Soot

[VonRyan]

I had a thought tonight while fiddling with a PRR Kerosene lantern.
The backstory here is that the wick won't move up or down, and I haven't bothered to just cut it shorter. So, when I had it lit tonight it was making a bit of smoke. After getting distracted by something else, I went back outside to find that the top vent holes were getting full of soot and the globe was getting sooty as well.

Anyhow, after extinguishing it and taking it back inside, I opened it up to reveal a nice pile of soot sitting there.

Thus, my thought...  Why try and replicate soot when I have a nice pile of it sitting in the bottom of my lantern?

Is this a worthy idea, or mistake in the making? What are your thoughts?

[VonRyan]

And here's a photo of the inside of the lantern as it sits right now:

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[Missaberoad]

Depending on the texture it may be useful for some situations... Worth experimenting with...

One potential issue I predict is it may "gum" up if you tried sealing it with a flat spray...

[CNR5529]

What better way to model soot than by using soot! Don't know if this helps or not, but I have used fine sifted ash from my charcoal bbq for various applications: mud roads, cinder ballast, weathering dust. I imagine this soot could yield similar results. All I can say is try it on a small piece of scrap first, and see how you like the results.

[Philip H]

I'd grind some really pine in a mortar and pestle and then test it on something . . . I do worry about the reaction to dull coat . . . .

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It's like the old trick of using cigarette ashes to weather steam engines.

[Philip H]

It's like the old trick of using cigarette ashes to weather steam engines.

Wasn't that a natural phenomena in the 1940's and 1950's MR world?

[VonRyan]

I'd grind some really pine in a mortar and pestle and then test it on something . . . I do worry about the reaction to dull coat . . . .

I'd say the stuff is pretty fine already since it instantly blackens anything it touches.

I'll probably do a test tonight to see if this idea has any merit.

[chicken45]

[peteski]

Isn't this type of soot called "lamp black".    It is extremely fine already, but also oily.

 I don't like placing anything on a model which will never dry or get easily smeared when handled.  I also have my doubts that it can be successfully sealed with some clear coat.  It will also be really messy when handling the model (and unlike pastel powders soap and water will be needed to clean it off your hands).

EDIT: added link for carbon black.  Actually, soot is a different material. Do we really know which this is?  I learned something new . . .

[tom mann]

I'll believe it when it see it.

[amato1969]

I would skip the messy "real" soot and use some of the pigments that the armor guys swear by.  They are finely ground and have a binder built in that makes them "stick" well to matte surfaces.

Reference: http://www.missing-lynx.com/rare_world/rw05.htm

Vallejo and Mig Productions are two manufacturers you can't go wrong with...

  Frank

[VonRyan]

Isn't this type of soot called "lamp black".    It is extremely fine already, but also oily.

 I don't like placing anything on a model which will never dry or get easily smeared when handled.  I also have my doubts that it can be successfully sealed with some clear coat.  It will also be really messy when handling the model (and unlike pastel powders soap and water will be needed to clean it off your hands).

EDIT: added link for carbon black.  Actually, soot is a different material. Do we really know which this is?  I learned something new . . .

Whatever it is I'm gonna give it a whirl in a couple minutes.
I just know that I'm gonna have a fun time trying to rectify things if this doesn't work out... But, live and learn.