Torching Stainless and carbon DIY - Part 1 and part 2 3-8-14 Update 3-22-23

[oneaugusta]

1 hour ago, farundrpar said:

ok, great - that is what i was thinking. Assume though that the torching process on the face is the same as the rest of the head? 

Yes, slow and steady

[Phabs]

I’m guessing putters with pressed tungsten weights are tough to blue due to the weights coming out.  

[oneaugusta]

Not really.  I've done a couple and if they came out a little I just taped them with painters tape and tapped back in with a rubber mallet.  Or if they came all the way out same process but put a dab of club epoxy on sides.

Edited December 23, 2021 by oneaugusta

[RCGA]

Anyone have a problem with the stainless turning brown (like a penny) and not moving off that color? I've been doing some testing on 316 stainless ball markers and I can't get the vibrancy. 

 

Not enough heat? Too much heat? I've done one that I had glowing red for about 2-3min but couldn't get it off the brown. 

 

It's like I'm going from straw to purple to blue to brown, which is not how the color chart is supposed to work. 

Edited December 23, 2021 by RCGA

[oneaugusta]

39 minutes ago, RCGA said:

Anyone have a problem with the stainless turning brown (like a penny) and not moving off that color? I've been doing some testing on 316 stainless ball markers and I can't get the vibrancy. 

 

Not enough heat? Too much heat? I've done one that I had glowing red for about 2-3min but couldn't get it off the brown. 

 

It's like I'm going from straw to purple to blue to brown, which is not how the color chart is supposed to work. 

Sounds like not enough good prep and to much heat.  Not sure what color you wanted but color sequence is gold, bronze, purples, dark blue with some reds, then light blues.

[RCGA]

My prep was sanding with 100 grit, then 220, then 320, then a worn out 320, then polish with a 3M kitchen sponge. 

 

To clean I used Bar Keepers Friend, then quality acetone and finally 99% alcohol. All while wearing gloves. 

 

Funny enough the finish I was most happy with was something I didn't even clean off. 

[oneaugusta]

Not sure but have only used bar keepers friend between sanding not as last step. Polishing with a good metal polish such as simicrome is my final step before cleaning with alcohol?

[VNutz]

On 12/23/2021 at 6:05 AM, RCGA said:

Anyone have a problem with the stainless turning brown (like a penny) and not moving off that color? I've been doing some testing on 316 stainless ball markers and I can't get the vibrancy. 

 

Not enough heat? Too much heat? I've done one that I had glowing red for about 2-3min but couldn't get it off the brown. 

 

It's like I'm going from straw to purple to blue to brown, which is not how the color chart is supposed to work. 

From a little bit of brief experimenting recently, penny like brown is too much heat and done too long. I thought I had it just right on a putter yesterday until I realized I missed a side and had to continue heating and it went too far, to brown. Anything that glows red is pretty much too hot from what I've been seeing.

[RCGA]

3 minutes ago, VNutz said:

From a little bit of brief experimenting recently, penny like brown is too much heat and done too long. I thought I had it just right on a putter yesterday until I realized I missed a side and had to continue heating and it went too far, to brown. Anything that glows red is pretty much too hot from what I've been seeing.

 

The other problem I'm finding is that the color doesn't last. I can wipe it off with my finger (if I really go at it) and have it go penny brown. 

[oneaugusta]

Again, it’s all in the prep. This is one that is a 4 year old finish. 

[oneaugusta]

All original Santa Fe

[oneaugusta]

[oneaugusta]

Phase 2 sanding 150,320,400,800,1200

Most flaws removed. 
Sanded about 1 hour per day, 4 hours total. 

[jak77]

17 minutes ago, oneaugusta said:

Phase 2 sanding 150,320,400,800,1200

Most flaws removed. 
Sanded about 1 hour per day, 4 hours total. 

 

Looking good already!  Cant wait for the rest of the process.  Why the blue dots on the putter?

[farundrpar]

1 hour ago, oneaugusta said:

Phase 2 sanding 150,320,400,800,1200

Most flaws removed. 
Sanded about 1 hour per day, 4 hours total. 

this is so cool, thanks for sharing this process... love seeing it. 

[oneaugusta]

Blue is how to identify the really small spots that need more attention. 

[oneaugusta]

Cleaned with bar keepers friend, rinsed, dried completely. “My belief is bar keepers friend pulls some of the oxidation out but must also be polished to remove oxidation”

Wet sanded with 2000 grit, cleaned then hand polished with simichrome 2 times. Used q-tip for tight areas around bumpers and cavity. 

Edited January 13, 2022 by oneaugusta

[bsuwara]

On 1/13/2022 at 8:02 AM, oneaugusta said:

Cleaned with bar keepers friend, rinsed, dried completely. “My belief is bar keepers friend pulls some of the oxidation out but must also be polished to remove oxidation”

Wet sanded with 2000 grit, cleaned then hand polished with simichrome 2 times. Used q-tip for tight areas around bumpers and cavity. 

Great job and can’t wait to see your next update!

