DIY and custom finishes!!!

[bknapp34]

how long did that take you to torch that abaco?...did you strip the finish or anything like that?

[OzzDOA]

[quote name='bknapp34' timestamp='1291780491' post='2829177']
how long did that take you to torch that abaco?...did you strip the finish or anything like that?
[/quote]


I just soaked the head in acetone and went at it with a tooth brush to remove all the paintfill and any grease/oils from handling. Torched until the entire thing was glowing cherry red and let air cool. After it was cool I used a very small amount of WD-40 on a soft cloth and buffed to even out the color.

[simpy19]

i think rife's make the greatest improvement after torching.

ps - i am getting ready to caswell blacken my studio select laguna 2

[bknapp34]

I think the rifes always look good too...they always seem to get the best colors...im about to try my edel and my rife here soon

[Deerslayer]

Here's a sampling of some DIY torch/blacken/paintfill

 

 

Oil quenched napa and stripped and quenched palmer

[jasonTeI3]

wow that circle T looks Amazing! and i would love to have that napa as well

[Z3R013]

The antique bronze has been my favorite finish ever since I saw it like 2 years ago on one of Brecks threads. I wish I could replicate it! Soo sweet! Thanks for sharing deerslayer

[bwolfe]

i want to torch my rife as well. what about the grooves on the face? does the high heat effect these? I have the black finish on now, should I torch over the black finish? any experieces?

[SergioKSU]

Here's a couple I posted in another thread...

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[bbeard10]

WOW! A deerslayer putter. Haven't seen one of those in forever.

[joekelli]

 

Oil quenched napa and stripped and quenched palmer

 

[/quote

 

What finish is that on the Palmer and how do you do it?

[Deerslayer]

What finish is that on the Palmer and how do you do it?

 

I stripped the chrome off the Palmer with just sandpaper & scotch bright pads to bare carbon steel, polished the head, then heated the head to where the entire head turned blue (just before it turns purple) and quickly oil quenched it in an oil batch that I made up with blue 4-stroke motor oil, penetrating oil & powdered charcoal.

Oil quenching is the most dangerous finish I have ever worked with. I once came REAL close to screwing myself up royally. I quenched a putter and the oil exploded out of the container all over me and only by chance my arm shielded my face enough to prevent burning of my face. I have since made a container that I can quench in that has a shield in case this were to happen again. I learned and was lucky, not something you really want to try unless you figure out a safe way to do it.

 

Here is a TeI3 done with the same technique, but it is already carbon steel, no need to strip the head:

 

 

[Deerslayer]

Like someone stated above, a finish is only as good as your prep of the head. EASILY the most important part of the process when doing ANY kind of finish. If you want the putter matte, it needs to be matte before you apply the finish, if you want it gloss, same, polish the head before the finish. The biggest rookie mistake I see in all DIY is the heads aren't properly clean prior to what ever type of oxidation process you choose, TORCHING (for sure) and any other finish. Finger prints or any residue that you may not see prior to torching or blackening will come out in full vivid color when you begin what ever oxidation process you do. Use acetone or some degreaser and have the head 100% residue free prior to starting the oxidation via torch or chemical or gas. Once you get prep down right, you can experiment with processes and combinations of processes which I do. I do a lot of chemical / torch oxidations and so on to come up with finishes that are not the norm. Sometimes I find some cool things that work great and come out unique and sometimes I scratch my head and say "damn, I have to completely start over on this head" This site is obviously changing, I see posts and threads up now, that just a year ago, had I posted them.....they would have stripped my rights, flogged me and banished me quicker than acetone takes off a bad paintfill

[KyleGD]

[quote name='SergioKSU' timestamp='1291880246' post='2831444']
Here's a couple I posted in another thread...


[/quote]

Stunning. One of my all time favorite putters and that thing is simply amazing. Well done!

[j-rob]

Is there anyway for me to strip a pro platinum finish?

[Exerve]

Deerslayer, whats the finish on the circle t and the napa?

[SergioKSU]

[quote name='j-rob' timestamp='1291921632' post='2832056']
Is there anyway for me to strip a pro platinum finish?
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure a car detailer that does chrome work can strip it for you. Chemically stripping any kind of metal plating is a dangerous process and leaves behind hazardous waste that needs disposed of properly. You have to remember that taking off the plating on a putter will effect the weight as well. If you are a skilled craftsman I'm sure there are ways to strip plating by sanding but I see two issues with that. One is getting a uniform finish without messing up the loft of the face and two is being able to get into the tight spots on a putter like a Newport. I would rather pay the $15-$20 at a shop that knows what their doing and can just chemically strip it.

[Deerslayer]

Deerslayer, whats the finish on the circle t and the napa?

