Horseshoes

[Hand Plane]

Every now and then, I do up horseshoes, which my daughter-in-law decorates, for presenting to brides.

I clean up the horseshoes (wash, scrub, wire brush, electrolysis, wire brush, bleach, wire brush etc etc) and end up with some nice shiny metal – which looks like bright steel.

I have tried different types of lacquer but they all seem to dull the surface to a greyish colour.

Any suggestions for what could be applied which doesn't dull the metal?

 

[MARK.B.]

Could you maybe spray paint them Silver

 

[hog&bodge]

I like to give them a spray with lacquer when they are just
warm from cleaning.
But in the end they always end up painted.

 

[Alasdair]

Wondering if the laquer you get for polished brass etc would do or try Chrome car paint?

 

[chris.s]

what about an oil or wax treatment instead

 

[Hand Plane]

Thanks for all the above replies. I haven't tried a silver spray - yet. The lacquer that I have used most is Horolacq (for clocks etc and comes in silver and brass versions). I leave the horse shoes in the airing cupboard overnight so nice and warm, and they also go back there for final drying.

I have tried acrylic lacquer - disaster due to the water base. Tried a couple of clear cellulose spray-on lacquers, but wasn't as good or controllable as the Horolacq.

I am attaching a couple of photos showing 'One we made earlier' and a shoe which is ready for decoration. They do look pretty good, but I should have photographed a shoe before lacquering for proper comparison. If I try some other lacquer or solution I'll come back later.

 

[Bob Chapman]

Looking at your photos I think you are worrying too much. The decorated one, which is presumably sprayed, looks very authentic - and that’s an important factor. If you spray paint them silver or such then you make them ‘false’ and once you do that the bride might just as well go for plastic that looks just as false but cost less (I assume).

 

[Hand Plane]

Thanks Bob. We don't charge for the horseshoes - any labour cost makes them prohibitively expensive. So it's done for pleasure.