Light Blue Hammered Paint

[Gonzo1717]

I recently acquired a vintage Sun 504 Distributor tester which was missing the cabinet. After some digging, I found a Sun cabinet at a steal of a deal… the down side is the owner painted some heavy primer on it around 40 years ago. From the looks of it, it’s on there pretty good and the original light blue hammered finish under it appears to be flaking etc.

I planned on stripping it and shooting some Hammerite light blue hammered finish on it but, it appears it has been discontinued. Does anyone know where I can get this finish or somehow possibly reproduce it. I’ve got quite a few hours wrapped up on the internet searching for a solution but, have not been able to find one. I figured it was time to ask the experts.

Thank you in advance…

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Not an exact match but I needed some light blue hammered finish spray paint last year and was able to find some from Rust Oleum at one of my local hardware stores (Oakland, Ca)

Take a look and see if that might work for you

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/stops-rust/hammered-spray?ls=7212830&lc=Light%20Blue

 

[Gonzo1717]

Thank you for the reply!

Regrettably, I believe that option is no longer available as well. Seems to be out of stock everywhere.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

It's been out of stock, not discontinued, since at least the beginning of the pandemic. No word from Rustoleum on when it might be in stock again. That goes for the Hammered Verde Green as well.

 

[Gonzo1717]

There has to be way to replicate this finish? I’d hate to have to have the cabinet powder coated, I can only imagine what that would cost.

 

[Jayman17]

I recently inquired with Rustoleum about both the Verde Green and Light Blue hammered paints. They said they are not discontinued but just out of stock. They said it may be several months before they are available. It was about a month ago when I contacted them.
I don’t know why it would take so long...

Jay

 

[67carl]

The verde green and light blue have been unavailable since long before the pandemic. I found posts as far back as 2017 where people were unable to find them. I emailed Rustoleum customer service a month or so ago and was told its not discontinued but out of stock because of a "supply issue". What kind of supply issue goes on for 5 years and not get resolved? It's very strange and there must be more to it.


Post #15
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/do-you-use-your-vintage-vice.490533/#post-9347581

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/wilton-vise-paint.153114/page-2#post-9354385

 

[engineer2]

We also discussed it here:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...n-equipment-junkie.212565/page-3#post-9201853

Same issue: everybody is out of it, but you might find a single can here and there. I kept checking the local Menards, and one day they had a single can that I bought. It is a bit lighter than the Sun color, but for it was close enough for the distributor tester back panel. I dislike Rust Oleum paints because of all the overspray, clogging nozzles, and poor durability. RustOleum Corporate HQ is in the next town over, so all you find in local stores around here is Rustoleum.

A better alternative might be to have the color matched at your local auto paint store. A cabinet will come out better with a spray gun than a rattle can.
Not sure if Mark Saunders at Paramount sells paint, it can be a hassle to ship. He has cabinet stickers.

 

[Tostal]

I wonder if mixing Hammerite dark blue and Hammerite silver in suitable proportions might give the OP the light blue shade required?

~Tostal

 

[GrayFlattop]

The Rust-Oleum aisle at the local menard’s has been 10% full for the last year. Almost none or the textured or hammered finishes in stock. Very few colors available.

 

[engineer2]

Our local Menards doesn't stock it anymore, but you can likely special order it.

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/spray-paint/all-purpose-spray-paint/rust-oleum-reg-stops-rust-reg-hammered-finish-spray-paint-12-oz/7212830/p-1444453046991.htm

 

[Gonzo1717]

I spoke with Mark regarding what he uses. I was disheartened when he said he shoots Hammerite Hammered light blue through a gun, which is discontinued and what he does have left, he will not sell… totally understandable.

I thought about maybe getting some Hammerite light blue smooth and as it’s drying, spray a topcoat of Rustoleum hammered clear over it for the texture. Problem is that the color variation won’t be there as the light blue smooth is a not metallic color. From what I have gathered from my readings is that the “hammered” look is accomplished by means of adding metallic to the paint with a mixture of some form of silicone. The metallic mixed with silicone allows for the subtle variation of color.

Really ***** that these companies have elected to either discontinue, or go on indefinite back order on the two most sought after colors for antique equipment restorers.

