Hammered paint in a custom color

[Obi-Wan]

I'm restoring an old bench vise, and I'd like to paint it in Rust-oleum's hammered paint. Alas, they don't make a hammered paint in the color I want (dark, gray-ish green). The closest they come is a bright, teal-tinted, Grizzly green.

I see that they do make a clear, hammered top coat:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ol...ed-Clear-Topcoat-Spray-Paint-342483/307244789

Is this clear top coat intended to give the hammered look to whatever color base coat is already on the surface? Has anybody ever used it for that? How did it turn out?

Alternatively, I wondered if I could apply just any old color of hammered paint as a base coat--just to get the hammered texture--and then top coat that with the color of my choice. Will top coating a hammered paint retain any of the hammered texture underneath, or is the hammering part of the color in addition to the texture? Again, has anybody tried doing this? How did it turn out?

How durable is the finish using either of these methods?

 

[old_smokey]

Also wondering this as Hammerite isn’t available here in Canada. Only rustoleum.


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[PugetDude]

Is this one any closer to the green you want?
(11 year old unopened can...)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hammerite-...rand=Hammerite&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851

 

[Obi-Wan]

Is this one any closer to the green you want?

No, "Deep Green" is what they call their current color, which is actually a really close match to the green that Grizzly used to use on all their tools. It's far lighter and bluer than I'm looking for. Thanks, though.

 

[CGT80]

There is also hammered powder coating. I have used a black hammered to do small parts. You could check with a powder coater or look at powder coating supplies for a color that might match.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Alternatively, I wondered if I could apply just any old color of hammered paint as a base coat--just to get the hammered texture--and then top coat that with the color of my choice...[ ]... Again, has anybody tried doing this? How did it turn out?

A few guys here have put a top coat color of their choice over a base coat of wrinkle paint, with some good results, but those were toolboxes, and not Rustoleum. I don't know if the hammered texture will be deep enough, like a wrinkle texture is. Good luck.

 

[lilredex]

Try a little experimenting as I did in posts #6 and #11 here:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4989107

 

[Farmer J.]

People are over thinking this. Just buy a couple of small tins of hammered finish paint, brand of your choice, and mix the colour to suit the job. If the green they sell is too bright then darken it down with a bit of black. It's easier to make a light colour darker than to lighten a dark one..
if you buy some of the 3 primary colours: red, blue and yellow you can make any colour you want, if you mix it in the correct proportion. Just use the same type of paint and mix a little of it it in a clean pot, a jam jar does nicely (or in Lugz case a vintage baby food jar) as one can put the lid on and save it.
Use a 'colour wheel' as a guide:
To make light green use yellow with a little bit of blue.
For darker green mix more blue in to the yellow.

 

[Obi-Wan]

I guess I was hoping to do this cheaply by buying just one or two cans of spray paint ($8 each) rather than buying several brushable cans ($26 each) and mixing them up myself. This bench vise isn't very big or very valuable.

 

[Farmer J.]

Those cans of paint can get quite expensive. I don't know if they have anything similar in Nebraska but some of the shops here sell 'match pots'. Little plastic pots of paint about the size of an egg cup, cheap price and very handy for small jobs.
The idea is that you buy several, try them out and return to buy a large expensive quantity. I just raid the rack of little pots, and the guy in the store groans..

 

[wtn1271]

I have used Rustoleum navy blue gloss over Rustoleum black hammered with reasonable success. I did not get the color variation that the lighter shades (like silver) typically produce but the hammered look was still decent. Might be worth experimenting with silver as a base coat then topcoat with your color choice. Try it out on a scrap piece of metal, old tool box etc. so you wont "ruin" your vise if it doesn't turn out to your liking. I will post some pictures of my little project piece tomorrow. No experience with the hammered clear coat.

Not a great photo but here is a sample of black hammered (appears dark charcoal grey) on the left1/2 and the right 1/2 has a 2nd coat of regular semi gloss black over the hammered. The texture is still there but not as prominent and no color variation.

 

[CudaChick1968]

If you're going with powder coating, check out the powders known as "veins." They have high and low hammertone finishes including greens.

The coolest effect is a silver/black hammertone base coat with a rich candy green translucent top coat. It's a stunning result. (These are not my work, just a couple google images to illustrate the possibilities.)