Black-Leading ?

Evil_Olive

Wasn't sure whether this should go here or on the OS board - apologies if it's in the wrong place.

I have an open fire, which I use for both wood and coal fires, with a seperate decorative cast metal front piece/grill to stop the fuel falling off the grate and adjust the air flow (fender?)
It doesn't have any kind of special finish - just bare cast metal. It's pretty old and the metal looks pretty shabby - possibly oxidised on the surface and ingrained with old ash - has quite a pitted and matted surface. It works fine and there's no practical need to replace it but I'd like to smarten it up a bit. Thought about just washing and then giving it a spray of heat proof matt black paint but don't think that would last very long and not sure if it would be safe.

I'd really like to try something like black-leading it. Saw them doing this in 'Victorian Farm' to an old range which looked like it had just the same kind of soiling/corrosion to the finish as my fender. It also looked pretty straightforward to do (a bit like polishing an old pair of boots) and not too long a job (tho messy )

Trouble is, I haven't got a clue what was in the paste they were using on the programme, what it would be called now - imagine it's not got lead in it any more - or where to buy it (or the ingredients to make it).
Hoping someone here might have some useful info/tips for me. Would be especially pleased if there's a high street shop or supermarket where I could conveniently get the right stuff on my next trip to town.....

Feel free to add any suggestions other than black-leading that you might have for smartening up my fender
Thanking you in advance......

muckybutt

http://www.castfireplaces.co.uk/277-black-lead-grate-polish.html

Another option would be to spray paint it with high temp stove paint

keystone

To add another couple of options to muckybutts suggestion look for Zebo or Stovax. I'd go for the traditional approach myself - albeit a bit messy when you are doing it.

Cheers

phill99

The old stuff used to be called 'Zebo'. If you google 'Zebo black grate polish' alternatives come up. Brings it up a treat

keystone

Is there an echo in here?

Cheers

Evil_Olive

Oo, thanks all
I looked up both of those and it looks like that's the stuff!
The graphite finish one sounds like it would look really nice
Thanks again x

Edited to say:
PS as a lot of reviews are saying that Zebo has changed it's formulation to waterbased and consequently can no longer be buffed up to a shine, I think I'll try the Stovax as that is still waxed based