wrote:
he
Stainless Steel Blackener 370 is an acidic liquid concentrate used full
strength or diluted with up to 3 parts water to blacken stainless steel at
room temperature. Recommended for color coding parts and blackening
engravings on stainless steels. Produces a pleasing dark gray/black finish.
No sealer required.


link he

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/black.htm#stainless

========

This is a posibility.

There is a mention that there is a process of applying aluminum to stainless
steel and then anodizing it the color you want:

December 10, 2008


You can also treat stainless steel with IVD - ion vapour deposition - to
give an aluminium coating. You can then anodise it in the same way as
aluminium.

Andrew Pridmore
- Gillingham, Kent, UK

link he

http://www.finishing.com/245/20.shtml



Good luck, cause some of this stuff you would have to buy it, and the cost
is high compared to the need for black spokes.

hope this helps

greg

"Mike Rocket J Squirrel" wrote in message
...
On 5/12/2009 1:42 PM wrote:

black anodized steel is a common thing, all you have to do is find out
how it is done and do it on a small scale for spokes.
hope this helps
greg
I'm pretty sure that anodizing isn't used on steel.

"Anodic films are most commonly applied to protect aluminium alloys,
although processes also exist for titanium, zinc, magnesium, and niobium.
This process is not a useful treatment for iron or carbon steel because
these metals exfoliate when oxidized; i.e. the iron oxide (also known as
rust) flakes off, constantly exposing the underlying metal to corrosion."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodize

I wonder how stainless parts are made black, commercially... some Googling
turned up:

"...there is a commercial proprietary product available for blackening
stainless steel based on copper-selenium chemistry. It is used at room
temperature. More information can be obtained by doing an internet search
under the term �blackening process.�

http://www.pfonline.com/articles/cli...cl_plate3.html


--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"
Bend, Oregon



you guys, with respect, are smoking crack. the per-item cost to do all
this stuff is just ridiculously high compared to purchase of the
requisite parts form an expert manufacturer that will not weaken or
fatigue or corrode their own product. just buy the freakin' things and
quit this ridiculous festival of ignorance.