I was hoping someone had a workaround, or possibly a supply store that can custom mix something that I could get my hands on.

Still hoping someone chimes in with a solution… I’d really like to get this cabinet up to spec as soon as possible.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

I recently inquired with Rustoleum about both the Verde Green and Light Blue hammered paints. They said they are not discontinued but just out of stock. They said it may be several months before they are available. It was about a month ago when I contacted them.
I don’t know why it would take so long...

Jay

It was last year when I contacted them. Their story hasn't changed.

 

[engineer2]

Looks like they sell Hammerite by the gallon, unless their site is out of date.

HAMMERITE 45150 LIGHT BLUE HAMMERED METAL FINISH SIZE:1 GALLON|LIGHT BLUE HAMMERED|Hammered Finish|Hammerite|Shop by Brand|Paint Store

 

[Gonzo1717]

I did see that. Thinking they had old stock, I attempted to purchase and received a earring that the site was a phishing scheme and would not allow me to move forward with the purchase.

browsing through that site, it appears to be fraudulent. Has anyone had any personal experience with them?

 

[engineer2]

I see it is an unsecure site, and it's for sale, so best to take a pass. Maybe it was a real business in the past. but not anymore.
If it's up for sale, it could disappear overnight.

Paint-Store.net d/b/a Latin Compras Corporation
20340 N.E. 15th court. Unit #608 A little rental unit.
Miami, Florida 33179.
LATIN COMPRAS CORPORATION
Incorporation Date
30 October 2002 (about 19 years ago)
Directors / Officers
MAURICIO FRUSCIANTE, president

Mauricio Frusciante Reviews | Miami, Florida | UpCity

Read detailed, verified Mauricio Frusciante reviews. Browse the company profile and find out what real clients are saying about Mauricio Frusciante.

upcity.com

 

[MShaw]

I painted this box with Rustoleum 7214 Grey hammertone. Looks like tyhe picture below. Probably not close enough but it's a thought. Got it at Lowes

 

[lilredex]

If you want to play around with mixing up your own, this might help...

Painted Projects

A local GJ member graciously sold me a bank of drawers that needed refinishing, it was of interest as it was the sister of one I already had. I now have 48 drawers to work with. It was sprayed with my $12 gun from Princess Auto using dollar store paint. This is the final result, pic #1+2. This...

www.garagejournal.com

Scroll down to post #11.

 

[FlaGman]

About 20 years ago I had a project where the customer wanted a hammer tone finish in a non standard color, kind of a soft green. I was able to tint the silver hammer finish well enough to work.

 

[67carl]

Looks like they sell Hammerite by the gallon, unless their site is out of date.

HAMMERITE 45150 LIGHT BLUE HAMMERED METAL FINISH SIZE:1 GALLON|LIGHT BLUE HAMMERED|Hammered Finish|Hammerite|Shop by Brand|Paint Store

Many places don't have product in stock, they just middleman it. When you order, they order from their supplier and have it sent to you. They don't update their websites. I tried ordering "in stock" from a few reputable big name places and, of course, shortly after got a "not in stock" email. I did see someone selling a spray can of verde green on eBay once - for something like $50!

 

[Farmer J.]

I was hoping someone had a workaround, or possibly a supply store that can custom mix something that I could get my hands on.

Still hoping someone chimes in with a solution… I’d really like to get this cabinet up to spec as soon as possible.

I wonder if mixing Hammerite dark blue and Hammerite silver in suitable proportions might give the OP the light blue shade required?

~Tostal

Here is the solution from Tostal. Mix some silver in with the dark blue, and get the shade you want. Last year I got light red by mixing silver with dark red hammered finish. It worked fine.
If you just keep some red, yellow and blue in the workshop you can mix any colour you want. Paper cups and wooden sticks are useful.

 

[Maui]

I recently inquired with Rustoleum about both the Verde Green and Light Blue hammered paints. They said they are not discontinued but just out of stock. They said it may be several months before they are available. It was about a month ago when I contacted them.
I don’t know why it would take so long...

