Hi Members,
I decided to age my 47mm Egi.
Here is the bezel I’ve started with. I wanted to get some contact corrosion through the contact
from stainless-steel with carbon-steel in connection with some moisture
The bezel was polished with cape cod and the bezel pearl was made with laquer and lume powder. I applicated a drop of water on each pin
I used a file and an old scrap Metal from carbon steel to produce some Iron powder
Then, I sprinkled the powder over the bezel
The redundant powder was blown away carefully. Only the powder around the pins was left, because of the moisture from that drop of water.
I placed the prepared bezel in a container with some water ( for a moist climate ) at the bottom.
After three hours, the bottom from the bezel started to get a little rusty
After one day, about 28 hours later, the bezel got a real rusty surface. Not too hard, but also not simple to remove. I rubbed with a cloth over it and it was still there.
I also removed the pearl, it needs a more aged one.
The next thing I want to age is the case. It is now in a container, treated with the same procedure.
Thank you for looking
Greetz
Uwe
Ok Guys,
busy again yesterday. I took the case the day before yesterday in a can, together with rusty screws and some other scrap metal, added some water and were waiting for results.
Here is the can with the case and the rusty stuff
And this is what came out yesterday evening after about 24 hours
This was not the result I’ve expected. The rust was not permanent enough.
I guess the case is made from ahigher grade stainless steel, maybe more chrome in it.
So, what now ?
I had some muriatic acid and a rusty drill
Scratched the rust from the drill, applicated it to the case and added some drops of acid
Until the surface was dry, I took the case back in the can with the rusty stuff.
Added some water and cooked it with a propane burner until all water was vaporized.
Now the result was more in the direction I wanted.
But still not permanent enough. Now came the time to go the harder way. The case or me
I grabbed my good old propane burner and started the final treatment. I’ve heated the case up with all the rusty and rotten goodies on it, all or nothing..
OK, it looks like destroying the case, but it allowes a hard treatment.
I didn’t went over 250 - 300C°.
Fast quenching with cold water dripped area by area made the finish.
Enough work for one evening
( Aging of the hands and the dial was also done as a sideline, I will upload the pics later)
This morning at the office I cleaned the case and this is what it looks like now
The crownguard is still in the can, it was also cooked with the rusty stuff.
For me is the aged look of the case good enough, not too hard and not too soft.
Let me know your opinions
Btw, I need a new, higher plexi anyone out there who can help me with that ?
The next step ( done during waiting for corrosion ) aging the dial and hands
Damn, I just wanted to show the bezel aging, now I am nearly done with the whole watch.
Here is the dial that came with the watch. I’ve relumed it with some lume I got from the nice member homecd. I also bleached it a little bit with wet 2000 grit sandpaper.
I applicated some chestnut wood staine to the backside
But nothing came through to the frontside, so I used a toothpick and applicated the staine to the numbers and indices at the front ( Not really my favourite kind of work )
I also thought it would look nice to have a scratched circle in the diameter of the hourhand.
I cutted a disc in the necessary dimension and made a hole in the middle.
Connected it with the most useful tool, the toothpicker to the dial.
Than I had to move the disc with soft pressure in clockwise rotation against the dial.
The dust needs to be wiped away, but the result so, far, was good enough for me.
Now I came to the hands, it was also logical for me to use muriatic acid, because the sulphur in it reacts with the brass from the hands
I placed the hands on a bottle cap of my favourite beer ( König Pils ) and added some drops of acid to it
After neutralizing the hands with water and cleaning the dial I’ve mounted the dial and hands to the movement
So far so good.
Next thing will be the crownguard aging
Now I need the higher domed plexi, compression lugbars ( Dow provides me with them, Thank you mate ) . I have to go outside and have a look at the contamined, sandblastet piece of stainless steel. Will post pics of it later today.
Thank you for looking and all the replies.
To be continued…….