[oneaugusta]

• Cleaned with Dawn dish soap then dried completely and used q-tip in tight areas.
• Machine buffed with cotton wheel and red jewelers rouge.
• Cleaned again with Dawn, dried then cleaned with 91% alcohol.
• Mounted in holder and cleaned with alcohol and q-tip in tight areas "making sure not to touch putter with bare hands"
• Torched blue finish.
• Waited 10 minutes then heavily wiped on baby oil.
• After cooling for 2 hrs.  wrapped in oil soaked rag to cure overnight.

Edited January 17, 2022 by oneaugusta

[sm_watts]

Holy Crap!

[bsuwara]

Amazing job!

[5hort5tuff]

Larry, is there any preferred direction or tequnique when sanding?  

[oneaugusta]

On 3/24/2022 at 9:19 PM, 5hort5tuff said:

Larry, is there any preferred direction or tequnique when sanding?  

Just back and forth like the full length of the top line direction.  I will sometimes cross sand at a 45 degree angle if I see some micro-scratches left at the end of the sanding process then resume back and forth to end before polish.

[DocLeger]

On 1/17/2022 at 4:51 PM, oneaugusta said:

• Cleaned with Dawn dish soap then dried completely and used q-tip in tight areas.
• Machine buffed with cotton wheel and red jewelers rouge.
• Cleaned again with Dawn, dried then cleaned with 91% alcohol.
• Mounted in holder and cleaned with alcohol and q-tip in tight areas "making sure not to touch putter with bare hands"
• Torched blue finish.
• Waited 10 minutes then heavily wiped on baby oil.
• After cooling for 2 hrs.  wrapped in oil soaked rag to cure overnight.

 

When you say "wrap in oil soaked rag" is it baby oil? I'm about to do the same to a old TM white smoke I found for cheap. Almost at the polishing step! Thanks!!

[oneaugusta]

11 hours ago, DocLeger said:

 

When you say "wrap in oil soaked rag" is it baby oil? I'm about to do the same to a old TM white smoke I found for cheap. Almost at the polishing step! Thanks!!

Yes, I use baby oil but really any kind of good oil is fine, Rem oil, machine oil etc.

[DocLeger]

On 10/25/2022 at 7:21 AM, oneaugusta said:

Yes, I use baby oil but really any kind of good oil is fine, Rem oil, machine oil etc.

Would engine oil work? Like stuff you put in lawn mowers and stuff? Is ir necessary to oil it after? What would be the difference if I would opt to skip that step? Thanks!

[oneaugusta]

1 hour ago, DocLeger said:

Would engine oil work? Like stuff you put in lawn mowers and stuff? Is ir necessary to oil it after? What would be the difference if I would opt to skip that step? Thanks!

Engine oil or 2 cycle fine but will distort the coloring you get and will need wiped off at some point that's why I prefer virgin oil on carbon.  If your refinishing a carbon putter I would never skip the oil quench step.  The oil quench on a hot putter will penetrate into the pores of the steel for and added layer of protection to inhibit rust.  Carbon putter require a little maintenance but the feel makes it worth IMO.  I wipe mine down after each round with silicone cloth soaked in baby oil.

[DocLeger]

On 10/30/2022 at 3:35 PM, oneaugusta said:

Engine oil or 2 cycle fine but will distort the coloring you get and will need wiped off at some point that's why I prefer virgin oil on carbon.  If your refinishing a carbon putter I would never skip the oil quench step.  The oil quench on a hot putter will penetrate into the pores of the steel for and added layer of protection to inhibit rust.  Carbon putter require a little maintenance but the feel makes it worth IMO.  I wipe mine down after each round with silicone cloth soaked in baby oil.

Thanks for the reply! I went and bought some baby oil. I torched my TM white smoke following your instructions. For my first time I think it's not too too bad haha. Next time I'll maybe try to sand more aggressively with lower grit (120-240) to remove more dings. Maybe polish a bit more too. I only had a propane torch. I torched for well over an hour to achieve purple/blue colors. I did pre heat the metal with a hair blower but a heat gun would've been better. I thought maybe even in the oven at like 500F for a few minutes just to get the metal warmer. Anyway, it was a very fun project to do and can't wait to try again! The insert is gray. Thinking of maybe painting it black.

[jls667]

OneAugusta, first off, great work. The putters looks great and your write is very helpful.

 

I was wondering why you wait two hours then wrap in an oil soaked rag vs immediately submerging in oil?

 

Also, do you noticed a difference in feel between a slow cooled putter than a quenched? I'm going to try my first soon and I've seen some advocate for both slow cooling and quenching. I'm most concerned with making the putter too clicky with quenching.

[oneaugusta]

9 hours ago, jls667 said:

OneAugusta, first off, great work. The putters looks great and your write is very helpful.

 

I was wondering why you wait two hours then wrap in an oil soaked rag vs immediately submerging in oil?

 

Also, do you noticed a difference in feel between a slow cooled putter than a quenched? I'm going to try my first soon and I've seen some advocate for both slow cooling and quenching. I'm most concerned with making the putter too clicky with quenching.

Please read above instruction first, reads: after 10 minutes wipe down heavily with oil,  after it cools completely (2hrs) I then wrap in oil soaked rag.  This method seems to absorb more oil than just submerging in oil and safer "I have had fires from dunking in oil to soon"  Natural cooling works best as to not temper or change the feel of the steel.  Good luck on the project