Made my own torched buckle :)

[dilutedmagnetics]

Made my own torched buckle in the laboratory last week. Thought I'd share some pictures here







On the wrist...



I decided to make my own because I don't like PVD'ed buckles. They are too dark and don't match the DLC on my PAM 360.

Here's the procedure if you would like to make one for yourself

Materials and equipment
Soap and water
Hexane
Bunsen burner
Eye protection
Metal tongs
Heat proof gloves
Ceramic crucible

Methodology
1. Clean buckle and metal tongs thoroughly with soap and water. Dry with paper towels.
2. Immerse buckle in hexane for a minute. Use metal tongs to remove buckle from hexane. Wipe off hexane from buckle and metal tongs with paper towels.
3. Put on eye protection and light bunsen burner. Adjust air holes until you get a blue flame.
4. Put on heat proof gloves.
5. Pick up buckle with tongs.
6. Position buckle at the hottest part of the bunsen flame (which is at the tip of the visible blue part of the flame).
7. Take the buckle off the flame when it gets red hot.
8. Watch for the colour of the buckle when has cooled down.
9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 until the desired darkness is achieved.
10. Place buckle in ceramic crucible to cool down.

Cheers and thanks for looking

[m33pok]

hmmm..interesting thanks for sharing
however i don't have a bunsen burner at home..so are there any alternatives to do this?? like maybe use cooking stove, lighter, oven etc...??

[Watcha]

Wow that's fantastic.

You made is sound so easy like peng kang otah.

[dilutedmagnetics]

oxy acetylene blowtorch also can...

I learnt from the professional strap makers that they use a oxy-acetylene blow torch to make their torched buckles. This kind of blow torches are used for welding and cutting metal.

Home stove or handheld-butane blow torches (for caramelising creme brulee, for example) may not be hot enough to achieve the temperature required to blacken the metal, IMHO. But I have not verified this through experimentation.

[seiko.citizen]

Nice work. Looks impressive. I know of certain handheld blow torch, that can equal a bunsen flame (heat and flame wise). But a bunsen burner is definitely more effective. Else if all else fail, ask the welding shop to borrow the flame for 5 mins

[PamDino]

You must show a step by step video tutorial mah

Oxy-acetylene torch is easily available in industrial work site. I may try one on mine.

Dino

[Oceanklassik]

An effort worth sharing. Tx

[dilutedmagnetics]

You must show a step by step video tutorial mah

Oxy-acetylene torch is easily available in industrial work site. I may try one on mine.

Dino

Aiyoh Sir, I was alone mah. No one to help me take pix.

If you are going to use an oxy-acetylene torch, please be very careful. The flame is hot enough to melt the buckle. So once you see the metal turning red, take it off the flame. It's much easier to control the outcome when using bunsen flame because it is much cooler.

[psee]

Cool! Thks for sharing

[Ant]

I learnt from the professional strap makers that they use a oxy-acetylene blow torch to make their torched buckles. This kind of blow torches are used for welding and cutting metal.

Home stove or handheld-butane blow torches (for caramelising creme brulee, for example) may not be hot enough to achieve the temperature required to blacken the metal, IMHO. But I have not verified this through experimentation.

You can actually get a high ouput gas torch which is easily available in DIY stores or ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/IRODA-High-outpu...item4cf3d45c44
Which can easily achieve 1350°C flame temperature should be able to get the job done nicely.

[Watcha]

Thanks for the info. A bit hard for some who have to access to such equipment.

Next blacken a case? Pam 0?

[m33pok]

You can actually get a high ouput gas torch which is easily available in DIY stores or ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/IRODA-High-outpu...item4cf3d45c44
Which can easily achieve 1350°C flame temperature should be able to get the job done nicely.

hi ant,

for this type of torches, will the gas be used up at a fast rate?
if the gas in such torches were to be used up where to refill the gas?
thanks

[m33pok]

Thanks for the info. A bit hard for some who have to access to such equipment.

Next blacken a case? Pam 0?

try it on a homage first
cheers!

[Ant]

hi ant,

for this type of torches, will the gas be used up at a fast rate?
if the gas in such torches were to be used up where to refill the gas?
thanks

Not sure about the used up rate. Never used it for other purpose expect torching buckle.
Moreover the refill is cheap lor ( ard 5 bucks i think), got the refill since Feb have yet to get a new refill.
Got the refill ( butane gas refill )from the DIY or provision shop
Unless you want to use it on food maybe the used on rate is fast lor. Saw them use it in some restaurants

[m33pok]

Not sure about the used up rate. Never used it for other purpose expect torching buckle.
Moreover the refill is cheap lor ( ard 5 bucks i think), got the refill since Feb have yet to get a new refill.
Got the refill ( butane gas refill )from the DIY or provision shop
Unless you want to use it on food maybe the used on rate is fast lor. Saw them use it in some restaurants

may be you can provide the named of DIY shop or provision that does this?