What is the Best Black in a Spray Can?

[TWChamp]

In 1969 I painted my Ducati motorcycle frame with Rustoleum black, and this was in El Paso, Texas, while I was in the Army. Even in the hot desert, it took a week to dry before I could touch it, and it looked more charcoal gray than black. After that I refused to buy Rustoleum until a couple years ago. Their paint now looks much better and dries quickly. However, I still don't think it has the rich deep true black look of PPG DCC 9000.

In the 70's K Mart used to have a good automotive section in the store, and they sold TEMPO auto touch up paint. This was a nice black, but I haven't seen that in years. I don't want to mix DCC 9000 every time I need to paint a smaller part. I also don't want to pay the high price for this to be mixed and put into a spray can. I'm wondering what is the best match for a deep rich black in a spray can off the shelf? Thanks, Tom

[sweetolbob]

Krylon enamel, easy to find, covers well. I use it on a lot of small auto projects. Bob

[jts359]

I just used SEM Landau black to redye the carpets in our Avanti , Ed

[Buzzard]

NAPA Chassis Black is superb, good finish, dries quickly and sprays nicely. Perhaps not your best choice for a high quality gloss finish but for frame, brackets etc, real good.

[Michidan]

I haven't been happy with anything other than Eastwood stuff lately. For the money it better be good - but it is.

[oilnsteel]

Iron Guard in a rattle can from your local Case IH dealer. Shiny!

[rusty65]

In my adventures I have found that Sherwin-Williams spray can work out nice, though they can be pricey.
Lately, I have had good luck with Rustoleum 2X spray cans.Great value.Make sure the can has '2X' on the label.Sometimes you can catch it on sale at Ace Hardware.

[in2deep]

Dupli-Color engine enamel with ceramic DE 1613 Gloss Black. Rattle can for Hardware & Misc. On amazon for about $4.70 per can. GOOD STUFF!

[StudeRich]

I SECOND the info in Post #8! There is no question Dupli-color is one of THE BEST off the shelf rattle can paint.
I would NEVER use Krylon as their Paints have a different base than all the rest and are not compatible with anything.

[r1lark]

Dupli-Color engine enamel with ceramic DE 1613 Gloss Black. Rattle can for Hardware & Misc. On amazon for about $4.70 per can. GOOD STUFF!

Plus the Dupli-Color spray cans have an excellent spray nozzle, at least IMHO.

[TWChamp]

Thanks for the tip on Dupli-Color. I will have to give that a try.
Like Rich, I wasn't too impressed with Krylon.
The last time I tried it was years ago, but it seemed very thin and didn't seem to have enough color pigment.

I've been using Rustoleum 2X black for the past couple years, and it's a big improvement over what I used on my Ducati in 1969. Last night I took my recently painted hand crank to try it for fit on my just purchased 1920 Delco 850 Light Plant. When I shined my LED flashlight on the crank handle, the Rustoleum 2X black did look a bit on the gray side. I'll put the crank handle next to my Model A parts that I painted with PPG DCC 9000, and use my LED flashlight to see how the blacks compare.

By itself in daylight the 2X black looks good, but I'll try Dupli-Color to see if it has an even better deep rich black without any gray look to it.

[RadioRoy]

My favorite spray can paint is Aervoe engine enamel. Covers well, dries fast and holds up well.

It seems to have disappeared from the San Francisco Bay Area a few years ago, though.

http://aervoe.com/paints_coatings/Engine-Enamel.html

[SN-60]

I just used SEM Landau black to redye the carpets in our Avanti , Ed

I second the SEM products recommendation...The thing is only auto body supply stores carry the line. (I think!)

[48skyliner]

Seymour MRO is the best. Ed Seymour invented paint in a spray can back in the 1950s, and his company has always been at the front in developing aerosol paints. Their current spray nozzles spray just like a small detail spray gun, with a fan shaped pattern. The MRO colors are very high solids, so they cover very well. I use their self etching primer, which also has the nozzle that sprays like a gun. My favorite is their stainless steel paint, which I use for brake calipers, suspension parts, and various items in an engine compartment - anything in a harsh environment. The pigment is pure powdered stainless steel, excellent corrosion resistance.

Seymour paints are sold in specialty equipment stores and paint stores, and they do some house brand paints which I think are the same paint.

http://www.seymourpaint.com/history/

[TWChamp]

I was just out in the dark garage holding my Rustoleum 2X gloss Black part next to my PPG DCC 9000 black. Using my LED flashlight you can see the Rustoleum is a bit more gray, but not near as much as I was expecting to see. In natural light the difference is less visible, but I'll still try a couple of the paints listed here to see if they are a blacker black.

This is like hunting for the right trim color for the 1950 Studebakers.