Hi Nelson,
Thank you.Yes, it is a Native American Lakota. Quite a few of this tribe were massacrer victims at Wounded Knee. I think it will look better with an even coat of rust. Is there a quick way to do this?
Frank

Hey Frank, just yesterday I needed to rust a piece and have never before done it purposely.If the metal is quite clean from debris,grease,etc. it`ll rust in a few days once it gets H20 and warmth. Rich and other guys sugested some chem to rust. You may check back. Curiously Frank, man discovered that urine would have an oxidizing effect on steel due to the uric acid. After having worked in agriculture for nearly 20 years,using pesticides and all sort of chemicals, some of which are pretty deadly, I tried to stay away from them as posible. So I tried some home made mixes using, chlorine, salt, vinegar, urine, and copper sulphate, of which I still have a lot. Cu sulphate is used to control some fungi in plants. I did all the combinations possible, and one of them even bubbled some as it reacted.I was a bit weary about probably generating some sulphuric acid from Cl + Cu sulphate reacting,so I stick with the following that interestingly gave the best results. But in short, the outcome was this: the urine+vinegar+salt = gave a nice yellowish rust in a half a day left alone. The copper sulphate (fairly safe chem) gave a nice varigated rust where the orange prevailed over some yelowish. My client chose the latter. Best results are achieved in warm and moist climates. Once you apply either and it drys on the metal, you may want to give a light spray of water, or more solution, with a spray bottle. No pun intended with the urine suggestion Frank, it works!And once it reacts no pee smell at all. One of my dogs have a deposit door well patinated, too much... ! Let us know how those native heads turn out. A rusty patina with some hi lights from grinding here and there may be ineteresting, or the whole piece rusted... Ciao Frank.

Hey Frank, just yesterday I needed to rust a piece and have never before done it purposely.If the metal is quite clean from debris,grease,etc. it`ll rust in a few days once it gets H20 and warmth. Rich and other guys sugested some chem to rust. You may check back. Curiously Frank, man discovered that urine would have an oxidizing effect on steel due to the uric acid. After having worked in agriculture for nearly 20 years,using pesticides and all sort of chemicals, some of which are pretty deadly, I tried to stay away from them as posible. So I tried some home made mixes using, chlorine, salt, vinegar, urine, and copper sulphate, of which I still have a lot. Cu sulphate is used to control some fungi in plants. I did all the combinations possible, and one of them even bubbled some as it reacted.I was a bit weary about probably generating some sulphuric acid from Cl + Cu sulphate reacting,so I stick with the following that interestingly gave the best results. But in short, the outcome was this: the urine+vinegar+salt = gave a nice yellowish rust in a half a day left alone. The copper sulphate (fairly safe chem) gave a nice varigated rust where the orange prevailed over some yelowish. My client chose the latter. Best results are achieved in warm and moist climates. Once you apply either and it drys on the metal, you may want to give a light spray of water, or more solution, with a spray bottle. No pun intended with the urine suggestion Frank, it works!And once it reacts no pee smell at all. One of my dogs have a deposit door well patinated, too much... ! Let us know how those native heads turn out. A rusty patina with some hi lights from grinding here and there may be ineteresting, or the whole piece rusted... Ciao Frank.

Hi Nelson,
Sounds like a good mix to me. I have everything but the copper sulfate laying around the house, so I guess I better start experimenting, eh? Thanks.
Frank

I recently tried salt-water and a good dose of coca cola. It worked well over night. The mixture produced a nice burnt-orange rust. I think the stickiness of the cola increases the short term effects.

Hi Peggy,
Grass Dancer is 15" tall and 7" wide. At least for now. I would like to add some adornment(scrap) to him.I'm glad you like him, I'm still scratching my head.You amaze me remembering the names of my sculptures, that's one heck of a compliment.
Frank

Hi Kimberli,
I read your comment, tried some peroxide and it worked really well! Thanks.I used straight out of the bottle in a spray thingy.Thanks for the encouragement too.
Frank

Hi Kimberly: I`m glad to find out about H peroxide (acetone) for rusting. Never did a rusty piece till now, so I`ll try it out. Sounds like it`ll beat my funky mix! I will test it though against the Cu sulphate solution and compare tones. Probably that`s what you sprayed on your scrap metal pieces you made lately. I forgot to comment on those, but not quite `cause I remember them ! Great Kim! nelson.

Hi Kimberly: I`m glad to find out about H peroxide (acetone) for rusting. Never did a rusty piece till now, so I`ll try it out. Sounds like it`ll beat my funky mix! I will test it though against the Cu sulphate solution and compare tones. Probably that`s what you sprayed on your scrap metal pieces you made lately. I forgot to comment on those, but not quite `cause I remember them ! Great Kim! nelson.

Hi Chuck,
Thanks. Everyone has been showing some fantastic pieces from their scrap pile. It inspired me to try something.
Frank

Hi Rob,
Thank you for the nice compliment. I hope it improves with any modifications.
Frank

Once you get the rust the way you want it, try spraying a lite coat of WD-40 and lightly tap the excess with an absorbent lint free cloth. Simplest way to get a darker rust finish that will not continue to rust.

Hi QuiQue,
Thanks, I'll definitely try that.
Frank

Hi Jake,
I was being taken over by little bits of re-rod and sheet metal.The only way to get rid of them was to make something with them.I look at this project as experimenting with a new "brush stroke" I'm honored that you like it.I'm pleased enough to make another.
Frank (in da UP,eh?)