Jay

I understand the frustration. When I first tried to find the verde green locally about 8 years ago nobody carried it. You had to special order it. So I did. I bought several cases containing six cans each of the hammered verde green. I also bought a case of the hammered light blue Rustoleum paint. And I still have quite a bit left. I just painted a motor with the verde green yesterday in about 40F temperatures, and it turned out pretty nice. I did not see this shortage coming and feel very fortunate to have this paint on hand.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

@Gonzo1717 today I was in the hardware store I originally got light blue hammered paint from and out of curiosity I checked to see if they had any left. Turns out they have a whole row of Rustoleum hammered light blue still in stock.

If this is something you really need I'd be happy to send some to you for cost + shipping. I'd just need to look up how to ship spray paint. But this could be a solution

 

[Model A Fan]

@Gonzo1717 today I was in the hardware store I originally got light blue hammered paint from and out of curiosity I checked to see if they had any left. Turns out they have a whole row of Rustoleum hammered light blue still in stock.

If this is something you really need I'd be happy to send some to you for cost + shipping. I'd just need to look up how to ship spray paint. But this could be a solution

I think you can send it via UPS ground or similar. USPS might have an issue sending it in priority mail (since it travels by air often), but their ground service may accept it as well. Its funny, I had NO IDEA there was a shortage of this paint either, and I just kept checking Lowe's each time I was in as I want to restore some equipment to non-factory colors and liked this color. All they had was a bunch of silver and brown. No blue or green and I've always liked it but never had a need until recently. I've been thinking of buying a powder coat set-up for powder coating my stuff due to the cost of owning a cheapie unit isn't bad and the available colors are almost limitless (3200+ from certain suppliers). There are crinkle finish powder coats as well.

Here's a good source for powder coat in many different blues and greens.

Prismatic Powder Coat Blues and Greens-Wrinkle Finish

 

[Model A Fan]

A local ACE Hardware store had light hammered blue and they claim they can get more as of Mar 25. If they get more, I can report back. They had two cans for $8.60/each. You might try your local ACE store as the gal I talked to about ordering it said they will get more from the warehouse and that it is in stock in the warehouse.

 

[Jayman17]

This is good news I will look for some. Thanks

Jay

 

[stonesfan68]

I needed to get a hammered green finish on a small SK toolbox that came with a set of 3/8” drive SAE flex sockets that I bought a few weeks ago. I stripped off most of the old paint and sprayed some lacquer primer over the nearly bare metal. I then sprayed it with hammered black paint. I let that dry for a couple of days and then sprayed it with JD Green Farm Implement Paint. I think that it turned out pretty well, although the implement paint is relatively thick so some of the hammered effect is lost.


You can most likely do the same thing with a blue paint color, just choose a good base coat color.

 

[vwpieces]

None round here. I bought up the last I could find online a year ago.

 

[Model A Fan]

None round here. I bought up the last I could find online a year ago.

That jack turned out really nicely. Did you do a thread on the restoration? I have an old (Blackhawk I think) jack I bought to do a similar restoration...about 5 years ago.

 

[vwpieces]

That jack turned out really nicely. Did you do a thread on the restoration? I have an old (Blackhawk I think) jack I bought to do a similar restoration...about 5 years ago.

posted some pics in the vintage floor jack thread. But no real build thread on it's own.
Have a Newish but still Old 60-70's Blackhawk that was left in my shop when I bought the place 5yrs ago. Was SAD shape but I figured it deserved a restore also. Good Jacks aren't cheap. I do use the Walker and Blackhawk. But still have a good aluminum I use the most cause its a feather in comparison.

 

[Wparrett]

Working on restoring a '64 Wilton C-1 vise and found (thankfully!) a single can of Rust-oleum Hammered Light Blue at my local Ace today. I have this forum to thank, as the internet seems to be void of it and Verde Green.

 

[Jr5]

Working on restoring a '64 Wilton C-1 vise and found (thankfully!) a single can of Rust-oleum Hammered Light Blue at my local Ace today. I have this forum to thank, as the internet seems to be void of it and Verde Green.

I’m not sure why Rustoleum isn’t manufacturing this. Seems to be a lot of wanting for it.

 

[The Cobbler]

wow, just stumbled on this. pretty sure I have a part gallon of hammered light blue alkyd paint. I need to dig into my stash

 

[THRobinson]

Old thread but was trying to find hammered paint here in Canada. Some reason I can't find light blue or light green, or colourshift from Rustoleum so emailed them and they said that some chemicals in the light blue / green and colourshift isn't allowed in Canada anymore so not sold here now. So, figured Hammerite... Can't ship spray cans but at least they sell brush-on paint, but nope, no longer making light blue/green either.

