BAN016 hex head flange bolt 0,9mm

Nine tenths and the question of color

The bigger the head, the more brightly it stands out on a model. At this diameter it is therefore worth considering whether the part should stay in its raw shade or be given a patina. A new motorcycle from the showroom has shiny hardware; a machine worn in after a season has dark heads, with wrench marks and dust gathered in the collar.

What to get ready if you want weathering

• A blackening solution for metals or a dark oil paint; both are applied before installing, not after.
• A small dish and tweezers for dipping, ideally plastic, so that the solution does not react with the tools.
• A size 0 hair brush to bring out the hollow under the collar.
• A cotton swab and a solvent to wipe the surplus off the top of the head.
• A sealable box for drying, so that the colored pieces do not run off.

The order of steps

First painting or patina, then complete drying, and only then gluing into the hole. The reverse order means the solution runs onto the surrounding paint and leaves a stain that can only be removed by respraying the whole surface. Leave an ample reserve in the number of pieces as well: during dipping one or two are regularly lost, and finding them in a dark dish is next to impossible.

A piece of double-sided tape stuck to a board is a good helper too: pieces set on it will stay standing head up while the brush works, instead of rolling about the table. Once dry they are lifted off with a pull of the tweezers and the sticky residue is wiped away with solvent.

The package contains only the fasteners, no chemicals or tools.