coloring screw heads

[cecil rolfe]

I am looking for a way to match plain steel screw heads to dark antique brass. I want a permanent color. Chemical dip?

[william watts]

You can file the plating,if there is any, off the head of the screws and heat them with a torch. They will turn a dark black-blue color. The filing leaves flats and scratched areas that give the screw an antique look. Wont be an exact match.

[Jim Becker]

Would it not be easier and more consistent to just source some screws in an antique brass finish? Use the steel screws initially to "tap" the hole and then install the antique brass screws (if they are brass and not colored steel)...

[Curt Harms]

We had this situation and bought some solid brass screws and soaked the heads in acetone then scrubbed them with steel wool to remove any coating. Then we made a solution of vinegar and salt and submerged the heads in that for a day (I think it was). That gave the heads a patina. They got darker over time. Like Jim said, use steel screws to 'tap' the hole. Solid brass screws are soft.

[cecil rolfe]

Thanks. I used a straight vinegar bath on steel screws as suggested on another forum. It worked perfectly. As mentioned above soaking time controlled the color.