Light blue/green were used on so many vintage tools. Just find it weird that those two colours are now unavailable. Dark green looks nice, but just not the same. Bit disappointed.

 

[ckucia]

I just found this same

Old thread but was trying to find hammered paint here in Canada. Some reason I can't find light blue or light green, or colourshift from Rustoleum so emailed them and they said that some chemicals in the light blue / green and colourshift isn't allowed in Canada anymore so not sold here now. So, figured Hammerite... Can't ship spray cans but at least they sell brush-on paint, but nope, no longer making light blue/green either.

Light blue/green were used on so many vintage tools. Just find it weird that those two colours are now unavailable. Dark green looks nice, but just not the same. Bit disappointed.

I just found this same thread today looking for the same thing. Been 9 months since this thread started and still nothing appears to be in stock. Crazy times we live in.

 

[THRobinson]

Well, at least in the USA you have a chance of getting it... in Canada it seems we're just utterly outta luck.

My father passed away a few years ago, was a bit of a hoarder of tools. Past year been going through the piles and pulling out a lot of great old vintage vises, jointer, drills, saws etc... and would like to grab the good ones and do a full strip down and restore. Power tools are all silver hammered paint, but bench tools were all blue/green. Woulda been nice to do everything in green.

 

[Bob/Ohio]

I contacted Rustoleum last week about the light blue hammered spray paint. They emailed me back and said the demand on these paints were more than expected. I was told that it should be back in stock early 2023. Take this for what its worth.

 

[TheRealZeus]

I’ve been looking for this paint for years. I got no car, no health insurance, no car insurance, no drivers license, no job, no home. Trying to sell tools & vises is tuff.

Compromising is not an option.. done that with painting a vise before, and sat on it WAY longer than I wanted, before I found a buyer. Still only made about 5$, after expenses, for her.

I decided to give up. Closing my lil shop at new years. Everything is a fight. My family does not understand anything.. they are “whelp this is good enough..” people. Buying foreign cheap garbage, is pretty much the family’s religion, in California. I was born here, but never liked being here. they have never worked with their hands, never a real job, and have ZERO appreciation for tools. Bro is a welder, but we are just acquaintances, really. I am not like them, they are all comfortably rich, ignorant, and indifferent to me. When you are poor, you are treated like a dog. I’m am done with it all. I lost my mind, stuck in a rut, Long-long ago.. family rolls their eyes at ever detail, after they ask me “why this/that?”. Ya know… Those little things that matter to all of us, to accomplish tasks, CORRECTLY.

They are duct tape peeps, and I am JB weld, baby… hope there is some in da coffin! all is well & good.. now I just gotta sell a primed vise, “Primed!!!! ready to paint!” tool listing fly off the shelve….. right?

By the way, if you’re from any of the other 49 don’t come to California you got it made… instead of being interested in teamwork… To anyone else selling tools, you only as an enemy, nobody works together unless it is their friends/family. I truely would rather be back in Texas, or NC, where I never had to explain the simplest things. You can’t talk shop with someone who’s never worked in the shop.. you can only educate them, as much as they are willing to learn. “Quick and easy” seems to have overtaken “Completed properly.”

BUT IF YOU NEED BRONZE or COPPER, tacky, lame fake-looking paints… there are thousands upon thousands of cans, in every single store here… it is disgusting… is it called “Faketiquing?” outta be. fml.

get back to Primary & binary colors! Get these companies a color wheel.. they probably lost it behind a bench… probably because of the paint shaker, no doubt!

post script: 🫤 I’ve actually seen one or two coppers, & bronzed vises that looked great, but I am telling them that, I don’t want it to become a habit.

Thanks for letting me rant, saves on spackle.

Z

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Heard tell that xylene is the way to go when thinning hammered paint? I've never had much luck shooting it from a gun.

 

[TheRealZeus]

acetone, xylene, or even mineral spirits work. Users preference varies. Honestly, I am not positive, but I pretty sure I used mineral last time I ran a sprayer.. idk that was back in early 2000s.