Hello, I've been looking for good information on enameling for a couple of weeks now unsuccessfully. I'm hoping I finally found a knowledgeable community!

I am a hobby blacksmith. My main objective is making knives but I've been making other items too, trinket type things, bottle openers, starting to get into fixtures. I usually use either high carbon steel or mild steel.

I would like to try using enamel on some items, like 1/4" mild steel, possibly some rail road spikes as accents and color to the things I'm making. I am hoping someone could answer a few noobie questions for me. From what I have read, I know steel isn't the typical medium folks use.. even less thick steel.

I got some enamel powders from e-namels.com (red and turquoise) that indicated they were for use on steel. I also got some Klyr Fire holding agent from someone on etsy.

I wasn't sure how to use them and didn't find any how-tos, so I tried mixing some of the holding agent with water (like it said) and then tried mixing some of the powder in.. thinking you paint it on like that. But it kept sliding around and off. Then I put it into my forge, which runs 2,000+ degrees F... which I know is too hot. I tried putting it on a bar of steel near the opening but I think it was still too hot. Most of the enamel didn't stay. I ended up with a few bits of color on mostly steel.

So I'm wondering, did I use that holding agent correctly? I'm wondering if I was supposed to paint the agent onto the piece and then sprinkle the powder on that way instead...using sifters. I keep seeing sifters among the things to buy. Also, if this is a piece of steel thicker than a thin disk of metal, would a propane torch work better than a 2,000 - 3,000F forge?

Also, I assume the metal needs to be cleaned off, scale removed and sanded. Is this sufficient or should it be polished and wiped with something like alcohol or acetone? I wasn't sure how fussy to be with that.

Any other thoughts or tips I should be thinking of but am clearly oblivious to would be very welcome.

 

Thank you!

 

This post was edited by Joe Beiter at April 22, 2019 12:59 PM EDT