I am going to begin weathering my steamers soon and would like to know what paints or other process you all have used and prefer. I do not like heavy weathering. I want them to look well used but also well maintained. Kinda that "lived in" look. Most of the pictures I find of well used locos are in black & white. The color photos are mostly all cleaned up for show. The main concern for me would be getting the shine off the side rods, drivers etc. Thanks for your input, Scott
Scott, To rid the shine on drivers and the side rods I would asume they are of some type of metal? And if so, chemically blacken them. This will not wear off like paint and helps to prevent from corrosion and rust. Their was a post on the board here that was called "Blacken it" and this is a chemical used to blacken metals! NOT for use on plastic though! To better help you with this type of technique, go to your local sporting goods store where their is gun repair, the guy that does the repairs might be able to help you in types of chemicals to use to blacken metal. Do yourself a favor and do not get into a rush! This will only lead you into painting them and after a few minutes of run time the paint will scratch and rub off and then you got the shinny rods back that you wanted rid of in the first place! Take your time and think things through. The end result will be rewarding...
