Is wrapping our only option? Patina

[sylvius]

I ran across this item which is very intriguing. To produce a black oxide layer on Stainless Steel to aid in corrosion resistance………. All thoughts welcomed. I will be purchasing a sample and testing it on some
Stainless to see how it looks. If anyone else is interested in a flat black CT sans wrap, this may be a viable, easily applying method to get that look. How homogeneous will depend and to what extent it will help with protection against acidic finger prints remains to be seen. Happy experimenting!! Cheers.
https://www.epi.com/black-oxide-pro...temperature-blackening/insta-blak-ss-370.html

In addition, the E-Tec 504 may be worth exploring as determining how it adheres and the chemistry itself.
https://www.epi.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=E504

Keep us posted on how it looks. I’d definitely like someone else to test it first on their CT but if it works it would be bad ass. These treatments provide a huge amount of protection and can also look really great. Cheaper and more durable than a wrap. I assume it would be possible to buff it out since it’s just an oxidation layer so probably doesn’t penetrate deeply but that would be good to understand. I wonder when replacement body panels will be available from Tesla body shop, it would be nice to get a piece of their steel and cut into pieces to test different application times as well as removing the treatment.

Ultimately, though, I assume for my CT I will just patiently wait until it is uniformly covered with fingerprints. All about developing a rich patina rather than trying to keep it clean

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[Diveflyfish]

Keep us posted on how it looks. I’d definitely like someone else to test it first on their CT but if it works it would be bad ass. These treatments provide a huge amount of protection and can also look really great. Cheaper and more durable than a wrap. I assume it would be possible to buff it out since it’s just an oxidation layer so probably doesn’t penetrate deeply but that would be good to understand. I wonder when replacement body panels will be available from Tesla body shop, it would be nice to get a piece of their steel and cut into pieces to test different application times as well as removing the treatment.

Ultimately, though, I assume for my CT I will just patiently wait until it is uniformly covered with fingerprints. All about developing a rich patina rather than trying to keep it clean

I am in contact with a former materials engineer professor I had to give his perspective. He notes the Martensitic is more subject to corrosion and the natural oxide would be better than any organic coating like wax due to the potential for creating a concentrated anode if the organic coating was removed in a small area leading to amplified corrosive effect and perhaps it is precisely that which made some Delorean panels to pit? Possibly they were waxed? Dunno. I will let all know how the test goes with the black oxide coating. I purchased a rod of Martensitic stainless from Mc Master Carr and will see how easy to remove etc.
I wish I still had access to the scanning electron microscope while in university….. it would be a fascinating view! Cheers

 

[Nexus6]

Contrary to some commenters on this forum, "Stainless Steel" does discolor (rust). Some alloys of Stainless (304 vs 316) more than others.

I would love to do a Black Ion PVD Coating or DLC.

https://www.johndesmond.com/blog/environment/a-brief-tutorial-in-titanium-ion-plating/

https://www.strapcode.com/blogs/all...ating-which-one-is-the-best-for-a-black-watch

 

[Cyberer]

With it being a lower series stainless and not 316 there will be some staining/corrosion/etc
Fingerprints aside it looks like currently the options are let it rust/weather/patina and look used, or PPF or Vinyl wrap it.
Example of non 316 stainless below along with CT owner's manual talking about the discoloration or "maturing"

The faster mine looks like the pic on the right, the better (for me anyway). But I'm different like that.

 

[ConcreteTilt]

Just picked mine up yesterday. I’ve tried everything from windex to zep products.

Invisible glass with a magic eraser and finish with a new dry microfiber. Only thing I’ve gotten not to streak

 

[Sleipnir]

I'm gonna let mine get patina'd as fuck.

 

[Cyberman]

This week, I had the opportunity to closely examine a Cybertruck.
Noticed some patina already starting

I am exploring protective measures

Is vehicle wrapping the sole option to prevent such damage or discoloration?

dec 8 beast order!

Cheers!

Among other absurd ideas floating around, is the concept of sanding, primer and paint stainless steel color paint. It sounds stupid, so it probably is.

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