 

Circle T is a stainless steel head that I used the Caswell Blackener on, the Napa, is a carbon steel head that I stripped, buffed and torched and oil quenched the head. here is a before pic of the putter when it was purchased off of ebay:

 

prefinish

 

postfinish

[Deerslayer]

Pro platinum finish can be manually removed, but you also need a sand blast cabinet to get the internal parts of the putter that you cant get by hand. Weight loss is not significant but it takes an enormous amount of elbow grease. Done a few and it is is waaaaay more work than it is worth.

[SergioKSU]

Here's the one I just finished a couple days ago. Turned out pretty sexy. Especially if you're man enough to rock pink.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53846427@N06/sets/72157625444051703/show/

[tesuquegolfer]

[quote name='SergioKSU' timestamp='1291997857' post='2833521']
Here's the one I just finished a couple days ago. Turned out pretty sexy. Especially if you're man enough to rock pink.

I do like the Pink it stands out nicely. I used purple on my TeI3 but it doesn't stand out that well. I also used metallic blue on a Classic Newport that I gun blued (came out grey/black) but it didn't stand out to well either. I might go to a red and white next time. Nice job by the way. Please provide some details on head finish and technique to get clean paintfill.

[/quote]

[SergioKSU]

[quote name='tesuquegolfer' timestamp='1291999625' post='2833586']
[quote name='SergioKSU' timestamp='1291997857' post='2833521']
Here's the one I just finished a couple days ago. Turned out pretty sexy. Especially if you're man enough to rock pink.

I do like the Pink it stands out nicely. I used purple on my TeI3 but it doesn't stand out that well. I also used metallic blue on a Classic Newport that I gun blued (came out grey/black) but it didn't stand out to well either. I might go to a red and white next time. Nice job by the way. Please provide some details on head finish and technique to get clean paintfill.

[/quote]
[/quote]

Head finish is my own hot bluing recipe. To get a clean painfill I acetone the stamping with a cotton swab then use nail polish to over fill it. I over fill it because when it dries it sinks down into the lettering allowing the nail polish to dry on the side walls. Then I just wipe over it with an acetone soaked napkin type thing and it's good to go. I get the cheap 99 cent nail polish at walmart or walgreens unless I can't find a color i need then I'll spend a little more on another brand.

[tesuquegolfer]

[quote name='SergioKSU' timestamp='1292036582' post='2834745']
[quote name='tesuquegolfer' timestamp='1291999625' post='2833586']
[quote name='SergioKSU' timestamp='1291997857' post='2833521']
Here's the one I just finished a couple days ago. Turned out pretty sexy. Especially if you're man enough to rock pink.

I do like the Pink it stands out nicely. I used purple on my TeI3 but it doesn't stand out that well. I also used metallic blue on a Classic Newport that I gun blued (came out grey/black) but it didn't stand out to well either. I might go to a red and white next time. Nice job by the way. Please provide some details on head finish and technique to get clean paintfill.

[/quote]
[/quote]
Head finish is my own hot bluing recipe. To get a clean painfill I acetone the stamping with a cotton swab then use nail polish to over fill it. I over fill it because when it dries it sinks down into the lettering allowing the nail polish to dry on the side walls. Then I just wipe over it with an acetone soaked napkin type thing and it's good to go. I get the cheap 99 cent nail polish at walmart or walgreens unless I can't find a color i need then I'll spend a little more on another brand.
[/quote]

Thanks for some detail I am always interested in technique others use. I have done a couple and am still refining my technique.

[bknapp34]

So torching it really wont hurt the club will it? I mean your heating the head til its glowing red....the last thing you want to do is mess up something that was milled out to extremely specific parameters and not know you messed up the integrity of your beautiful 350+ putter. I mean these things are spec'd out to to be PERFECT.....will this torching process hurt that?

[bknapp34]

Just torched my EDEL and it tyurned out INCREDIBLE!!! very even and consistent and the colors really came up well...I tried to take good pictures but the light wasnt good enough...I will try to take good pictures tomorrow and post them!

[tucker500]

That's a good looking stick, you do the work yourself? Stealthy and functional.

You game that bad boy at Windmill Lakes?

[Stu-Co]

Here's a sampling of some DIY torch/blacken/paintfill

 

 

Oil quenched napa and stripped and quenched palmer

Deerslayer,

 

Did you buy that Palmer on Ebay? I had sold one just like it a few months ago...:wave:

 

Edit: I just read the your other post describing how you refinished that Palmer yourself... funny enough... I refinished one IDENTICAL to that one! Looks awesome with that finish eh!

[rouski12]

A little something i did over summer.. not bad for a noob.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kevin_J]

I know that there are plum brown and gun blue do it at home finishes. I was owndering if anyone has ever combined those two finishes?

[Stu-Co]

These are pictures of the Arnold Palmer "The Original" that I refinished.... I forgot that I didn't put white paintfill in the "The Original"
[attachment=702599:003.JPG][attachment=702600:004 - Copy.JPG][attachment=702601:005.JPG]