Graphite Enhanced Paint Finish |
"... Verdigris; where engineering becomes art ..."
Graphite enhanced paint is a special finish used to highlight the texture of forged steel
which would otherwise be masked by conventional paints. Essentially graphite flake is mixed with satin black paint and the mixture is sprayed onto the work. The paint is allowed to set until it has almost dried. At this point it is carefully burnished with a soft cloth to expose the graphite flake. Timing is critical, if the paint is too soft it will smear. However if it is too dry, the graphite won't be exposed and the paint will just appear black.
The burnishing is slow and time consuming but the results are worth it. The finish is a silvery grey-black, with a range of tones corresponding to the texture of the underlying metal. The graphite is exposed the most where the texture stands proud, leaving a silvery-grey finish. However, the graphite is not exposed in the hollows of the texture and these areas remain black.
