Materials used.

MAPP GAS- $9
Torch $30
Misc sandpaper $12
Do not do this unless you remove the plastic threads from ARC knobs first,..they will melt and cost 25 dollars to replace.
You want to start by sanding down the knob to be torched. I used 400, 1000, 2000, this time around. If you have old color on the knob, you can actually use just 1500 or 2000 to remove it, but it will not remove enough oxidation(even though it will look like it did) to burn evenly when you retorch it,(you will see an example in a picture below)...for this is why i recommend using a 400 or 600 to start with and then you can jump around to whats available to you. After sanding it down, i usually go rinse it off or just use some cleaner, ....windex or even a "cleaner" from your wax collection to help remove anything left on the surface.

When applying the torch, you can START off by holding it closer to the knob till it begins to warm up but i like to keep a good distance so the flame just kisses the knob, be sure to move the flame around AT ALL times really fast making sure to NOT concentrate on any one area too long. You want an even heating if possible. This is why the vice grips is nice so you can just rotate your wrist.

Now this gold color is the first color it will turn, and you can actually hear it if you have good ears,...almost sounds like a slight sizzling . This color came after about 5 minutes of constant flame while keeping it moving. My first 5 times i tried it I was applying the flame too close and i never noticed the change, it went from polished to red hot and that is not the correct way.


After you get this gold color i recommend two things, 1 is to go run it under cold water till its cool, reason for this is if you are trying to get just the top of the knob to change to blue, purple, or whatever color you like, if the entire knob is still hot, the heat will spread really fast so you wont have a concentration of color. If you choose not to cool it and continue to torch keep the same fast pace applied and the whole knob will change light purple.
Its a crappy picture but you can see around the lettering where i didnt sand with a low enough grit and it didnt take to any color. This purple/pink/magenta is the first color it will change

then the blue comes, the amount of time between the change is about a minute

Here is a picture of it after i resanded it and did it again.

Finished Knobs.

Happy Torching..........and dont do this indoors.

 

Nice write up!

 

Sweet write up man! I recently redid my arc shift knob as well. I bought a M18 bolt from fastenal and had a local machine shop drill it out to a 10 X 1.5. $4 for the bolt and $20 for labor, so it's much cheaper than ordering another plastic insert from arc.

 

i tried the same thing but the shop couldnt drill the m18 bolt i had,...they said it was "steel hardened"....wtf ever that means......i just posted these for sale though,...i keep buying more mapp gas and sand paper so i can keep redoing them. just "burning money" i guess but its fun seeing different variations.

 

Nice write up

Do you also know how to make it glossy afterward?

 

are you talking the "mirror polish" that is sold by arc for example???
if so that is actually the process before burning,....polishing it to the "mirror" finish.

 

This finish is what im looking for...

They call it a polish, I would assume you take your diy then polish it on a buffer at a very high speed to produce the same effect.

 

turned out nice

 

Looks good!! now I know how to do it correctly!

can you use this same method for titanium exahuast canisters?

 

yes, this is from polishing it BEFORE the burning. if you rub the knob it will begin to fade,...........hence the reason for the RE-burn,...after a few months of driving , almost all the color is gone.....its left a bronze/gold color