BLACK HARDWARE

[nicadocius22]

so, i gotta black bike (like everyone else) with some black forks ,nacelle, etc (like alotta bikes now-a-days) and my question is what do people do about finding black nuts bolts etc? i had all the hardware off of the bike black zinc washed by EPS in hayward and they came out ok, not great but ok. i know some places will do "black chrome" or "black nickle" but i was told its can cost up to $2-3 a bolt! any ideas? thanks, Nick

[DGlide04]

Being the owner of a black Road King, I know what you mean.  I've had some limited success finding black hardware at Lowe's and Home Depot, once and a while at my local True Value Hardware store, not very expensive  but I don't use it where there is need for a critical fastener, too much "overseas" stuff out there with unknown quality.

[Coyote]

Have you looked here

They have some black hardware I see.

[Admiral Akbar]

I like black also but using black fasteners is a little too much black.. I use unpolished stainless for the fasteners as they highlight the black but aren't to shinny.. Makes the bike easy to clean..

Max
 

[nicadocius22]

yeah, i know what you mean. maybe its just me but when i see chrome or stainless on black it just looks unfinished. like someone did all that work and then at the end said "f*ck it, ill just use these bolts i found". maybe its me, i dunno. im just picky i guess.

[IndyHarley]

use dura-coat - over all a very cheap but good method of coating just about any color. It is used on firearms but bikers are starting to use it because it is as good as many other coating methods and easier.

[nicadocius22]

looked up dura coat here at work and of course the stupid firewall fun blocker blocked it due to "firearms related material". ill take a look tonight, thanks

[Admiral Akbar]

yeah, i know what you mean. maybe its just me but when i see chrome or stainless on black it just looks unfinished. like someone did all that work and then at the end said "f*ck it, ill just use these bolts i found". maybe its me, i dunno. im just picky i guess.

You gonna black out that chrome fender trim in your avatar?   

Looks OK to me..




Max

[nicadocius22]

i took a stock fender and cut an inch out of the center of it and than welded it back together. i filled in all the holes and then had a kid who works next door (body shop) skim coat it and paint it. i hope that the skinnier fender looks good with the pizza cutter 21" im putting on it. i am just going to paint the rear fender trim black. maybe this winter i will find a stock rear fender and fill in the holes and paint it too but thats a little bit down the road.

[Snuff™]

nicadocius22,

You might want to PM Glockrocket34 about the Black Dura-Coat stuff.  I believe he works with the stuff on bike and gun parts.

[rigidthumper]

I have one customer who decided to take the cheap way out. Bought a bottle of black fingernail polish, and spent a day "painting" all of his fasteners. Didn't look horrible, I guess. I prefer the "industrial" look. Everything but the fasteners black.

[nicadocius22]

i bought a buffing wheel for my benchtop grinder. im gonna see if buffing the black zinc finnish helps it out at all. if not i will start looking into the duracoat. thanks for the help, nick

[Bruno-Katz Fokkerpilot]

Of course, you could always use "Hot Toppers" in black or chrome!



Taxi for Bruno!! 

[nicadocius22]

So I tried to polish that black zinc, didn't work out that well. It polished nice, polished the black right off of it! Think I'll start hunting down that duracoat

[GlockRocket34]

www.lauerweaponry.com

I did my fork lowers, speedo housing, forward controls and chrome rims with their 'matte black' over three years ago and it still looks as good as it did  when I did it.

Jeff.        GlockRocket34

[ricochet]

I didn't think that black zink oxide that comes on store bought fasteners was there to protect them longer than it takes to sell them.  The'll rust up in due time expecially after being washed.  Isn't it just black oxide and oil as a preservative treatment?

I'd wash then well, spray with whatever color you like then touch them up after driving them home.

ricochet

[nicadocius22]

The bolts that were black zinc'd were originally stainless so I think that they will not rust. I'm really in a bind here. One one hand I want this crap done like NOW! On the other hand I'm pretty picky and want it done right.I  Have also been thinking about how thick this dura coat is. I don't want it to plug up the holes on the button heads or torx's and whatnot. Anyone who has used it let me know how it worked for you, thanks

[GlockRocket34]

Nicadocious,

Duracoat requires a blasted surface , degreased and then the finish is applied with an airbrush. It is only about..002-.003" thick. It's actually a two part mixture.  It IS a royal PITA to apply to Chrome, such as... rims.   

Jeff.     GlockRocket34

[nicadocius22]

well im gonna ride out the black zinc for now and see what i think. if i think it looks like crap i worry about it this winter. ill post some pics when its together