grenade in solutions of vinegar in water to lighten the bluing to get a basic dark grey color. Then let some water stay on the grenade and create spots of rust so you get black spots, card that off, etc.

That's Laszlo's grenade--blowtorched; banged, rubbed, and dinged with a hammer; rained on and left out in the London fog for months on end. I think it compares well to the original:

 

[Sumatra]

I think that's the look I'm wanting. TO me, I think it explains best the brownish look that you often see, for example on the MR. If there was rust on it, I would expect to see it in the grooves, but not necessarily on the cubes. The general handling would help keep it off there.

Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by "carding off the rust"?

What I'll probably try doing is to darken it some more so when I give it a good ScotchBrite-ing it won't lighten too much. I think I'd like to keep it near the darkness it is, but polishing it tends to lighten it a bit. Then wet it and blow dry it at the end to add just enough of the orange/brown. I would like to darken the rust color some so it isn't too bright, so maybe a black wash over it at the end. Just to take down the color a notch.

 

[Serafino]

Jeff,

Sorry, 'carding' is a weird gunsmithing term for getting the rust off after bluing. I don't know why, but there it is.

Rust will darken when it's penetrated by just about anything, so if you use a sealcoat of some kind test it on some rust on a scrap piece to see if it will get you where you want.

By the way if anyone tries vinegar washes DON'T leave THAT water on the grenade, rinse it as soon as it's where you want it or you may get light spots from remaining droplets.

 

[Sumatra]

Well, I took a toothbrush to the grooves, and it removed the rust very well. Got rid of the really heavy areas, and lessened the amount of the even rust. I think it still has that slight brown look to it without looking like it's a piece of junk. The ScotchBrite really helps the look as well.

[attachmentid=13093]

 

[Serafino]

Isn't it true that although we tend to think of 'weathering' as 'corner wear', the Obi grenade doesn't show a lot of corner wear? Mostly what we see is an even dark grey color with a mottled sprinkling of darker spots.

 

[Sumatra]

Ok, I think I've got exactly what I am looking for, at least on the frag body. Very dark, but not black with a good hint of rust. Tell me what you think.

[attachmentid=13094]

 

[ssdesigner]

Looks great Jeff! How did you darken up the grenade then...brass black?

-SS

ps...are you going to Convergence Jeff? A bunch of us local (and chicago) RPF-ers are going to be hanging out so let us know.

 

[Sumatra]

It's one of Chen's grenades, so I used Permablue. The rust is real. When it was damp I used a hair dryer to dry it and then used a tooth brush to get most of it off.

As for CONvergence, I won't be able to make it. In all honesty, I've never gone to it, and never really paid much attention, until recently, to it and didn't realize when it was (yes, I realize now it's always the same weekend every year

).

 

[yodaman]

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