Painting hardware...

[Oystercopy]

I'm trying to paint my fender screws to match the body color. As it turns out, it appears my screws are the "black oxide" type and won't take paint well. Does anyone either a) have any suggestions of what I can do to make those screws take and hold the paint? Or, b) what type of screws are better for painting? I'm using the regular enamel touch up paint for my car, Plum Crazy purple. Thanks.

 

[moparlee]

Get them media blasted down to bare metal.

 

[Ronbo73]

If you can't media blast them then maybe you can try a liquid etch to see if it would allow paint to stick.

 

[EV2RTSE]

A pair of vice-grip pliers and a bench grinder wire wheel will work in a pinch

 

[Steve340]

You could try a mild acid solution for an hour or two.
I stick the screws or bolts I want to paint in to a carboard box to stand them up until they dry.

 

[mopar jack]

wire wheel should work but ditch the vice grips and use a battery drill with a keyless chuck. Won't harm the threads.

 

[Oystercopy]

wire wheel should work but ditch the vice grips and use a battery drill with a keyless chuck. Won't harm the threads.

View attachment 136579

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions people! It turns out, very likely, that what I've got is a "touch up" can of paint, which may have been formulated only for spray guns, and could be extremely thin. This could be why I had trouble getting the coverage on the parts. Because I also used this can to cover my new door hinges when I installed them, and it did the same thing.. bad coverage!

 

[cuda joe]

i sprayed base coat paint on mine then touched up where it chipped and cleared coated it with a small brush . but first. bead blast them and prime

 

[heminut]

Also, push the threaded part of the screws into a piece of cardboard to paint them, it holds the screws up nicely while painting them.