No. The oxides are still there, the color just isn't. When I had my Charlin done at Turnbull's, the advice he gave me was to coat them with something.
Best,
Ted
I, too, had a long conversation about CC photosensitivity and protection for the coating of "stuff" that makes the colors with Dr. Gaddy.
#1. The "stuff" is a very thin coating only loosely bound to the surface of the steel. It does not require aggressive attack to break it loose and remove it.
#2. Anything that coats the "stuff" will prolong its life.#3. We see objects due to reflected light; no reflected light and the object is dark. We see colors due to various wave lengths of the reflected light. An object we see as blue is reflection mostly the wave lengths that our eyes and brains interpret as blue.
#4. The "stuff" is not blue/red/straw in and of itself. Rather, various thicknesses of coating cause reflectance of various wave lengths and we see them as differing colors. Blued/blacked metal appears dark because the oxide coating absorbs most light and reflects little. Note, the prismatic colors we see from a puddle of water with a bit of oil on top is caused by varying thickness of the oil film.
#5. "Stuff" is not photosensitive. It is for sure subject to mechanical wear and most likely subject to chemical attack, possibly airborne trace chemicals.
DDA
